Mary Philbrook Public Interest Awards
The Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award is given each fall at a gala celebration in Camden, in recognition of Mary Philbrook, the first woman admitted to the New Jersey Bar.
Sponsored by the Women’s Law Caucus, the Association for Public Interest Law, the Rutgers Law–Camden Alumni Association, the Burlington County Bar Association, and the Camden County Bar Association, the Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award celebration is a tradition at Rutgers Law School's Camden location that began in 1986.
The 40th Annual Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award Celebration honoring Jason Hernandez and Patricia Legge, '95 will take place on Tuesday, October 14th, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ. You can register at http://go.rutgers.edu/philbrook-tickets
2025 Mary Philbrook Award Honorees: Jason Hernandez and Patricia Legge, '95
Jason Hernandez is the founding director of the Rutgers Immigrant Community Advocacy Project (RICAP), which has become a national model and one of the crown jewels of Rutgers University. RICAP is one of the few university-based legal services programs to provide pro bono immigration legal services and information to undocumented and other noncitizen students. As its founder and director, Jason has been involved in all aspects of RICAP’s development, including forging relationships with and buy-in from key partners on all three of Rutgers’ campuses; effectively responding to the emergent needs of students during periods of unprecedented instability for noncitizen and international students; successfully advocating for resources to expand the program and staffing; and creating much-needed support networks for students, faculty, staff and administrators on critical immigration issues. Most recently, in March 2025, he established a Rapid Response Initiative for immediate deportation threats and was a major force behind a federal lawsuit to aid international students whose records in the Student Exchange and Visitor Information system were abruptly canceled, which threatened their academic careers.
Jason’s commitment to social justice work is longstanding and dates back to his service as a Jesuit volunteer after college. After graduating from Temple Beasley School of Law, he joined HIAS-PA as a legal fellow and soon came to lead their Asylee Outreach Project. He also volunteered to help organize nationalization application assistance events across Philadelphia and New Jersey, a passion project that he continues to pursue. Jason also is working on an empirical project with scholars and students in the Rutgers Law School Center for Immigrant Justice, researching implementation of the Professional Licensing Act to propose ways the law can be extended to serve eligible people in New Jersey regardless of their immigration status.
Patricia A. Legge, Esq., LMSW is the founding Executive Director of the Volunteer UP Legal Clinic, a nonprofit that connects clients facing legal challenges with South Jersey attorneys who volunteer to provide high-quality pro bono legal services not otherwise available. The Legal Clinic makes a difference in the lives of those in need in Camden and its surrounding communities, focusing in particular on people returning from incarceration and those with housing legal problems.
Patty’s career is a masterclass in public interest leadership. A proud graduate of the Rutgers Law School Class of 1995, Patty served as Vice President of the Association of Public Interest Law (“APIL”) and was a member of the Women’s Law Caucus. She became a career law clerk in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, serving Senior Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez, RLAW ’58, for over 22 years. In that period, she was a driving force in establishing the Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez Scholarship for a Rutgers Law School student who “demonstrate[s] commitment to academic achievement as well as community involvement and public service.” At the same time, she taught law school classes for 15 years, for the most part as an adjunct professor at Rutgers, but also as an inaugural faculty member at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Patty also served as a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s District IV Ethics Committee. As she retired from her career as a clerk, Patty earned a master’s degree in social work and became a licensed social worker. She now combines her law and social work backgrounds to assist those most vulnerable and in need of legal services in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties. Under her leadership, the Clinic delivers high quality, trauma-informed legal services through a deeply collaborative and community-driven model. Her vision has attracted attorneys, community partners, and donors: she has grown Volunteer UP from a dream in 2018 to a nonprofit legal services organization with five staff, 200 attorney volunteers, and a half-million dollar budget today. Selected as the 2024 Nonprofit Executive of the Year by the Non-Profit Development Center of Southern New Jersey and winner of Oaks Integrated Care’s Rooted in Community Award, Patty serves on the Leadership Council of Impact100 SJ, a group of women who synergize their philanthropic impact by researching and investing in social justice and other worthwhile nonprofit enterprises together. Patty and her husband of 35 years John have three grown children, Kevin, Elisabeth, and Madeleine
Accordion Content
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Mary Philbrook was born in Washington, D.C., on August 6, 1872. The daughter of a feminist and a lawyer, she only received formal education through high school, and a course in stenography. Mary became educated in the law only through a job with the firm of Russ and Oppenheimer, located in Hoboken, N.J., where she met James Minturn, who later became a New Jersey Supreme Court Justice. It was Minturn who encouraged Mary's interest in the law and made a motion for Mary to be admitted to the New Jersey Bar on February 20, 1894. Mary's petition for admittance rested on her rights as a citizen and the equal protection guarantees to citizens of the state. However, she was denied admission by the Court despite the fact that over 300 women were practicing attorneys in 30 other states.
