News

STUDENT ORG SPOTLIGHT - Health Law Society

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:01:02 +0000

STUDENT ORG SPOTLIGHT - Health Law Society Cecelia Tecu Wed, 03/25/2026 - 10:01

Cecelia Tecu

Colorado Law is home to nearly 50 active student organizations. These organizations empower law students to increase their knowledge, gain leadership experience, network, and collaborate with the legal community—all while building connections with classmates that will last throughout their careers and beyond.

In this series, we are highlighting extraordinary organizations run by Colorado Law students.

Meet the Health Law Society (HLS) at Colorado Law.

The organization is led by Co-Presidents Ashlyn Dickmeyer ’26 and Alina Mueller ’26, Secretary Megyn Gordon ’27, Treasurer J. Hope ’27, and Event Coordinator Abby Conner ’27. Professors John Francis and Govind Persad serve as faculty advisors.

Co-Presidents Dickmeyer and Mueller have been involved with HLS since their 1L year, and the pair are set to graduate this spring. Mueller shared that the main goals of HLS are to get students introduced to the various facets and paths of health law, and to help students get to know faculty and professionals in health law to build relationships.

“The Health Law Society has really grounded me in my academics and in the other clubs that I joined [during law school],” Mueller said. “We foster close relationships with alumni that have been huge supports and contacts as I have continued through law school. The Health Law Society has prepared me to enter the workforce as a health law attorney.”

Dickmeyer, Mueller, and a now-graduated student at the American Health Law Association Fundamentals of Health Law Conference in Chicago in November 2024.

HLS hosts their annual networking event each spring to bring together students and Colorado health law professionals. This year's event is set for Thursday, March 26. Additionally, HLS collaborates with a variety of other student organizations, including those that focus on topics like reproductive rights or disability justice.

“Every fall, we do work with the school during ‘Wellness Week’ to talk about health insurance, and how students or lower income populations can access health insurance,” said Mueller. “We are always looking for opportunities to collaborate with other clubs because health law does touch so many topics, and I hope that in the future, we continue to do more on that front.”

The HLS attends the AHLA Conference annually in November, hosted in Chicago. This conference gives law students an opportunity to learn about the fundamental aspects of health law, and network with peers and professionals in the field.

“I've been asked about it [the conference] in every interview because it's listed on my resume, so it's a cool thing to be able to talk about. It also just really shows that you are interested in this field, which can help you either land a job or just make you stand out to employers,” added Dickmeyer.

Members of HLS are encouraged to pursue a Certificate in Health Law and Policy through Colorado Law, which provides additional academic opportunities for those interested in health law.

"I know for myself and also Ashlyn, having this club and the certificate that goes along with it were big factors in deciding to attend CU for law school,” said Mueller. “I'll be graduating and working in health law in Denver.”

“Health law is for everyone! You don’t need a medical background to be involved,” shared Dickmeyer. “Post-grad, I'm taking kind of a unique twist on [health law]. I’ll be doing intellectual property law, but I want to do it focused on pharmaceuticals or biologics.”

To get involved with the Health Law Society, students can email healthlaw@colorado.edu.

Off

Traditional

White

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:57:54 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 03/23/2026 - 09:57

Widely recognized for its intellectual diversity and originality, the faculty at Colorado Law encompasses an array of prominent legal scholars who are widely cited, both in academia and throughout the national media landscape. We invite you to catch up on the latest faculty publications and media mentions with this weekly roundup.

Faculty Publications

Vanessa Racehorse, Chaco Roads: Connecting Cultural Heritage and Environmental Justice, 97 U. Colo. L. Rev. 413 (2026).

Johan Dellgren, Ezekiel Emanuel & Govind Persad, Letter to the Editor, Ethical Approaches to Limiting Overall Costs for Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Management, 179 Annals Internal Med. 318 (2026).

Rick Su, Rose Cuison-Villazor, & Deep Gulasekaram, Busing & The Sanctuary City (SSRN.com, Mar. 2026).

