Three American University Washington College of Law Students Selected as 2019 Gallogly Public Interest Fellows

February 1, 2019

3Ls Arielle Chapnick, Marissa Ditkowsky, and Dominique Perez-Sangimino are the third class from AUWCL to be selected for this prestigious fellowship.
3Ls Arielle Chapnick, Marissa Ditkowsky, and Dominique Perez-Sangimino are the third class from AUWCL to be selected for this prestigious fellowship.

WASHINGTON, DC  – American University Washington College of Law (AUWCL) is delighted to announce the selection three fellows for this year’s Gallogly Family Foundation Public Interest Fellowship Program.

AUWCL 3Ls Arielle Chapnick, Marissa Ditkowsky, and Dominique Perez-Sangimino are the third class from AUWCL to be selected for this prestigious fellowship.

“By continuing to support projects like those developed by our 2019 graduates, the Gallogly Family Foundation not only helps to launch the careers of remarkable young public interest lawyers like Arielle, Marissa and Domnique, but also provides critical resources to DC legal service providers who are on the front lines of closing the justice gap,” said Associate Director for the Office of Public Interest Angie McCarthy.

Jim Gallogly and his family started the Gallogly Family Foundation in 2011. His daughter, Kasey DeLuke, is the foundation’s Executive Director and a 2009 graduate of AUWCL. The foundation’s giving is focused on educational opportunities and land conservation. Modeled after the Skadden Public Interest Fellowship program, the Gallogly Foundation Fellows work for nonprofit organizations that provide direct legal services to low-income individuals and/or those deprived of their civil or human rights.

“We are proud to support Arielle, Marissa, and Dominque as they start their careers as public interest attorneys,” DeLuke said. “They are inspiring young lawyers who are dedicated to improving access to quality legal services.”

Arielle Chapnick

As a Gallogly Fellow, Arielle will partner with the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Washington, DC. She will increase CARECEN’s capacity for direct legal representation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, educate local immigrant communities on the changes in the TPS and DACA programs, and implement innovative outreach methods to share information with community members of all ages. 

“I am incredibly grateful to the Gallogly Family Foundation for giving me the opportunity to serve my community as an immigration attorney," Chapnick said. "CARECEN is a fantastic non-profit and our work together will help ensure that local immigrants have increased access to vital legal services and information regarding our nation’s changing immigration policy.”

Marissa Ditkowsky

Marissa will be working at Tzedek DC, a non-profit that applies direct representation, community education, and legislative advocacy to assist low-income DC residents who are facing unjust, abusive, and potentially illegal debt collection practices. She will focus on the representation of low-income DC residents with disabilities, who disproportionately require representation in debt collection cases and currently have no tailored representation available in the DC area.

“I am extremely excited to pursue this fellowship that I conceived as a volunteer at Tzedek DC. As a woman with disabilities, I look forward to being able to represent, educate, and empower clients within my community," said Ditkowsky.

Dominique Perez-Sangimino

As a Gallogly Fellow, Dominique will partner with Ayuda to provide immediate and direct immigration legal services at Northern Virginia domestic violence shelters. She hopes to empower immigrant domestic violence survivors who won't otherwise be served by educating them about their rights, conducting legal consultations, and representing them in their immigration cases.

“The Gallogly Family Foundation is allowing me to create and pursue my dream job, and I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity," Perez-Sangimino said.

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In 1896, American University Washington College of Law became the first law school in the country founded by women. More than 100 years since its founding, this law school community is grounded in the values of equality, diversity, and intellectual rigor. The law school's nationally and internationally recognized programs and dedicated faculty provide its students with the critical skills and values to have an immediate impact as students and as graduates, in Washington, D.C. and around the world. For more information, visit wcl.american.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Angie McCarthy
Assistant Director, Office of Public Interest
American University Washington College of Law
(202) 274-4099
amccarth@wcl.american.edu