In 1895, a bill was passed in New Jersey stating that "no person would be denied admission to examination for license to practice as an attorney..." and following another motion by Minturn, Mary was admitted to the New Jersey Bar on June 6, 1895. Subsequently, Mary became the first woman appointed to Chancery Court and the second to be a notary public. In 1906, Mary also became the first New Jersey woman to be admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
After beginning to practice, Mary began a lecture series in which she endorsed "plain justice," upholding that women not receive any special treatment. She moved her practice to Newark and began working for Legal Aid, as well as championing such causes as child labor reform, extension of the probation system, a state reformatory for women, and separate juvenile courts. Her volunteerism even extended to taking in street children into her own home until she could find adequate placement for them. She participated in investigations into white slavery, leading to the passing of the Mann Act, while also fighting for the right to vote.
After 1919, however, Philbrook's focus became the complete emancipation of women, especially in New Jersey. She resigned from a position for the City of Newark in protest because she was being treated differently from the men, assigned only cases in family law, and not given the same desk or office space as other legal assistants in the office. During that period, women's rights made many advances, with the adoption of an international treaty by the Pan‐American states at Montevideo. The treaty included an equal rights provision, and with the 1937 League of Nations Assembly, appointment of a committee to examine the legal status of women around the world. Mary then proceeded to organize several committees and write various petitions to amend the state constitution to include an equal rights provision and reword the preamble to affirm women's rights. Mary's final major triumph was the replacement of references to "men" in the New Jersey Constitution with references to "persons."
After prolonged illness, Mary Philbrook passed away on September 2, 1958. We should all be grateful for the many achievements she accomplished throughout her life.
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2000:
- The Honorable Lillian Ransom, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia
- Frank P. Cervone, Esq., Director, Support Center for Child Advocates, Philadelphia
2001:
- Renee Steinhagen, Esq., Executive Director, Public Interest Law Center, New Jersey
- William H. Buckman, Esq. ‘78, Private Practitioner, Morristown, N.J.
2002:
- Alba E. Martinez, Esq., Former Commissioner, Department of Human Services, Philadelphia
2003:
- The Honorable Judith H. Wizmur ‘74, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge, Camden, N.J.
2004:
- Judith Bernstein-Baker, Esq,. HIAS and Council, Migration Service of Philadelphia
- Carole Wood, Esq., Immigration Coordinator, Camden Center for Law and Social Justice
2005:
- The Honorable Theodore A. McKee, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
2006:
- Catherine C. Carr, Esq., Executive Director, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
2007:
- The Honorable Deborah Poritz (ret.), Chief Justice, New Jersey Supreme Court
2008:
- Carol E. Tracy, Esq., Executive Director, The Women’s Law Project, Philadelphia
2009:
- Yvonne Smith Segars, Esq., Public Defender for The State of New Jersey
2010:
- Drewry Nash Fennell, Executive Director, Delaware Criminal Justice Council
2011:
- Harold B. Garwin, Esq., Executive Director, Community Health Law Project
2013:
- The Honorable Virginia Long (ret.), Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court
2014:
- Tiffany Palmer ‘98, Social Justice Activist and Shareholder, Jerner & Palmer, P.C.