Media Mentions

[Scott Skinner-Thompson], Daniel Wu, Advocacy Groups Get Trans Athlete Ban on Ballots in Maine, Colorado, Wash. Post (Mar. 18, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Prof. Emeritus Susan Nevelow Mart (presenter), Legal Research Gets Graphic: Inside Legal Research Unbound (upcoming, Mar. 24, 2026, register here to hear about Nevelow Mart's book and how it helps students and educators understand why information appears as it does in today’s AI-driven platforms.)

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

XOM Domicile, Pending Proxy Contests (Mar. 18, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Off

Traditional

White

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:47:42 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 03/23/2026 - 09:47

Faculty Publications

Govind Persad (with Leah Pierson, Leila Orszag, Sophie Gibert, Haley Sullivan, Rachel Yuexin Fei, & Emily A Largent), Bioethicists' Perspectives on Ethical Research: Results of the "Views in Bioethics Survey", 48 Ethics & Hum. Rsch. 6 (2026)

Deep Gulasekaram, Dangerousness, Immigration Status, and the Second Amendment After Rahimi, Duke Center for Firearms & the Law (Mar. 12, 2026).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter], Anthony Cotton, What Dismantling of Climate Policy Means for Colorado, CPR News (Mar. 10, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], Drew Hutchinson, Exxon Pledges to Protect Investor Rights Upon Texas Move, Bloomberg Law (Mar. 10, 2026).

Maryam Jamshidi (with Noura Erakat, Luigi Daniele, Shahd Hammouri, Ata Hindi, & Darryl Li), Roundtable on the War on Iran and International Law, Jadaliyya (Mar. 13, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Another Controller Lawsuit; Proxy Advisors and Exec Comp (Mar. 11, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

[Vivek Krishnamurthy], Government of Canada Reconvenes the Expert Advisory Group for Online Safety, Government of Canada (Mar. 12, 2026).

Margot Kaminski #17 on the list of Top 100 Legal Scholars of 2025 (calcuated by citations to articles published 2019-2021).

Maryam Jamshidi, Law and Politics of Israel and the United States' Attacks on Iran, Race and Rights Podcast (Mar. 11, 2026).

[Violeta Chapin], BFA Announces Excellence Awards Winners, Celebratory Ceremony April 7, 91��ý Today (Mar. 5, 2026)(Chapin to receive Excellence in Leadership and Service Award).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Off

Traditional

White

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:50:11 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 03/09/2026 - 09:50

Faculty Publications

Andrew Schwartz, Finite Ventures, 2025 Colum. Bus. L. Rev. 655 (2026).

Bryan Choi, Open Source AI, Open Liability AI (SSRN.com, forthcoming 8 Journal of Law & Innovation __ (2026)).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter], Caitlyn Kim, The Trump Administration is Weakening Regulations for Public Land Development, CPR (Mar. 2, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], Mike Leonard, Delaware High Court Seals Musk-Induced Corporate Law Power Shift, Bloomberg Law (Mar. 2, 2026).

[Deep Gulasekaram], Eleanor Bennett, Law Firm Sends Cease-and-Desist Letter to Garfield County Sheriff Over Alleged Unlawful Immigration Enforcement, Aspen Journalism & Aspen Public Radio (Feb. 26, 2026).

[Jonathon Booth], Natalie Chuck, 'Legally Illiterate': DHS Responds to Denver Mayor Banning ICE From City Property, Legal Experts Weigh In, Denver7 (Feb. 27, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Chris Winter (moderator), The Supply Side of Big Data, Silicon Flatirons Center Artificial Intelligence Initative Conference (Mar. 6, 2026).

Harry Surden (keynote speaker & moderator), Silicon Flatirons Center Artificial Intelligence Initative Conference (Mar. 6, 2026).

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Scott Skinner-Thompson (panelist), Maryland Law Review’s Annual Symposium on Legal Innovations for Trans Rights: The Fight for Justice Within an Unjust System (Mar. 6, 2026).

[Andrew Schwartz], Professor Andrew Schwartz's Ghosting the Crowd Selected as Top 10 Securities Law Article, Colorado Law (Mar. 6, 2026).

