“The work at Project Guardianship intersects with areas I want to focus on in terms of advocating for people,” exclaimed Flavian Philip, who gained vital experience last summer as one of PG’s legal interns.
Flavian relished the opportunity to be part of a selective program that welcomes students from law schools throughout the New York area, including Brooklyn Law School, Cardozo School of Law, Seton Hall Law School, Fordham Law School, and New York Law School, where she is a “2L” (second year) student studying public interest law. Along with Flavian, three additional interns, Isabel Anthony (Cardozo School of Law), Lina Greenspon (Brooklyn Law School), and Anthony Schlass (Seton Hall Law School), spent their summers at PG.
At the suggestion of one of her deans, Flavian attended a public interest event at her school. It was there that she was first introduced to Dre Cetra, one of PG’s Deputy Directors of Legal Services, who oversees the internship program.
“I had never heard of guardianship before,” Flavian recalled. “I found it so interesting!”
At the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) fair, hosted by NYU Law School, Flavian reconnected with Dre, who interviewed her and offered her the role. She came on board in June and spent her weeks handling any number of important tasks from conducting legal research for current client cases to drafting legal memos to attending court appearances with the legal team.
“The internship program provides law students with real-world exposure to the important work of guardianship and the role of advocates in ensuring that individuals under guardianship are receiving high-quality services,” explained Dre.
Students receive academic credit for their internships, and PG works proactively to ensure the opportunity is accessible to all.
With her ultimate goal of becoming a civil rights attorney, Flavian felt drawn to the “intersectionality” of the work at PG, particularly its commitment to advocating for people who are marginalized by society.
At CUNY’s City College, Flavian majored in philosophy with a minor in legal studies. A law professor, perhaps recognizing her potential to make a difference, urged her to consider law school. But her passion for doing good was ignited much earlier.
Beginning at just seven, she remembers spending Sundays working alongside her mother at local community service events in Brooklyn, helping distribute clothing, canned goods, and toiletries to adults and children in need. This experience undoubtedly shaped what will likely deepen into lifelong advocacy work.
Her valuable contributions to Project Guardianship have also made a meaningful impact, not only for PG but as a catalyst for Flavian’s future career, which, by any measure, is full of promise.