2015:
- The Honorable Marsha H. Neifield, Presiding Judge of Philadelphia Municipal Court
- Sally Goldfarb Professor of Law, The Domestic Violence Program, Rutgers Law School
2016:
- Michael Taub, Staff Attorney and Director of the Veterans Project of the Homeless Advocacy Project
2017:
- Harold Katz '77, Deputy Public Defender, New Jersey Office of the Public Defender
- Joseph Moran, Acting First Assistant Deputy Public Defender, New Jersey Office of the Public Defender
2018:
- Susan L. Burke Senior Counsel, MotleyRice
2019:
- Lloyd Freeman '07, Chief Diversity Officer, Archer Law
2023:
- Jodina Hicks '02, President, Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
2024:
- Irv Ackelsberg '76, former attorney at Community Legal Services
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Listed By Law School Graduation Year
Class of 1999
Nii Obeng (Sonny) Ankrah, 1999
Jacqueline Caban, 1999
Meredith Schalick, 1999
Kevin Walsh, 1999Class of 2000
Jean Connolly, 2000
Elizabeth Livingstone, 2000
Kay Radwanski, 2000
Robert Wright, 2000
Kelly Coia, 2000
Susanna Gray, 2000
Valarie McPherson, 2000
Class of 2001
Karen Francis, 2001
Christine Heer, 2001
Danielle Joseph, 2001
John Price, 2001
Marisa Krause, 2001
James Lubrich, 2001
Zoe McLaughlin, 2001
Michael Schleigh, 2001
Class of 2002
Mellany Alio, 2002
Lynne Killmeyer, 2002
Jodina Hoobler-Hicks, 2002
Megan Willoughby, 2002
John Cardwell, 2002
Sharon L. Piccioni, 2002
Lisa Raufer, 2002
Dalia Zaza, 2002
Class of 2003
Ellen Bailey, 2003
Matt Burns, 2003
Jared Littman, 2003
Blaise Pittman, 2003
Debra Rainey, 2003
Kimm Tynan, 2003
Rachel Fais Partyka, 2003
Stephanie Sanderson, 2003
Class of 2004
Carolyn Buccerone, 2004
Keith Campbell, 2004
Trevor Kwan, 2004
Bill McLaughlin, 2004
Belinda Roberts, 2004
Krista Trani, 2004
Oliver Cleary, 2004
Keith Walsh, 2004
Class of 2005
Matthew Abatemarco, 2005
William “Rob” Frantz, 2005
Daniella Gordon, 2005
Shawnda Grady, 2005
Maggie Niebler, 2005
Joseph Turk, 2005
Temperance Williamson, 2005
Kristy Hausinger, 2005
Kyle G. Phillips, 2005
Class of 2006
Macavan Baird, 2006
Sam Hoffman, 2006
Amanda M. Lanham, 2006
Robert “Reb” Loucas, 2006
Kristina Rencic, 2006
Jennifer Shamwell, 2006
Dina Wizmur, 2006
Lisa Junghahn, 2006
Kevin Leipow, 2006
Class of 2007
Bridget Coyne, 2007
David Gallivan, 2007
Maria Hernandez, 2007
Jeffrey Klamut, 2007
Robert O’Brien, 2007
Matthew Rudolphi, 2007
Sarah Wang, 2007
Lloyd Freeman, 2007
Wesley Huber, 2007
Kimberly Wong, 2007
Class of 2008
Marissa Band, 2008
Carrie S. Ford, 2008
Ariel Gornizky, 2008
Esther Huang, 2008
Tiffany Dionne Johnson, 2008
Zorayda J. Moreira-Smith, 2008
Catherine Salansky, 2008
Gregory B. Thomlison, 2008
Joseph A. Venti, 2008
Michelle A. Westcoat, 2008
Class of 2009
Lynda Hinkle, 2009
Shana Mattson, 2009
Nhan Tu, 2009
Catherine Williams, 2009
Conor Wilson, 2009
Laura Ann Pontelandolfo, 2009
Class of 2010
Melissa Bowe, 2010
Lisa Geis, 2010
Amanda Harber, 2010
Cori Harvey, 2010
Jonathan Klein, 2010
Andrew Linenberg, 2010
Chris Markos, 2010
Noah Marlier, 2010
Melissa Osorio, 2010
Jenna Fliszar, 2010
Suehail Perez, 2010
Class of 2011
Beverly Beaver, 2011
Brian Robert Brotman, 2011
Jason Fortenberry, 2011
Jeanette Kwon, 2011
Kate Reilly, 2011
Michael P. Sawka, 2011
Erik L. Solivan, 2011
Michael Christian Younker, 2011
Jocelyn Fowler, 2011
Christine McDevitt, 2011
Theodora Stringham, 2011
Class of 2012
Elliott Almanza, 2012
Alysa Castro, 2012
Brandon Croker, 2012
Matt DePasquale, 2012
Elena Fikaris, 2012
Jacquie Huynh-Linenberg, 2012
Wali Rushdan II, 2012
Brisa De Angulo, 2012
Parker Palmer, 2012
Kayci Petenko, 2012
Abraham Tran, 2012
