Lambda Law at the University of Pennsylvania

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Meghan Higgins, L ‘11

Hometown: Reisterstown, MD
Undergrad Institution: University of Maryland at College Park - go Terps!
Legal Interests: Litigation, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights
Favorite Philly BYOs: Trio, Dimitris, Melograno
1L Summer Job: Miles & Stockbridge P.C. in Baltimore, MD
2L Summer Job: Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP in Philadelphia, PA

Meghan studied History, Black Women’s Studies and LGBT studies at the University of Maryland. She was also a starting midfielder/defender on Maryland’s Division I Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Team. Prior to coming to Penn, she interned at the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, DC and worked as a paralegal in Arlington, VA. In addition to Lambda, Meghan is an active participant in the Prisoners' Legal Education Project and the Penn Law Bowling and Basketball Leagues. She also serves as the Alumni Chair of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Meghan always has her camera in tow and loves going to football games with her dad.

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Ben Salvina, L ‘11

Hometown: Cheltenham, PA
Undergrad Institution: Brown University - Wait we had sports teams?
Legal Interests: Civil Rights, Litigation, Constitutional Law
Hobbies: America's Next Top Model, Biking, Eating, Sleeping
1L Summer Job: NYLAG's LGBT Law Project
Favorite Philly Hangout: Rittenhouse Square

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Andrew Sokol, L ‘11

Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Undergrad Institution: Tufts University
Legal Interests: criminal law, litigation, civil rights and civil liberties
Hobbies: Rock Climbing, Backpacking, Cycling
1L Summer Job: Penn Legal Assistance Office (Civil Practice Clinic)
Favorite and Least Favorite Law School Moment: Falling out of my chair and under the desk in Con Law. How this happens to a fully awake and alert person I still can’t fully explain.

Andrew studied philosophy and political science at Tufts University, but spent most of his time there performing for kids with a charity children’s theater troupe. Since graduating in 2004, he has produced and acted in several short films, has worked as a bike messenger, a bike mechanic, and most recently as an outdoor educator. In addition to Lambda, Andrew is also on the managing board of the Penn Housing Rights Project.

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Neil Vakharia, L ‘11

Hometown: Cleveland, OH
Undergrad Institution: New York University
Legal Interests: Health Law & Employment Discrimination Law
Favorite Philly Hangout: Mugshots (in Fairmount), Cherry Street
Tavern, Reading Terminal Market
1L Summer Job: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio

Neil studied politics and economics at NYU, and was an active member of the American Parliamentary Debate Association. He headed to Ohio to work on federal and state campaigns and spent his last two years before law school running a small e-commerce company, as well as teaching debate to Cleveland high school students. At Penn, he is a part of the Immigration Clinic and a member of the Penn Law Leadership Institute. Neil's always willing to give unsolicited restaurant recommendations and defend Cleveland against anyone who dares sully its name.

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Alisa Waxman, L ‘11
Academic Chair

Hometown: Downingtown, PA
Undergrad Institution: Temple University
Legal Interests: Civil Securities Litigation & Government Investigations
Favorite Philly Hangouts: Pub and Kitchen, Raven Lounge and N3rd
1L Summer Job: Intern, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of PA

