By Andrew Cohen and Hannah Wittman
Public service permeates just about every nook of UC Berkeley Law’s vast landscape. While about two-thirds of last year’s graduating J.D. class took jobs at law firms, more than 90% participated in pro bono work while in law school. All across the community — students, faculty, staff, alumni — an inspiring commitment to providing vital legal services to those who need it most was continually evident over the past school year.
Recently, the school’s annual public interest and pro bono graduation ceremony recognized an exceptional group of award winners who relentlessly pursued justice, equality, civil rights, transparency, fairness, accountability, and more. Here are this year’s recipients:
- Pro Bono Champions: Mackenzie Gettel ’25 and Jordan Hefcart ’25
- Eleanor Swift Award for Public Service: Chesa Boudin, Jordan Hefcart ’25, and Alyssa Young ’25
- Brian M. Sax ’69 Prize for Excellence in Clinical Advocacy: Belén de Leon ’25
- Sax Prize Honorable Mention: Dana Dabbousi ’25
- Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinical Student Award: Belén de Leon ‘25
- Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award: Justin Kaley ’25
- Francine Marie Diaz Memorial Award: Ayeza Bajwa ’25, Tiffaney Boyd ’25, and Lorena Ortega Guerrero ’25
- East Bay Community Law Center Student Board Member Award: Marian Avila Breach ’25 and Alyssa Young ’25
- Jim Fahey Safe Homes for Women Award: Medora Jones ’26
- Kathi Pugh Award for Exceptional Mentorship: Andie Wyatt
Pro Bono Champions
Given to the graduating students who best exemplify a commitment to and the values of pro bono work
Gettel put in more than 300 pro bono hours as a UC Berkeley Law student and took on leadership roles with multiple initiatives. The list includes the Homelessness Service Project, for which she helped people file administrative claims for belongings that were seized and destroyed, apply for housing vouchers and food stamps, and obtain food and hygiene supplies. She also co-led UC Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trips (BLAST) to Alaska and Hawaii, and became a student director of the overall program. Gettel helped guide UC Berkeley Law’s Consumer Advocacy & Protection Society and continued her pro bono push as a summer associate with Jenner and Block, working on a class action representing prisoners who lacked access to clean food, drinkable water, hygiene products and practices, and out-of-cell time.
Nomination excerpts: “Mackenzie believes that everyone deserves access to legal services … Beyond her legal acumen, her humility, perseverance, and compassion makes her an outstanding role model for her peers … Anyone who talks to Mackenzie about her pro bono work walks away from the conversation feeling inspired and capable of getting involved.”
Hefcart worked over 500 pro bono hours in law school, holding leadership roles in the alternative spring break service trip to California’s Central Valley, the Consumer Advocacy & Protection Society, La Alianza Workers’ & Tenants’ Rights Student-Led Service Project, and Reproductive Justice Project. Hefcart also contributed to appellate advocacy, legislative lobbying, and regulatory rulemaking as a fellow at the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice, and led 36 students from six law schools in crafting a regulatory comment to the California Privacy Protection Agency. Beyond Berkeley, Hefcart independently led a campaign with the Electronic Frontier Foundation against the misuse of digital monitoring in academic disciplinary proceedings, resulting in numerous exonerations.
Nomination excerpts: “An outstanding pro bono participant, leader, colleague, and superstar … Absolutely selfless with their time … Always going above and beyond the call of duty … I cannot think of a law student past or present who is more enthusiastic about consumer protection law and economic justice … Extremely well organized and efficient.”
Eleanor Swift Award for Public Service
Given to an exceptional member of the UC Berkeley Law community — student, staff, or faculty — who has performed outstanding work to strengthen Berkeley Law’s commitment to public service
Boudin quickly emerged as an inspiring mentor to UC Berkeley Law students after being named executive director of the school’s Criminal Law & Justice Center in 2023. Bringing formerly incarcerated individuals and reform movement leaders into dialogue with students and faculty, he helps ensure that academic work is grounded in lived experience and practical reality. The former San Francisco District Attorney emphasizes data-driven advocacy, giving students tools to effect systemic change regardless of their focal area. A collaboration he forged with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office created new opportunities for students to appear in court assisting incarcerated individuals, and he has advanced many litigation and policy efforts aimed at a fairer criminal justice system.
Nomination excerpts: “Revolutionized how students engage with criminal justice reform … Created new opportunities for students to contribute to policy reform while developing crucial analytical skills … Never hesitates to make himself available for advice or guidance with any student who knocks on his door … Transformed my experience at Berkeley.”
Young dedicated all three years of law school to providing legal services to immigrant communities. Her tireless advocacy included service with UC Berkeley Law’s California Asylum Representation Clinic, Kids in Need of Defense, and the East Bay Community Law Center. Young also took on key leadership positions within Law Students of African Descent (leading programming that engaged Black students in community service and made public law more accessible), the Berkeley Journal of Black Law & Policy (playing a key role in making events more engaging and accessible by expanding the journal’s reach through her graphic design work), and La Alianza (developing and overseeing programming to bolster the pipeline for Latine law students pursuing public service and public interest law careers).
