Building advanced skills while connecting to the larger family-law community
The Family Law & Policy Fellowship is designed for Brooklyn Law School students who are interested in pursuing legal careers in family law and policy, and have demonstrated strong academic and professional achievement. First year students, and part-time students in their first or second year, are eligible to apply.
The fellowship is one year long culminating in a major research project on a legal or policy issue, under the mentorship by faculty members or professionals. (Fellows may apply to renew their fellowship for a second year). Fellows receive a stipend each year of the fellowship. They do not receive credit for the research project, although the project may serve as the basis of an independent study or a student note for a journal. The fellowship provides a valuable opportunity for students interested in family law and policy to network within BLS and in the larger community.
Requirements
- Satisfactorily complete a major research project, culminating in a paper and presentation.
- Attend regular meetings on the research project with the fellow’s faculty or professional mentor.
- Attend fellowship gatherings.
- Demonstrate leadership within Brooklyn Law School and the larger community on family law and policy, including but not limited to organizing school events.
Application
Applicants should submit a resume, transcript, and brief statement of interest in family law and policy (500-1000 words) to dana.manto@brooklaw,edu. The Fellowship Committee will review applications, and possibly interview candidates.
Applications will open in April 2025.
Contact
If you have questions, please contact: Professor Cynthia Godsoe at cynthia.godsoe@brooklaw.edu or Professor Elizabeth Chen at elizabeth.chen@brooklaw.edu.
Family Law Fellows
2025-2026 Fellows
I am eager to begin my year as a Brooklyn Family Law and Policy Fellow. Prior to law school I was an educator teaching in Pre-K to 2nd grade classrooms. During that time, I was able to receive my master's in Special Education and Early Childhood Education. Since beginning law school, I have been focused on different areas of family law including children’s representation, custody and visitation cases, and matrimonial law. Previously, I was able to participate in Brooklyn Law School’s Disability and Civil Rights Clinic where I was able to work on policy projects furthering the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My most recent internship was working at the Children’s Law Center where I represented children in different custody and visitation cases.
Currently, I am interning at Sanctuary for Families in their Family Law Project where I am working with survivors of domestic violence on civil legal matters. In family law, I am most interested in children’s advocacy and matrimonial law.
I am a rising 3L at Brooklyn Law School, and this past year, I’ve really fallen in love with family law because of the way it blends legal structure with human experience. During the spring of my 2L year, I took both Family Law and a seminar on Dispute Resolution in Matrimonial and Family Law. These courses opened my eyes to how the law intersects with some of the most intimate and emotionally charged moments in a person’s life. Family law calls for more than legal reasoning; it asks for presence, patience, and a careful balance between doctrine and empathy. I am especially interested in how courts balance private agreements with the public interest, particularly when there are power imbalances or children's rights at stake. Right now, I am interning for Justice Jeffrey Sunshine in Kings County Supreme Court, where I get to see these issues as they arise in real time. Every day reminds me that family law, at its best, offers not only legal resolution, but clarity, dignity, and compassion for people during some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives.
My name is Porter, and I am from Los Angeles, California. I attended William and Mary for my undergraduate studies, where I received my B.A. with a major in History and a minor in French. I have always been drawn to helping families and children and wanted to find a way to explore that while at BLS. My interest in family law and policy arises from my ultimate goal to advocate for children and families that are navigating the intricate legal system. I also have a personal connection with families with disabled children, as I had a cousin with a rare disease when I was growing up. Her experience motivated me to research how I can best advocate for families in similar circumstances. For example, issues such as the rights of parents with disabilities, accessibility, and dependency are areas in which I am drawn to family law. Moreover, I am also interested in estate planning as well as guardianship. Family law, especially in the context of foster care, disability, and child welfare, aligns with my interests of public interest law, family relationships, and policy reform. I am eager to learn more about parental rights, interpersonal legal issues, and what it truly means to serve in a child’s best interest. Furthermore, I am drawn to this area of law due to its human impact and complexities that can better prepare me as a Brooklyn Law student.
I am entering my second year at Brooklyn Law School, where I am a part of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Honors Society, Brooklyn Law Students for the Public Interest, Family Law and Policy Association, and the pro bono projects Courtroom Advocates Project, Suspension Representation Project, and If/When/How. This summer I have been interning at Legal Services NYC’s Queens Office in their Domestic Violence and Family Law Advocacy Project. Much of my work experience before law school has been working with individuals of varying ages, abilities, and economic statuses. This motivated me to pursue a career representing members of families in their legal matters, and I am excited to further develop and expand my commitment to this field through researching family law and policy.
Although Ava began her studies at BLS uncertain about which path to pursue, she found her direction this past summer while interning with the Hon. Cheryl J. Gonzales in the Matrimonial Term of the Kings County Supreme Court. That experience sparked a passion for family law and gave her an appreciation for its uniquely emotional yet technical nature. Through the fellowship, she hopes to explore ways to make sensitive proceedings more approachable and equitable. This fall, she looks forward to broadening her perspective as a judicial intern for the Hon. Ramón E. Reyes, Jr. in the Eastern District of New York.