Matt Schmit (SFC)(welcome & framing remarks), Silicon Flatirons Center Artificial Intelligence Initative Conference (Mar. 6, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Melanie Kay (moderator), Powering AI: Data Centers, Energy Demand, and the Public Interest (Daniels Fund Initiative & Silicon Flatirons Center, Mar. 5, 2026).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Off

Traditional

White

Professor Andrew Schwartz’s Ghosting the Crowd Selected as Top 10 Securities Law Article

Emily Battaglia — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:54:09 +0000

Professor Andrew Schwartz’s Ghosting the Crowd Selected as Top 10 Securities Law Article Emily Battaglia Fri, 03/06/2026 - 09:54

Colorado Law is proud to share that Professor Andrew A. Schwartz’s article, Ghosting the Crowd, was recently selected for inclusion in the Securities Law Review as one of the top 10 most notable securities law articles of the year, chosen by its editors.

The Securities Law Review is updated annually and is published by Thomson Reuters. This law review seeks to keep readers up to date regarding changes in securities law through choosing the best related research over the past year. Selected academic works are compiled into a single volume for publication.

Ghosting the Crowd was originally published in the Washington and Lee Law Review last year. The article reports that more than half of companies that raise capital through Regulation Crowdfunding fail to file the single annual report required by federal securities law—thereby “ghosting” their investors. The article proposes that the SEC amend its regulations to require platforms to withhold one percent of the funds raised, releasing them only once the company files its mandatory annual report.

"It is a deep honor to have Ghosting the Crowd recognized among the top securities law articles of the year," said Professor Schwartz. "To have my work selected by fellow scholars whose judgment I deeply respect makes this recognition especially meaningful. Investment crowdfunding holds great promise as a way for everyday Americans to invest in startups, and I hope this article helps strengthen the regulatory framework so that investors receive the transparency they deserve."

Andrew A. Schwartz is the Laurence W. DeMuth Chair of Business Law at the University of Colorado Law School and was recently elected to the American Law Institute. He is an internationally recognized expert on investment crowdfunding and the author of Investment Crowdfunding (Oxford University Press, 2023). His research is widely cited by courts and commentators, including numerous citations by the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Off

Traditional

White

STUDENT ORG SPOTLIGHT – Environmental Law Society

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:28:54 +0000

STUDENT ORG SPOTLIGHT – Environmental Law Society Cecelia Tecu Wed, 03/04/2026 - 10:28

Cecelia Tecu

In this series, we are highlighting extraordinary organizations run by Colorado Law students.

Meet the Environmental Law Society (ELS) at Colorado Law.

The association is run by President Celeste Baro ’27; Vice-President Jonah Dixon ’27; Treasurer Meryl Compton ’27; Events Director Corinne Griffin ’27; Community Outreach Director Ella Reichard ’27; Networking & Alumni Coordinator Piper Lacy ’27; GWC Liaison Sydney Stellato ’27; and Bar Association Liaison Stephen Hayes ’27. Professor Michael Pappas is the Faculty Advisor.

The goal of ELS is to create opportunities for law students to connect with lawyers working in Boulder; and the greater Denver area. This is done by hosting attorneys at lunch panels, holding annual networking events, or through the ELS mentorship program. Baro clarified that the main purpose of these programs is to establish networking and job opportunities. Specifically, the mentorship program allows students to be paired with attorneys in Denver and Boulder in a practice area of environmental law that they are interested in.

“Because Colorado is such a small legal bubble, current practicing attorneys are so willing to help students and future lawyers in Colorado,” said Baro. “Whether you're working in environmental conservation or compliance, everybody's ultimately trying to protect something. I think because everyone's on the same page, we're also willing to share knowledge and information and give opportunities”

ELS collaborates with a variety of organizations and causes both at Colorado Law, and elsewhere, including the Getches-Wilkinson Center.

“The Getches-Wilkinson Center is awesome because of things like their fellowship, research assistants, and scholarship opportunities. We're always trying to work in conjunction with them to plug any of the opportunities they offer,” said Baro.

Annual Hike with Professor event from September 2025.