Nomination excerpts: “A fierce and unwavering advocate … Alyssa’s ability to build community is unmatched; she fosters spaces where students can come together, support each other, and thrive … An ubiquitous and transformative leader … Her innovation, perseverance, and dedication to public service have left an indelible mark on UC Berkeley Law.”
See above for Hefcart’s impact and influence.
Brian M. Sax ’69 Prize for Excellence in Clinical Advocacy
Given to a clinic student who displayed excellence in advocacy, professional judgment, collaboration, and reflection
De Leon emerged as a principled, strategic, and compassionate advocate over four semesters in the Human Rights Clinic. She took on complex legal challenges — from corporate accountability to counterterrorism and crimes against humanity — consistently producing work marked by intellectual rigor and moral clarity. With a sharp eye for the limits of existing doctrine, she developed thoughtful, research-driven proposals to better serve clients and partners. A quiet leader, de Leon exemplifies purposeful collaboration — uplifting peers and earning the trust of survivors and partners through empathy and resolve. Supervisors say she meets uncertainty with courage and hardship with grace, and that her work powerfully affirms her brilliance, resilience, and unwavering belief in human dignity.
Nomination excerpts: “Impressed and inspired by her unflinching commitment to justice … Thoughtful and strategic, she brings immense talent and skill to human rights advocacy … Exemplifies effective leadership and purposeful collaboration … Great teammate, mentor, and role model … Exceptional research skills … Profound awareness of humanity’s interconnectedness.”
Sax Prize Honorable Mention Award
Dabbousi was part of the inaugural Global Rights Innovation Lab (GRIL) cohort where she conducted stakeholder interviews, tapped her professional network, and harnessed her STEM background and lived experiences for insightful analysis mapping the field. Her multidisciplinary collaboration skills deftly bridge law and technology, while her deep reflection on legal practice pushed the clinic’s development and shaped GRIL’s mission beyond her tenure. Well attuned to structural bias, Dabbousi thinks carefully about how GRIL will ensure datasets generate meaningful results for communities. As a 2L, she also contributed to the Environmental Law Clinic on a project supporting equitable, multi-local implementation of a California law that promotes solar energy access and economic justice.
Nomination excerpts: “Dedicated student and thought leader … Impeccable interview skills … Exemplifies how law students can speak across disciplines … Integrates technical expertise with human rights insights … Hardworking, diligent, and kind teammate … Demonstrates smarts, grace, humility, social intelligence, respect for our clients, and a demon work ethic.”
Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinical Student Award
Given to one student or team that demonstrated excellence in a clinic
See above for de Leon’s impact and influence.
Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award
Given to a student who demonstrated excellence in assisting or representing individual or organizational clients or in undertaking advocacy or policy reform projects
Kaley entered UC Berkeley Law strongly committed to serving underrepresented communities. Through the Field Placement Program, he pursued a service-oriented path, completing three externships: at the California Attorney General’s Office in the Charitable Trusts Section, the California Office of Tax Appeals, and Legal Assistance for Seniors. In the summer of 2023, Kaley served as a law clerk at Bet Tzedek, where he authored a brief and successfully advocated for Medi-Cal to accept electronic signatures as a necessary accommodation — enhancing accessibility and efficiency for all. He enriched his experiential learning through three complementary field placement courses: the Civil Field Placement Ethics Seminar, the Judicial Externship Seminar, and the Field Placement Workshop.
Nomination excerpts: “Excellent and professional performance… Engaged in discussions and a pleasure to have in class … Kind and professional … Takes responsibility for his actions and learns from them … Persistent and insistent on providing the best legal service … Proactive in seeking practice advice … Impressive networking skills … Dedicated to public interest work.”
Francine Marie Diaz Memorial Award
Conferred each year to graduating students whose studies and career plans best reflect Diaz’s commitment to social justice for women of color
Bajwa has shown deep commitment to UC Berkeley Law’s public interest communities. She was public interest chair of the Women of Color Collective, executive editor of the Berkeley Journal of Employment & Labor Law, and participated in the Union Grievance Assistance Project and Reproductive Justice Project. With the school’s Ninth Circuit Practicum, Bajwa worked extensively to help immigrants seeking relief in the U.S. who would otherwise lack representation. She has worked for the Santa Clara County Counsel’s social justice and impact litigation & community protection teams, and at Alshuler Berzon on cases and negotiations for marginalized workers. Bajwa also conducted research on crisis pregnancy centers, undocumented workers’ pay, and employment rights for formerly incarcerated people.
Nomination excerpts: “Truly embodies what it means to dedicate yourself to social justice … Cares about skill-building to hone her advocacy skills … She believes that government has a unique role to play in protecting marginalized groups, who may not be able to assert their rights against bad actors due to the difficulty of securing representation.”