Alisa studied Political Science, Spanish Literature and Sociology at Temple University. Prior to coming to Penn, she worked for two years as a litigation paralegal in Manhattan. Alisa is thrilled to be back in Philadelphia. In addition to Lambda Law, Alisa is an active participant in International Human Rights Advocates and the VIP/PLA Low Income Taxpayers Clinic. Alisa loves to play board games, find yummy new restaurants, is macrobiotic, has six siblings and hopes to get a kitten this year.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\gonzalezpagan.jpg$ Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, L '10
Omar left the beautiful Caribbean sun for the cold Northeast in order to pursue his undergraduate and law studies. He studied Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University and Marine Biology at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Currently, he is pursuing his law degree in conjunction with a Master's in Environmental Studies. Prior to attending Penn, Omar was involved in multiple political campaigns in Puerto Rico and worked in the Senate of Puerto Rico. While at Penn, he has served as the Academic Chair of Lambda, the Technology & Development Editor of the Journal of Constitutional Law, the Environmental Law Project, the Post-Acceptance Committee and the Orientation Committee for the Class of 2011. Omar is always up for discussing the latest political news, hanging out and being an active Cornell alumn.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\stirba.jpg$ Jessica Stirba, L '10
Jessica was born just outside of Philadelphia, and she’s come back home to roost. Having studied Classics and Gender & Women’s Studies at Bowdoin College, she often jokes about having taken a crash course in the rise of western civilization. Before coming to Penn Law, Jessica took a year off to work for Comcast, specializing in a type of network security which has left her with the type of suspicious mindset perfect for a young law student. In her free time Jessica consumes pulp media, strongly believing it to be a strong indicator of our hopes and dreams for this country.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\garber.jpg$ Josh Garber, L ‘09
Josh was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but raised in South Jersey. He completed his undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Arizona in Tucson and returned back to the Delaware Valley for law school at Penn. In addition to obtaining a J.D., Josh also received his M.S. in Criminology at Penn. Josh is proud of his involvement with Lambda at Penn Law. Josh begins work in September 2009 as a Death Penalty Policy Fellow at the ACLU of Northern California.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\kuhn.jpg$ Kerri Kuhn (L '09)
Kerri Kuhn grew up outside of Chicago. She attended undergrad at Colorado College where she majored in English and fell in love with the outdoors. She then started a nonprofit organization in which she canoed the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to New Orleans registering young people to vote for the 2004 presidential election. She also worked in community organizing with undocumented immigrant populations in Colorado. Kerri spent last summer clerking for the Navajo Supreme Court and interning at the Grand Canyon Trust, and environmental non-profit organization.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\robinson.jpg$ Andrew Robinson (L '09)
Andrew grew up in Elmira, NY and went to Swarthmore College where he studied History and Political Science. He came straight to law school after finishing his undergraduate degree in 2006. In addition to his work with Lambda, he is involved with the Penn Law Democrats and the newly-formed Potluck Society. Andrew has found Penn Law to be a very welcoming, friendly, diverse, and intellectually stimulating environment, and is looking forward to getting more involved in the many organizations as he settles in at the school.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\kieran.jpg$ Louis Kieran (L '08)
Louis Kieran was born in Detroit, MI, but grew up in Boca Raton, FL. He studied Finance and Spanish at the University of Florida. Before coming to Penn, he spent a semester interning at the Human Rights Campaign and then studied at the Pardes Institute for Jewish Learning in Israel. Louis enjoys running, Yoga, movies, and tennis and hopes to obtain a judicial internship this summer in Philadelphia.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\spitzer.JPG$ Dan Spitzer (L '08)
Originally a resident of New City, New York, Daniel came to Penn Law after graduating from Harvard in June 2005 with a degree in Government. As a student with a strong commitment to both LGBT issues and to the law more generally, he hopes to use his legal education to become involved in the push for equality. In addition to his work with Lambda, Daniel is also a member of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, a volunteer for the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission, and a performer with the Law School Light Opera Company.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\blinder.JPG$ Seth Blinder (L '07)
Seth is originally from Columbia, MD and graduated from NYU with degrees in Linguistics & East Asian Studies. After graduation, he worked at JPMorgan Chase for two years before starting law school at Penn. In addition to working with Lambda, Seth is the Managing Editor of the Law Review, will be playing Milky White in the Law School Light Opera Company's production of Into The Woods, is involved with the Equal Justice Foundation at the law school and volunteers with the Prisoner's Rights Clinic at the law school. This summer, Seth will be working as a summer associate at Cleary Gottlieb in New York (and hopefully Hong Kong for part of the summer, too!). While Seth was nervous about leaving NYC for school in Philly, he says "I've been extremely impressed with the welcoming LGBT community at Penn" and has enjoyed becoming a part of the community in Philadelphia.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\rutledge.JPG$ Colleen Rutledge (L '07)
Colleen was born in Texas, but lived in New York during her teenage years. She recieved her BA in political science with a minor in theater from Loyola College in Maryland. Colleen's strong interest in civil rights, and specifically gay rights, led her to join Lambda. Colleen is one of our most active straight allies, and truly representative of Penn Law's accepting atmosphere and supportive community.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\mills.JPG$ Matthew Mills (L '07)
Matt was born and raised on a cattle farm in Madisonville, TN. He studied Political Science and Medieval History at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. During college, Matt worked at the US District Court for the Eastern District of TN, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for DC, and as a research assistant studying hypnosis. In addition to being the Vice President of Social Affairs, Matt has been a Morris Fellow for incoming students and a member of the Pink Vikings flag football team. He spent this past summer working as a Sparer Fellow at the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights in Philadelphia and will be working at the Washington, DC office of Arent Fox, PLLC this summer.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\lippman.jpg$ Trevor Lippman (L '07)
Trevor was a film major at Wesleyan and has his Master's in Public Policy from the Harris School at U. Chicago. His work experience includes various film projects (which he severely hopes no one here will ever see); program management for Teach For America; counseling at Planned Parenthood; as well as consulting with the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center. Trevor confesses to "reading books that have nothing to do with law school and surreptitiously watching movies that were probably intended for a junior high school female audience."

