Julianna Minus '26 spent this past summer advocating for incarcerated persons' constitutional rights as an Equal Justice America and Maida Public Interest Fellow with the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project.
I'm grateful to everyone at the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project who provided this exceptional learning opportunity in the field of prison law. I gained comprehensive experience in prisoners' rights litigation through diverse assignments spanning research, writing, and client interaction. I conducted extensive legal research on critical issues including the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), excessive force under the Eighth Amendment, executive orders affecting transgender people in prison, and ADA compliance in correctional facilities.
My most meaningful work involved direct client services and case development. I participated in depositions of high-ranking Department of Corrections officials, conducted legal calls with incarcerated clients to provide case updates, and visited SCI Phoenix to meet with a client seeking medication for opioid use disorder. These experiences provided crucial insight into the human impact of our legal work.
The most intensive aspect of my internship involved document review for class action litigation challenging solitary confinement practices. I meticulously reviewed thousands of pages of medical records, DOC files, and disciplinary records for seven class plaintiffs, synthesizing complex information into organized five-page memos. This work required calculating extensive periods of solitary confinement—often hundreds or thousands of days—while documenting the mental deterioration caused by these extreme conditions.
This internship illuminated the strategic nature of impact litigation and the careful, incremental approach required to create meaningful change. I learned that effective prison law advocacy takes many forms, from direct representation addressing immediate injustices to carefully crafted advocacy letters to corrections officials.
The experience was emotionally challenging but ultimately hopeful, as I witnessed PILP's dedicated advocates working tirelessly to address systemic injustices. From denial of medical care cases—including a client who suffered 24 hours with undiagnosed appendicitis—to challenges against prolonged solitary confinement of individuals with mental health conditions, I gained deep appreciation for the urgent need for prison reform.
Thank you, Equal Justice America and Maida Public Interest Fellows Program, for your generous support of my fellowship, which made this transformative summer internship at PILP possible. Your investment in my legal education at Rutgers Law School has provided invaluable exposure to prison law and civil rights advocacy that will shape my career trajectory.
Julianna Minus '26 is originally from Virginia and received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University in English. Before starting law school, Julianna worked at a nonprofit organization in New York City focused on older adult services. She is actively involved on campus through her extensive pro bono work with the Christian Legal Clinic of Philadelphia (CLCP) and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE). Julianna serves as Senior Managing Editor of Race and the Law Review and works as a Research Assistant for Professor Sarah Ricks. She previously interned with Philadelphia VIP and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. She is devoted to prison abolition advocacy.