The Project Team, led by Lacy, allows students to share their comments and implement changes on larger environmental projects across the state.

“When government agencies want to [make changes], they're required to open for public comment. If you develop a significant comment, then those agencies are actually required to respond to it. So, we are tasking our students and dividing them up. We're trying to affect change and make the government respond to the thoughts and opinions of the people here,” said Dixon.

The Campus Initiatives Team, led by Reichard, is responsible for creating opportunities for the organization to engage with Boulder and greater environmental legal community. Currently, Reichard and ELS are working with Green Amendments for the Generations and a variety of nonprofit groups, to help pass a Green Amendment for the state of Colorado.

“It’s a really cool opportunity to involve the students in something that could impact the history of the state of Colorado and the way that we protect the environment,” said Baro.

“We want every interaction the students have with the club to bring them outside of the books, more into the real world, and connect with what it would actually be like to practice and implement change through environmental law,” said Dixon.

Additionally, the Communications Team is currently working towards publishing the first ELS newsletter, which will highlight the successes and initiatives pursued by this student organization.

“I don't think I would have grown into the person I am today without ELS. I wouldn't have had all the opportunities for leadership, networking, and exposure to different areas of law,” said Baro.

To get involved with ELS, students can email ELS@colorado.edu.

Off

Traditional

White

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:10:47 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 03/02/2026 - 10:10

Faculty Publications

Sloan Speck, Structural Tax Reform and the Next REIT Revolution, 27 U. Pa. J. Bus. L. 988 (2025).

Blake Reid & Jessica L. Roberts, Rulifying Disability Law, SSRN (Feb. 2026)

Rabea Benhalim, Religious Freedom and the Fertilized Egg, UC L. SF L.J. 166 (2025).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter], Hannah Northey & Scott Streater, Interior Claws Back NEPA Regs, E&E News (Feb. 23, 2026).

[Sloan Speck], Holly Barker, Goldstein's Mixed Verdict Destined for Post-Conviction Attacks, Bloomberg Law (Feb. 26, 2026).

[Adam Sopko], Melissa Henry, Right to Sue ICE Agents Proposal Clears Colorado Senate, KKTV (Feb. 24, 2026).

[Anne Castle, GWC], Marianne Eppig, Colorado River Negotiations Put Western Land Use and Real Estate at a Crossroads, Urban Land (Feb. 26, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Scott Skinner-Thompson testified before Judiciary Committee of Colorado’s House of Representatives in support of HB26-1037: Ban Government Purchase of Personal Data from Third Party (Feb. 25, 2026)(testimony available here from 5:37pm mark to 6:05pm).

Panelist, Emerging Constitutional Rights Issues, Including Prisoner Rights, in Trans Rights Work, Legal Innovations for Trans Rights: The Fight for Justice Within an Unjust System (Maryland Law Review Annual Symposium, upcoming, March 6, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Musk Securities Fraud, State Regulation of Proxy Advisors (Feb. 25, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Lakshman Guruswamy (speaker), Global Food for Thought: International Environmental Law Speaker Series (University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law, Feb. 26, 2026).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

[Colorado Law adjunct faculty & alumna Susan Blanco], Emily Battaglia, Hon. Susan Blanco '03 Named to Colorado Supreme Court, Colorado Law (Feb. 23, 2026).

Off

Traditional

White

Hon. Susan Blanco ’03 named to Colorado Supreme Court

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:00:07 +0000

Hon. Susan Blanco ’03 named to Colorado Supreme Court Cecelia Tecu Mon, 02/23/2026 - 10:00

Emily Battaglia

Governor Jared Polis named the Hon. Susan J. Blanco ’03 to the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Blanco will fill the vacancy left by Justice Melissa Hart this past December. Also named as finalists were 1st Judicial District Court Judge Christopher Zenisek and Solicitor General Andrea Wang.

Hon. Susan Blanco ’03

Blanco, who currently serves as the first female Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District (Jackson and Larimer counties), will be the first Iranian-American female to serve on the Colorado Supreme Court.

