Nominations
We also accept nominations for our Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship. Nomination deadline is July 28, 2025.
Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship
A Pathway to Public Law for Diverse Young Lawyers
Elizabeth Clark was a highly respected leader of the State and Local Government Law Section with a passion for mentoring our young attorneys of color. As senior counsel at Allen Matkins in San Francisco, Elizabeth focused on renewable energy and sustainable development while dedicating a significant amount of her time to pro bono activities.
In her memory, we have put in place a prestigious fellowship with the explicit objective to profoundly sustain Elizabeth's commitment to bringing about a more inclusive legal profession. The Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship will be awarded to a young lawyer whose past efforts and accomplishments show great promise for excellence in the practice of public law.
The Fellowship gives recipients access to:
- Excellent educational and networking opportunities at the Section's meetings
- Career advancement from writing articles for the Section’s publications
- Highly respected mentors in the areas of law which Elizabeth so loved and enjoyed
Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship Award Recipients
- 2024 - Natanaelle Germain, Albany County Alternat Public Defender's Office, NY
- 2023 - Ashley Weathers, North Carolina Department of Justice, Raleigh, NC
- 2022 – Monique Puentes, Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, Tampa, FL
- 2020/21 – Bianca B. Brown, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chicago, IL
- 2019 – Chhunny Chhean, Procurement Services, Dallas, TX
Allen Matkins LLP Makes Generous Contribution
The Section of State & Local Government Law gratefully acknowledges Allen Matkins LLP for its investment of $1,000 , matched by partner Barry H. Epstein Esq. to the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship. This generous contribution will enable us to continue to provide diverse young attorneys with the opportunity to follow in Elizabeth's footsteps. We encourage Elizabeth's friends, family and colleagues to join in this effort to sustain this ongoing fellowship.
Your charitable contribution, designated to the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship, will open the door for diverse young attorneys to participate fully in the Section of State and Local Government Law and in the legal profession overall.
Please make your generous contribution — online or by mail — to support the Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship this year and in those to come so it may continue perpetually. Thank you!
Elizabeth Clark Young Lawyers Fellowship
ABA Fund for Justice and Education
321 N Clark St, Floor 20
Chicago, IL 60654