2023 CLEA Student Awards for Clinics and Externships: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law’s Genesis Aguirre Guerra, Kenya Whitaker, Andrea de la Torre, and Beth Brodsky

The Clinical Legal Education Association invited law schools to nominate students as their Outstanding Clinic Student or Team and Outstanding Externship student. This series includes submissions from law schools celebrating their outstanding students. 

In May 2023, UDC David A. Clarke School of Law presented the following awards to our graduating students at our Hooding Ceremony.

The CLEA Outstanding Externship Student Award for demonstrating excellence in externship fieldwork and thoughtful, self reflective participation in the externship seminar was presented to Genesis Aguirre Guerra.  Genesis’ own immigration experience inspired Genesis Aguirre Guerra to pursue public interest law. She participated in both the General Practice and Immigration and Human Rights Clinics, was a summer fellow with Yale Law’s Workers and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic and the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy, and externed with the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition. Through this externship, Genesis researched alternatives to appearing before an immigration judge for bond release and traveled to Pennsylvania to assist a detained client. She used her trauma-informed skills to assist a mother and her children who escaped partner physical violence. She also served as a Law Review editor and President of the Latinx Law Student Association.  Post-graduation, Claudia will be an Immigrant Justice Fellow, through Immigrant Justice Corps, with the CAIR Detained Adults Coalition.

The CLEA Outstanding Clinic Student Award for excellence in clinic fieldwork and thoughtful, self-reflective participation in the Clinical Program was presented to Kenya Whitaker. Kenya displayed excellence in both the Community Development Law Clinic and the Criminal Law Clinic, including participating in extended clinic. She was a leader in the Community Development Law Clinic and an exceptional research assistant for the professor. In the Criminal Law Clinic, Kenya Whitaker zealously advocated for a client facing charges in D.C. Superior Court and a severely ill, elderly man petitioning for parole after decades in prison. Kenya displayed compassionate leadership in her advocacy and in clinic seminar. She also delivered powerful testimony, based on extensive research and using persuasive and creative arguments, to the Maryland General Assembly regarding access to medical parole. Kenya embodies all the qualities of an exceptional defender – she is hardworking, intelligent, passionate, creative, detail-oriented, and client-centered. Kenya reflects on her work thoughtfully and honestly and takes advantage of trainings to improve her advocacy skills. Post-graduation, Kenya will be a Policy Fellow working at the DC Justice Lab.

UDC Law also presented a UDC Outstanding Clinic Team Award for excellence and thoughtful reflective while working collaboratively in contributing to the clinical community at the law school, legal community, or broader community.  This year’s winners are Andrea de la Torre and Beth Brodsky. As evening students, Andrea de la Torre and Beth Brodsky demonstrated exceptional teamwork in the Tax Clinic, each contributing over 425 hours of clinic work in their Fall semester. Their work involved hours of research and communication with the IRS and other relevant agencies regarding a complex tax matter. The team diligently pursued all remedies for their client, engaging in creative and zealous advocacy. Beth and Andrea also presented an engaging and thought-provoking presentation at a DC library on how to apply for DC Homestead tax credits and DC Homeowner and Renter tax credits. With this presentation, DC residents better understand how to reduce their income tax using DC tax credits.   

 

UDC Law is proud of each of our 2023 graduates.  All students graduating from our day program completed at least two seven-credit clinics and our evening students completed at least one ten-credit clinic to graduate. Through our clinics, our students are equipped to Practice Law, Promote Justice, and Change Lives!