Class of 2013
Jennifer Kim, 2013
Jennifer Martin, 2013
Colleen McCafferty, 2013
Michael Perez, 2013
Jonathan Sacks, 2013
Ryan Schaffer, 2013
Matan Shmuel, 2013
Kiomeiry Csepes, 2013
Amanda Dalton, 2013
Class of 2014
Maura Burk, 2014
Iveliz Crespo, 2014
Tiara Greene, 2014
Samantha Gross, 2014
Maureen Ingersoll, 2014
Ragner Jaeger, 2014
Stephen Raab, 2014
Amanda Follett, 2014
Kathleen Kelliher, 2014
Michelle Ringel, 2014
Class of 2015
Justin Kozinn, 2015
Matthew Lewis, 2015
Staven Salinger, 2015
Amy Sobotka, 2015
Jacquelyn Suarez, 2015
Xiomara Uran, 2015
Alexi Velez, 2015
Class of 2016
Ryann Aaron, 2016
Linwood Donelson, 2016
Frantz Duncan, 2016
Alexis Franklin, 2016
Caitlin Faye, 2016
Amanda O'Keefe, 2016
Jason Kanterman, 2016
Leigh Kelsey O'Donnell, 2016
Class of 2017
Sade Calin, 2017
Carly Campoli, 2017
Mary-Kate Collins, 2017
Amanda Deptula, 2017
Brooke Lewis, 2017
Anastasia Millicker, 2017
Rachel Lamb, 2017
Kathryn Morris, 2017
Kisha Pinnock, 2017
Emily Preziosa, 2017
Allan Zhang, 2017
Class of 2018
Christopher Bustamente Osario, 2018
Daniel Dowdy, 2018
Blair Gerold, 2018
Eric Macias Intriago, 2018
Sandra Reed, 2018
Domenico Stockton-Rossini, 2018
Amelia Vangellow, 2018
Shahidah Williams, 2018
Michael Berryhill, 2018
Jessica Beardsley, 2018
Jacquelyn Corsentino, 2018
Class of 2019
April Gambardella, 2019
Joanna Gardner, 2019
Julianna Koster, 2019
Eric Lee, 2019
Ariella Levine, 2019
Ashley Maddison, 2019
Olivia Nardone, 2019
Kristen Petagna, 2019
Christina Schnyer, 2019
Class of 2020
Sarah Ballentince, 2020
Lauren Bateman, 2020
Caitlin Flynn, 2020
Noelle Hanrahan, 2020
Colin Sheehan, 2020
Arabelis Brito, 2020
Nikia Clark, 2020
Abby Cook, 2020
Courtney Crosby, 2020
Derek Demeri, 2020
Sara Gray, 2020
Hannah Lee. 2020
Claire Newsome, 2020
Ayisha Scales-Bruce, 2020
Ryan Slocum, 2020
Class of 2021
Liliya Bondarenko, 2021
Sydney Groll, 2021
Morgan Humphrey, 2021
Aryn Keyel, 2021
Jenise Rivera, 2021
Jason Stump, 2021
Nina Rodriguez, 2021
Christian Valdez-Vargas, 2021
Destiney Wilson, 2021Class of 2022
Tess Berkowitz, 2022
Jazlyn Cabán, 2022
Kate Doyle, 2022
Dawn Ericksen, 2022
Tue Ho, 2022
Lisa Laffend, 2022
Stephanie Mignogna, 2022
Madison Provorny, 2022
Casey Schu, 2022
Teddy Sigwart, 2022Class of 2023
Sherée Brewer, 2023
Erinmarie Byrnes, 2023
Nicholas Gangemi, 2023
Rebecca Lewis, 2023
Emma Martin, 2023
Grace Purgason, 2023
Sam Shopp, 2023Class of 2024
Michael Bauder, 2024
Thomas Boisvert, 2024
Lindsey Eveland, 2024
Allison Jones, 2024
Haajra Mirza, 2024
Emily Schurr, 2023
Rachel Tavani, 2024
Kassidy Tirelli, 2024
Nayomi Torres-Velez, 2024
Morgan Walsh, 2024
Rachael Wolfram, 2024Class of 2025
Jenna Centofanti, 2025
Kate Doyle, 2025
David Freckleton, 2025
Deidra Hopkins, 2025
Kate Isidro, 2025
Paige Kaercher, 2025
Kayalyn Kibbe, 2025
Jasmyn Montgomery, 2025
Christina Ramelli, 2025
Ren Ramos, 2025 -
The Philbrook Celebration began in 1986, as the successor event to the Rutgers Women’s Law Caucus’ networking dinner. The Rutgers Women’s Law Caucus was founded in the 1970s to advocate for equal treatment for women in the legal profession and in society, educate its members and the law school community about legal issues affecting women’s lives, and provide opportunities for women law students, faculty, attorneys and judges to network with each other. In 1986, at the suggestion of Professor Ann Freedman, its faculty advisor, the Women’s Law Caucus joined with other law school student organizations, interested faculty and alumni to re-invent the WLC’s annual gathering of students, faculty and alumni as the Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award Celebration.