“My journey to the Colorado Supreme Court reflects the enduring promise of our Constitution — that opportunity, justice, and equal protection under law belong to all,” said Blanco. “As an Iranian American, I am especially mindful of the freedoms and constitutional rights that define this nation. I am honored to uphold the rule of law and to serve the people of Colorado with independence, humility, and respect for our constitutional framework.”

Justice Blanco was appointed to the bench by John Hickenlooper in January 2017, where she presided over criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, adoptions, and appeals. Prior to the bench, she served as a Deputy District Attorney, followed by over a decade in private practice as a solo practitioner.

During her time as a judicial officer, Justice Blanco was dedicated to the advancement of access and inclusivity for those served by the courts. Through her community engagement and leadership, she pioneered the first Competency Court in Colorado. This court is the 2022 recipient of the City of Fort Collins Human Relations award because of the impact of diverting citizens with behavioral health challenges from jail to care. Justice Blanco also developed the 8th Judicial District's Latinx Task Force which led her to receive the 2022 CHBA Community Service Award. She has served as a Commissioner on the Colorado Access to Justice Commission since 2020.

Justice Blanco graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Colorado State University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2003. In May 2025, she earned a Latin Legum Magister from Duke University focused on Judicial Studies. She has previously taught in the School of Social Work at Colorado State University, and has been an adjunct faculty member at Colorado Law since 2024.

“Judge Blanco’s legal leadership has profoundly shaped not only our students here at Colorado Law, but the broader Colorado community,” said Lolita Buckner Inniss, Colorado Law Dean and Provost’s Professor of Law. “We are honored to count her among our distinguished alumni and extend our heartfelt congratulations on this remarkable achievement.”

Outside of her work for the Judicial Branch, Justice Blanco has served on the Colorado Women's Bar Association's Board of Directors, the Colorado Bar Association's Executive Council, and the Colorado Bar Association's Criminal Law Executive Council. Through her collaboration, the CWBA's "Lawyer's Teaching for Change" program was developed. She was also a founding board member of the Colorado Bar Association's Diverse Attorney Community Circle. Justice Blanco is also co-chair of the CBA's leadership training program, COBALT, and a founding member of Colorado’s Middle Eastern North African Bar Association.

Her other honors include speaking nationally for the American Bar Association and for the Iranian Bar Association. She is a Ted Speaker on the importance of community collaboration and is the recipient of the 2023 CWBA Judicial Excellence Award.

Governor Jared Polis named the Hon. Susan J. Blanco ’03 to the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Off

Traditional

White

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities

Cecelia Tecu — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:53:07 +0000

ICYMI: Faculty Publications, Media Mentions, and Faculty & Staff Activities Cecelia Tecu Mon, 02/23/2026 - 09:53

Faculty Publications

Jonathan Skinner-Thompson, The Idea of Air, 2026 Utah L. Rev. 69.

Blake Reid, Moody v. Netchoice and Telecom Law's First Amendment, 59 UC Davis L. Rev. 1185 (2026).

Jawbreaking and Counterboning, SSRN.com (forthcoming 58 Conn. l. Rev.).

Vivek Krishnamurthy, Communications Interceptions and Digital Searches in an Age of Encryption and Spyware: Are Canada's Law Fit for Purpose?, A Report for the National Security Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians of the Parliament of Canada (publically released 2025, French translation available here).

Deep Gulasekaram, Dangerousness & the Undocumented, 114 Geo. L. J. 1 (2025).

Daniel Anderson (GWC Water Law Fellow), The Good Samaritan Act: EPA Pilot Program to Clean the West's Abandoned Hardrock Mines, The Water Report 9 (Feb. 2026).

Media Mentions

[Chris Winter], Ishan Thakore, Dirtier Air, Higher Prices: Colorado Groups Decry Trump Administration's Decisions to Limit Climate Regulations, CPR News (Feb. 18, 2026).

[Wadie Said], Brandy Zadrozny, Trump Wants to Prosecute Anti-fascists as Terrorists. This Texas Trial Will Test His Power, MS Now (Feb. 17, 2026).

