Temple Law Students Again Spending Summer in Service Through Duffy Fellowship
(Philadelphia) – Ten Temple University Beasley School of Law students will spend the summer in public interest roles, having been selected as the 2025 Duffy Fellows, continuing a powerful tradition of legal service in Philadelphia.
Tom Duffy congratulates the recipients of the 2025 Temple Law Duffy Fellowship. Photo credit: Rick Kauffman, Temple University.
Now in its third year as a formalized partnership with Temple Law, the Duffy Fellowship continues to support students who propose meaningful legal projects that address critical community needs. Applicants identify a host organization and outline how their work will advance its mission. Fellows are selected by Temple’s Public Interest Faculty Committee, with preference given to those who demonstrate financial need and a passion for a career in public service. The fellowship then funds their salaries as they work to address some of the region’s most pressing community needs.
Tom Duffy welcomed the students to his firm for a kickoff reception
“Through the Duffy Fellowship, we extend the reach of public interest legal organizations and support the next generation of public service attorneys,” said Tom Duffy, founder of The Duffy Firm. “It’s a privilege to help these students turn their passion into meaningful change for people who need it most.”
Temple law students and leaders mingled and discussed the upcoming work opportunities made possible by the Duffy Fellowship
“The incredible value of this community experience is not only a proud offering of Temple for its students, but something that will shape them as they grow and define their path in law,” said Jorge C. Godoy, Jr., Director of Public Interest Programs, Temple University Beasley School of Law. “We are pleased to be able to offer this impactful experience.”
All of the students will be working for organizations serving the neediest of residents in Philadelphia and the surrounding area
The 2025 Temple University Duffy Fellows and their internship hosts are as follows:
- Rotimi Adeoye, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
- Meghan Gauld, Civitas Maxima
- Olivia Guerriero, Defender Association of Philadelphia
- Zoe Hoag, Community Legal Services
- Brenna McGowan, Defender Association of Philadelphia
- Kahden Mooney, City of Philadelphia Law Department
- Tram Pham, New Jersey Office of the Public Defender
- Jackie Valadez, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Mandy Wassum, Life After Justice
- Anna Yamamoto, Community Legal Services
The Duffy Fellowship began in 2012 with a single fellow at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled and expanded over time to include placements at Community Legal Services and the Homeless Advocacy Project. Today, it stands as a model of how private support can drive public good, offering vital legal aid to thousands in the region while inspiring the next generation of attorneys.
With a mission to make a difference in the lives of victims suffering catastrophic injury and their families in Philadelphia, The Duffy Firm has secured millions of dollars in compensation for clients. Learn more at duffyfirm.com.