EDUCATION LAW CENTER WELCOMES SKADDEN FELLOW

The Skadden Arps law firm has awarded Jessica Levin a prestigious Skadden fellowship at Education Law Center from 2014 through 2016.

Ms. Levin is a 2013 graduate of Harvard Law School, where she was co-editor-in-chief of the Harvard Latino Law Review, a student fellow for the Law & Social Change Program of Study, president of the Harvard Law School Advocates for Education, and the education chair of Child and Youth Advocates. She was also awarded the William J. Stuntz Memorial Award for Justice, Human Dignity, and Compassion.

Prior to law school, Ms. Levin was a Clarendon Scholar and received a master’s degree in politics from Oxford University. She received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Cornell University. She currently serves as a law clerk for the Honorable Carlos Lucero of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, in Denver. 

Ms. Levin is deeply committed to education rights, with a particular interest in equal opportunities for English language learners (ELL). Her bachelor’s and master’s theses focused on the politics of language in schools, strengthening her belief that language rights are crucial to racial and educational justice.

At ELC, Ms. Levin will provide targeted legal advocacy to New Jersey ELL students. By 2030, ELL students will constitute an estimated 40% of the K-12 student population in the U.S. New Jersey public schools currently serve over 55,000 ELL students. These students face persistent denial of their legal rights in special education, discipline, bullying, school admissions and other areas.

Ms. Levin will focus on direct representation of ELL students, responding to requests for assistance from parents and from partner organizations serving New Jersey’s Latino and other immigrant communities. In addition to handling individual cases, she will assess the need to address systemic barriers to educational services through litigation and policy change. Ms. Levin will also work to expand ELC’s pro bono attorney program by recruiting attorneys to represent ELL students.   

ELC is honored to have its work on advancing the educational rights of our nation’s public school children recognized by Skadden Arps, and looks forward to Ms. Levin commencing her fellowship in September.

Press Contact:

Sharon Krengel
Policy and Outreach Director
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x 24

Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240