[Ann Lipton], Jennifer Kay, Blue Bell Trial is Landmark Test for Corporate Oversight Claims, Bloomberg Law (Feb. 20, 2026).

[Jonathon Booth], Shannon Ogden, Palantir, Colorado's Largest Public Company, Leaving for Florida, Denver 7 (Feb. 18, 2026).

[Colorado Law adjunct faculty & alumna Susan J. Blanco], Rachel Konieczny, Colo. Governor Names High Court Justice to Fill Vacancy, Law360 (Feb. 17, 2026); Jesse Paul, Jared Polis Taps Judge Susan Blanco to Serve on Colorado Supreme Court, Colorado Sun (Feb. 17, 2026).

[Korey Wise Innocence Project], Austen Erblat, Former Colorado DNA Analyst Accused of Maniupalting Data Pleads Not Guilty, Trial Date Set, MSN (Feb. 12, 2026).

Faculty and Staff Activities

Harry Surden (keynote speaker), Using AI Well (Silicon Flatirons Center Artificial Intelligence Initative Conference, upcoming, March 6, 2026).

Sloan Speck, TaxProf Blog posts available here.

Scott Skinner-Thompson (speaker), Trans Rights with Professor Scott Skinner-Thompson (ACS University of Wyoming, Feb. 18, 2026).

Ann Lipton, Business Law Prof Blog posts available here.

Musk Securities Fraud, Warner Brothers Discovery Update (Feb. 18, 2026), Shareholder Primacy (with Mike Levin, Apple podcasts link).

Melanie Kay (moderator), Powering AI: Data Centers, Energy Demand, and the Public Interest (Daniels Fund Initiative & Silicon Flatirons Center, upcoming, March 5, 2026).

Violeta Chapin (panelist), What Does the Law Say About Minneapolis?: A Big 12 Law Discussion (Feb. 18, 2026).

Paul Campos, Lawyers, Guns, & Money, blog posts available here.

Off

Traditional

White

Lizzie Bird ’23 Earns 2026 Skadden Fellowship

Cecelia Tecu — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:53:02 +0000

Lizzie Bird ’23 Earns 2026 Skadden Fellowship Cecelia Tecu Wed, 02/18/2026 - 09:53

Cecelia Tecu

Colorado Law is proud to share that Lizzie Bird ’23 has been selected for the Skadden Fellowship Foundation’s 38th Class. Announced in December 2025, Bird is one of 34 fellows in the program.

The Skadden Foundation Fellowship aims to support work in public interest careers to address a range of civil legal issues affecting individuals in poverty in the United States. These two-year fellowships allow recent graduates to pursue and practice public interest law full-time.

Bird will be working as a fellow for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), which provides legal services for thousands of immigrants in Washington State. Specifically, their work focuses on navigating the complexities of the United States immigration system.

In applying for the fellowship, Bird developed a project proposal that matched the needs of the NWIRP, as well as reflected her own experiences. Following submission to the Skadden Foundation, Bird was selected for an interview, before being chosen for this year's fellowship.

“I wanted to work in immigrants' rights advocacy, and this fellowship offers one of the few ways to get into public interest work straight out of law school, or after clerking,” said Bird.

Bird’s project will establish a habeas initiative for individuals detained in Washington. Such work will see her file habeas petitions, expand habeas advocacy, and support NWIRP's ongoing class habeas litigation.

In reflecting on how her time at Colorado Law helped prepare her for this opportunity, Bird shared that working with clients in the immigration clinic was the most helpful experience.

“More broadly, all my classes at Colorado Law helped prepare me for my clerkships, which, in turn, have given me an understanding of the federal court system. That foundation will prepare me to litigate--and hopefully win--habeas cases in federal court.”

Through this fellowship, Bird hopes to help address an urgent need facing immigrants in the state of Washington, while also learning from a team of excellent lawyers with extensive experience challenging unjust laws and policies.

Colorado Law is proud to share that Lizzie Bird ’23 has been selected for the Skadden Fellowship Foundation’s 38th Class. Announced in December 2025, Bird is one of 34 fellows in the program.

Off

Traditional

White