Professor Robert F. Williams suggested naming the award after Mary Philbrook because of her path-breaking achievements as New Jersey’s first woman lawyer, her role in obtaining the equal rights provision of the 1947 New Jersey state constitution, and her outstanding career as an advocate for social justice and equality. Val Myntti, ’87, the chairperson of the original Philbrook Celebration, and the Honorable Betty J. Lester, of the Superior Court, Essex County, New Jersey, the first Philbrook honoree, helped us start the enjoyable Philbrook tradition of combining a wonderful social occasion with inspiring reflections on a life and career shaped by dedication to the public interest. Linda J. Wharton, ’81 (also our 1992 Philbrook honoree), and Dean Angela V. Baker, ’85, are members of the first Philbrook organizing committee who continue to be involved today.
In 1998, when Professor Louis S. Rulli, ’74, was the Philbrook honoree, the law school’s Alumni Association became a co-sponsor of the event with the Women’s Law Caucus. The next year, at the suggestion of Professors Rulli and Freedman, the event sponsors inaugurated the Mary Philbrook Student Public Interest Awards, which have allowed the law school community to recognize dozens of outstanding students for their dedicated work on behalf of social justice and equality. In 2000, the Association for Public Interest Law joined the Women’s Law Caucus and the Alumni Association as a co-sponsor of the program, helping to take the event to another level. In 2005, the Camden County Bar Association became the event’s fourth official sponsor, and Professor Freedman was honored for her role in promoting the spirit of Mary Philbrook in the Rutgers Law School community and for her ongoing leadership in creating each year’s celebration.
From 1986 to the present, the Mary Philbrook Award Celebration has benefited from outstanding leadership on the part of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and members of the bench and bar. While their names are too numerous to list, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has helped create the distinctive tradition which has now continued for a quarter of a century.
Over the years, Lisa Alston, Diana Avella, Jay Cholera, Linda Comuso, Christen Conway, Kate Cranston, Susan Doughty, Rob Goodman, Theresa McCuen, Colleen McNally, Pam Mertsock-Wolfe, Teresa Moffett, Zaharati Morfesis, Donna Rabena, Jane W. Rhodes and Carol Shaner have provided staff support above and beyond the call of duty. The Campus Center staff, Dining, Events Office, Facilities, Rutgers Camden IT, and Media Relations Departments have provided expert and invaluable assistance. Associate Chancellor Mary Beth Daisey, the Honorable Jack Sabatino, Deans Victoria Chase and Angela V. Baker, and Professor John Beckerman have assumed critical leadership roles and helped mentor the students involved in creating the event.
Former Assistant Dean Eve Biskin Klothen played an important role in embedding the Philbrook celebration in the law school’s culture, expanding the event’s support for student public interest work and strengthening ties with the legal community. Special thanks are due to the outstanding honorees who have graced us with their presence and inspired us by their work, as well as to Chancellor Phoebe Haddon, former Chancellor Wendell Pritchett and former Deans John Pittenger, Rick Singer, Paul Robinson, Roger Dennis (also our former Provost), Jay Feinman, Rayman Solomon (another former Provost), John Oberdiek, and current co-deans Michael Cahill and Ron Chen, who have always provided generous support, financial and otherwise, to make this event possible.