Boyd has relentlessly pursued public policy and legislative advocacy with a focus on gender and racial justice efforts that dismantle inequities in the legal system. As the legislative and policy manager for Black Women Organized for Political Action, she advocates for laws that protect economic justice, criminal justice reform, healthcare access, education equity, and voting rights. A mayor-appointed commissioner on the City of Berkeley’s Commission on the Status of Women, Boyd advanced initiatives to ensure that Berkeley remains accountable to women of color. Her work on three student journals and involvement with Berkeley’s Digital Rights Project included researching the impact of geofence warrants on communities of color, hosting a podcast on how police surveillance tools reinforce systemic racism, and organizing a symposium on reparations.
Nomination excerpts: “A deep commitment to social justice, particularly for women of color who face systemic barriers in law, policy, and society … Her commitment is not theoretical — it is grounded in hands-on advocacy, legal research, and legislative engagement … Aims to break the cycle of poverty and inequality that plagues marginalized communities.”
Ortega Guerrero has tirelessly advocated for immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and detained non-citizens. She led the school’s Berkeley Immigration Group, represented an incarcerated client in parole hearings through the Post-Conviction Advocacy Project, and was La Alianza’s public interest chair. Ortega Guerrero helped represent a client in an immigration appeal through the school’s Ninth Circuit Practicum, drafted advocacy materials on U.S. use-of-force standards and consulted on international human rights issues in the Human Rights Clinic, and co-led the Atlanta BLAST trip — helping to to prepare asylum and related applications for unaccompanied minors. She also helped set up a naturalization workshop for UC Berkeley Law students to assist LGBTQ+ people in applying for citizenship.
Nomination excerpts: “Her work consistently focuses on expanding access to justice … Using her legal education toward the goals of social justice and civil rights … Her experience shows a commitment to impact litigation and immigrant rights … Believes the intersection between direct representation, impact litigation, and policy advocacy is critical.”
East Bay Community Law Center Student Board Member Award
Given to students who are selected by EBCLC as members of its Board of Directors and serve at least one full term
Breach demonstrated a strong, enduring commitment to low-income and immigrant communities. She joined EBCLC as a student in the Clean Slate Clinic, where she fiercely advocated for unhoused individuals and offered compassionate counsel to clients seeking conviction record relief — often leveraging her expertise in Spanish legal translation to ensure access to justice. Breach’s impact on EBCLC has been deep and lasting, having served for two years on its Board of Directors, where she brought creative and successful strategies to increase resources to the center. She played a pivotal role in expanding EBCLC’s outreach to UC Berkeley Law students, helping to broaden its clinical community. In addition, Breach served as a student leader in La Alianza’s Tenants’ and Workers’ Rights Workshop.
Nomination excerpts: “A deeply introspective and compassionate thinker … Grounded in her beliefs … Unshakable commitment to advancing economic, racial, and criminal justice … Upholds the highest standards while creating an environment of warmth and ease for others … A delight and a force in the ongoing fight for our immigrant and justice-involved communities.”
See above for Young’s impact and influence.
Jim Fahey Safe Homes for Women Award
Given to a student committed to ending domestic violence against women
Jones’ commitment to becoming a prosecutor specialized in confronting gender-based violence is fueled by her experience last summer in the domestic violence unit of the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. In Mallika Kaur’s Domestic Violence & the Law class last fall, Jones researched the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in domestic violence danger assessments. She also led a BLAST trip to eastern Kentucky to partner with local nonprofits providing rural legal aid, focusing on assisting with low-cost divorce clinics, FEMA claims, and civil domestic violence restraining orders. Jones will work this summer for the California Attorney General’s Office, and will clerk in 2026-27 with the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
Nomination excerpts: “The dearth of resources for victim-survivors she witnessed growing up has informed her choices and commitments … Medora is someone who focuses on prosecution-side solutions, yet with the exact survivor-centered spirit Jim Fahey would have approved … Deeply thinks about how best and fairly to employ criminal law in her career.”
Kathi Pugh Award for Exceptional Mentorship
Given to one or two supervising attorney(s) of our Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects for their outstanding efforts to encourage, mentor, and supervise UC Berkeley Law students engaged in pro bono work
Wyatt, national policy counsel for GRID Alternatives in Washington, D.C., is the supervising attorney for our student organization Clean Energy Leaders in Law (CELL). Amid her many responsibilities, she is relentlessly accessible and helpful for CELL students in their pro bono work. Wyatt creates tailored projects for the group before each semester, carefully explains the scope of assignments, and provides insightful feedback. With a pulse on emerging energy issues, she crafts projects that are useful for GRID and help students untangle crucial issues while exploring their interests. Students repeatedly convey that they didn’t know such careers existed and how they appreciate Wyatt’s passion for mentoring them and empowering their aspirations to make an impact in the clean energy sector.
Nomination excerpts: “An incredible supervising attorney and role model with a warm and collegial attitude … It’s rare to find someone who is as invested in both their work and the development of others … Has worked tirelessly to fight for an equitable clean energy transition … Always has excellent project ideas that our members are excited about.”