By Andrew Cohen
The record-setting news continues to roll in for Berkeley Law students and alums pursuing coveted public service positions, with a school-record seven selections to the California Attorney General Honors Program — more than any other law school.
“This reflects the impressive achievements of our community members who were chosen,” says Assistant Dean of Career Development Eric Stern. “It also represents tremendous work by our Career Development Office public interest team and lecturer Ted Mermin, who always champions this program and the students who apply to it each year.”
Berkeley Law’s selections include 2024 graduates David Beglin, Truman Braslaw, Becky Hunter, Sierra Killian, and Amaya Ramsay-Malone, as well as Brandy Doyle ’22 and classmate Annabelle Wilmott. The highly competitive program for recent law school graduates and newly admitted lawyers committed to a career in public service enables them to work with experts on vital issues in criminal justice, consumer protection, environmental preservation, and more.
Supporting policies and programs administered by state agencies, they will work in the Attorney General’s Office in San Francisco or Sacramento — with valuable opportunities to draft legal pleadings, get courtroom experience, and receive hands-on training, career development programming, and mentorship advice.
Hunter will join the Environment Section in the Public Rights Division. Recent Editor-in-Chief of Ecology Law Quarterly, she became intrigued by the Honors Program during a gratifying summer after her 1L year interning in both the Environment and Land Use & Conservation Sections.
“That experience solidified my conviction to pursue a career in environmental defense. I also left excited by the rewards and challenges of public service work,” she says. “I’m delighted to be starting my legal career in the AG’s Office and I’m eager to develop strong litigation skills while protecting California’s people and diverse environments, especially given the pernicious effects of climate change.”
Braslaw will work in the Civil Division’s Health, Education, and Welfare Section, which serves as legal counsel for state agencies charged with implementing and administering health care programs and services, public education, and some social services. Inspired by those who improve society through public service, he hopes to garner the skills and experience needed to provide excellent legal support to public entities throughout his career.
“Berkeley Law’s public interest counselors played a critical role by helping me prepare my personal statement, answering questions about the application, conducting mock interviews, and providing needed guidance and reassurance,” Braslaw says. “Ted Mermin also encouraged me to seek public sector work and took time out of his busy schedule to meet with me individually about the Honors Program. I’m incredibly grateful for the support of the CDO and all the staff and faculty at the law school that made this possible.”
Ramsay-Malone relishes how entry-level attorneys in the office regularly take on substantial roles in important cases, and the prospect of learning quickly from experts in the field about how to effectively litigate and advocate on behalf of California residents. She will work in the Land Use & Conservation Section’s Public Rights Division in Sacramento.
“I’m a lifelong Californian and have lived all over the state, so I’m excited at the opportunity to serve fellow Californians and hope to bring that unique perspective to my work,” she says. “I’m also really passionate about environmental law and policy, so I was particularly inspired by the innovative work being done in the environmental space by the Public Rights Division and excited at the opportunity to work on cutting-edge environmental issues.”
Beglin, who will join the Consumer Protection Section, credits several Berkeley Law experiences for paving his path to the program: doing a field placement semester at the California Department of Justice’s Worker Rights and Fair Labor Section, volunteering at the Workers’ Rights Clinic, and taking the State and Local Impact Litigation Practicum.
“Ted Mermin and Berkeley Law’s Career Development Office counselors played a huge role in my application,” says Beglin, who volunteered for Mermin’s California Low-Income Consumer Coalition last semester. “He’s the person who sparked my interest in pursuing consumer protection in the first place and his Consumer Protection Law class had a huge influence on how I thought about the different ways one could make a difference through a legal career … In the CDO, Cat Bonanno in particular was hugely helpful, offering crucial advice and feedback on my materials and many conversations about working as a government attorney.”
Wilmott is wrapping up a two-year clerkship with Judge Dale Drozd in the Eastern District of California in Sacramento, and will stay in the area to work in the Public Rights Division of the program’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section. She focused on civil rights and public defense during law school, recognizing that they offer a direct and impactful legal pathway to address human rights causes and challenges within the United States.
“One aspect of the Honors Program I’m particularly excited about is its provision of training and mentorship,” Wilmott says. “I aim to deepen my understanding of civil rights law and issues, further hone my litigation and investigation skills, and delve into areas such as legislative advocacy and policy that I haven’t had the opportunity to explore during my clerkship.”
Doyle always knew she’d go into public interest law, but never considered working in government before learning about the office’s Public Rights Division. A recommendation from Field Placement Program Director Sue Schechter led to a rewarding internship during her last year of law school, prompting her to explore the Honors Program.
“I also got support and tips from recent Berkeley Law grads; it was a big help to connect with other alumni in the program,” says Doyle, who will join the Civil Rights Enforcement Section. “There’s so much great work happening, and I was excited to see how the AG’s Office takes on some of the same problems I’d tackled as an advocate earlier in my career.”