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\mckinstry.jpg$ Oliver McKinstry (L '07)
Oliver was born and raised in Rapid City, SD. He studied Rhetoric, French,and Women's and Gender Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. During undergrad, Oliver spent time in Toulouse, France researching paradoxes of gay life in France and Medieval troubadours. Oliver also spent time in Japan teaching English in public schools and working for Stonewall, a gay and lesbian support organization. His activities at Penn include: Lambda, volunteering at the Gay and Lesbian Center, Light Opera Company, and the Racial Profiling Project. Oliver has been very happy with the queer presence at Penn: "I applied to several gay-friendly law schools, but none of them could claim the same amount of support among students, staff, and faculty that exists at Penn. I couldn't be happier with my decision."

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\phillips.jpg$ Craig Phillips (L '06)
Craig Phillips was born in Piscataway, NJ. He graduated from Rutgers University with a major in Mathematics and minors in French and Philosophy. He has been a violinist for as long as he can remember (literally) and has been a member of the Penn Symphony Orchestra, the University Choir, the Penn Choral Society, and the Law School Light Opera Company, where he played Rapunzel's Prince in Into the Woods. Craig has also served as Fall Chair for the Moot Court Board, Senior Editor for the Law Review, and Class of 2006 Treasurer. Craig now practices in New York as a tax associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\castleman.jpg$ David Castleman (L '06)
Dave was raised in San Diego, California, although he considers himself more of a Northern Californian, especially after living in San Francisco between college and law school. From his first days as a 1L, he was impressed both with the size and closeness of Penn Law’s LGBT community and with the support the community receives from the vast majority of straight students. In 2006 he is off to the thriving gay metropolis that is Akron, Ohio to spend a year clerking for a U.S. Court of Appeals judge, after which he plans on the very unusual career path of litigating at a large firm in a large city.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\richards.JPG$ John Richards (L '06)
John is from Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2003 where he was a Political Science Major with a Sociology Minor. John studied abroad in Florence, Italy and he spent his summers growing up in Seaside, FL. John has worked for the Republican National Committee, the White House, and volunteered at the Center for Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights. John enjoys golf, tennis, working out, and college football.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\smith.jpg$ Brendan Smith (L '06)
Brendan graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and minors in French and Chemistry. He worked in New York City as a paralegal for Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP before law school. Brendan enjoys playing tennis (especially with fellow member Oliver) and Broadway musicals (yes, I'm gay). His activities at Penn Law included serving as Executive Editor on the Journal of International Economic Law, volunteering at the Center for Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights, and stage managing the law school's production of Into the Woods. After graduation, Brendan joined the Intellectual Property department of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\iachan.JPG$ Melissa Iachan (L '06)
Melissa Iachan was an active Lambda member and ally throughout her time here at Penn Law. Melissa graduated from Brown University in 2003 as a political science concentrator, and in addition to being a Lambda ally, was the president of the Penn Law Democrats, the planning chair of Penn Law for Choice, a senior editor for the Journal of Labor and Employment Law, and an active member of the Feminist Working Group. After graduation, Melissa began working in the New York City office of the global law firm Linklaters.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\simon.jpg$ David Simon (L '05)
David grew up near San Francisco, in the East Bay. He went to University of California at Davis for his Bachelor's in International Relations and Economics. Within five minutes of walking into Penn during his "law school visiting tour" David knew Penn was the place for him. "There was such a dialogue among all of the students. They were pouring out into the hallways as classes were dismissed, and they were full of energy-discussing the limits of the law, debating with each other. They all seemed energized and happy. I've never regretted coming here." During law school, David worked pro bono at the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. David Simon currently practices in San Francisco.

$Description: Description: W:\pennlaw\groups\lambda\images\hoecherl.jpg$ Cortney Hoecherl (L '05)
Cortney received her BA in Justice and Peace Studies at the University of St. Thomas–St. Paul, MN near her hometown of Minneapolis. She enjoys traveling to various parts of the world, and is interested in international law. Cortney has been an active ally member of Lambda since her first week of law school, and is most proud of the organization’s many efforts to promote awareness of new developments in the struggle for equality.