When Carla Walters co-founded her community outreach non-profit, R.I.S.E. Over Everything Outreach, in 2020, it was in response to the unrest she experienced from witnessing injustices within her own life and her community. It has become an amazing vehicle for her to advance justice and equity for marginalized groups. A large proportion of her life has been devoted to community service and pro bono work that promotes education and advocacy. She has volunteered with Community Legal Services and the Arizona Legal Center and has worked to educate and advocate for victims of domestic violence through agencies like Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, Sojourner, and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. As an active member of the Black Law Students Association she mentors undergraduates and underclassmen, as well as using her voice to bring light to social justice issues through her role as an Associate Editor for the Law Journal for Social Justice. "I am committed to continuing the fight for a better community for us all."

Julia Weiss has spent her time in law school focused on community involvement,
public service, and furthering legal education. She worked as a rule 39 certified limited practice attorney with the Indian Legal Clinic, serving indigenous communities in Arizona and beyond. There, she aided indigent clients with estate planning work, such as writing wills and providing legal consultation. She interned with the Maricopa County Office of the Legal Advocate, where she represented people accused of committing felonies. She traveled to prisons where her clients are being held, worked on their
cases, and represented them in court hearings.
"No matter the type of law that I practice, public service and pro-bono work is a priority of mine."

Mr. Giuliani has consistently supported individuals within both the local Arizona and wider national communities.  Locally, Emilio completes weekly pro bono work at the Arizona Legal Center. He supports Arizona residents who otherwise would not be able to afford legal services with issues ranging from criminal to family law disputes. In addition, he has introduced fellow law students both at ASU and beyond to the center to address the high demand for pro bono support.

Nationally, he has maintained a 16-hour monthly commitment to Crisis Text Line since 2016, and cumulatively contributed over 140 hours between the Arizona Legal Center and volunteering with Crisis Text Line in 2020. In February of 2021, he surpassed 4,000 conversations with Crisis Text Line and his total volunteer commitment is now over 1,000 hours. He has received specific recognition for effectively deescalating at-risk suicidal texters on dozens of occasions, and has worked to improve the service operationally. Mr. Giuliani’s goals in supporting mental health and education initiatives intertwines with his broader legal objective to contribute to strengthening foundational support systems across the United States.  

Jasmyn Kamal has made an explicit effort to bring intersectional discussions about race, gender, political, religious, and ideological diversity through projects she is involved.  She’s led cultural competency training seminars for the Chandler and Gilbert Police Departments, the Maricopa County Prosecutors Office, and the New Leaf Organization, highlighting the unique cultural challenges that South Asian victims face. Recently, Jasmyn worked with the ERA Task Force of Arizona, to make changes to current legislation, so that our laws comport with the ERA and advance women’s rights and gender equality. She has served as a legal extern at the Arizona Justice Project and currently is a law clerk at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy.

Ms. Kamal states that her years of experience have taught her the value of pro bono work, giving back to the community, and advocacy.” My experiences have made it abundantly clear to me that in order to further the goals of equality and justice, attorneys and law students alike, must participate in pro bono opportunities and community service and give these opportunities’ their full dedication and commitment.”

When Ms. DiMaggio was a child, her cousin, only a few years older, was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison with no opportunity for release.  The injustice she witnessed through her cousin’s case instilled in her the belief that “children should be protected, even in light of their own severe misconduct.”  After receiving her Masters in Counseling, she spent several years as a therapist and clinical supervisor of an offender treatment program. But when the Supreme Court decision of Tatum v. Arizona came down and Kaitlin knew her cousin may have a second chance, she immediately applied to law school.

While in law school she has completed over 350 hours of pro bono service. She has worked with Arizona Justice Project, Community Legal Services, and Arizona LGBT Bar Association. She followed her one year internship with Arizona Justice Project by working with the Post-Conviction clinic. Ms. DiMaggio hopes to continue fighting for underrepresented populations after becoming a licensed attorney and ensuring that everyone has access to the justice system.

2015 - Lisette Cole and Chris Doran
Ms. Cole has a passion for working with underprivileged people to ensure they have access to the legal system. She has volunteered to help the homeless since high school and in her first month of law school she joined the Homeless Legal Assistance program, the Veterans Legal Society, as well as the Juvenile Legal Assistance Program. Lisette has logged many pro bono hours with these programs and specifically with the shelter, Victory Place, which serves homeless veterans confronted with legal issues during their transition back into civilian life.

After law school, Ms. Cole would like to practice as a trial attorney working in criminal law. She previously externed with the United States Attorney’s General and assisted individuals facing criminal charges. Her experience in acting and the love for being on the stage she believes will assist her with connecting with jurors and advocating for her client.

Mr. Doran has made his law school career about pro bono work and helping others. He first joined ASU’s Homeless Legal Assistance project, and by the end of his first year was chosen as the HLAP Shelter Director at the East Valley’s Men’s Center. He also applied to be on the school’s Pro Bono Board. He was elected co-President for his 2L year and sole President in third year. He also volunteers with the undergraduate group Sun Devil Mock Trial Team as assistant head coach or head coach. He has done 1.550 hours in pro bono work for the mock trial team alone. Chris was voted “student Leader of Philanthropy” in 2015, was a fellow at the Office of Legal Advocate, and received the Pro Bono Achievement Award all three years of law school (most pro bono hours in the class).

2013 - Laura Clymer and Kyle Riggs
"I remember it distinctly—the first time in law school when it became crystal clear to me why the law mattered. I wasn't listening to a lecture in a classroom. Rather, I was sitting in a women's shelter listening to on woman's story about why she was so afraid to return. The evening at the shelter demonstrated to why the law matters, but it also revealed that too few in our community have access to legal representation."

Ms. Clymer has led student organizations dedicated to giving voice to the underrepresented. She is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Law Journal for Social Justice. She has served on the executive board of OUTLaw - a law school organization that supports LGBTQ law students. Laura has externed at the EEOC, for the U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan and did research work for Prof. Marcy Karin, Clinical Director for the Civil Justice Clinic.

"The ever-widening gap between rich and poor in our country is not just in terms of money, but also in access to legal representation. It is for these reasons and for the woman in the shelter that my commitment to social justice issues and pro bono work is strong and will continue once I become a practicing attorney."

Kyle Riggs currently serves as the Gideon Fellow for Criminal Defense, working with indigent clients for both the Maricopa County Public Defender′s Office and the Federal Defender of Arizona. During law school, Kyle was a board member of OUTLaw and the Pro Bono Board, the Symposium Editor for the Law Journal for Social Justice, an ASU Spirit of Service Scholar, an extern for the US Attorney′s Office of Arizona, a legal writing intern for Bryan Cave, and a Holley Law Fellow for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Washington, DC. Before law school, he completed a degree in Political Science at the University of Louisville in his home state of Kentucky. After graduation, Kyle will continue his commitment to public service in the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows Program, a highly selective program that places recent graduates in a federal government agency position.

2012 Recipient - Adam Almaraz

Adam Almaraz started his interest in advocating for others in middle school when he joined the City of Flagstaff's Youth Commission, and spoke to the City Council about major issues affecting youth. He continued his work in high school and college. In law school, he worked with Chicano/Latino Law Students Association (CLLSA), OUTLaw, and was a student liaison on the Maricopa County Bar Association's Diversity Committee. He coordinated the law school's first Diversity Day. He has volunteered for Lambda Legal, Equality Arizona, and judged at the We the People competition. CLLSA awarded him the Cecilia D. Esquer Scholarship because of his commitment to social justice and social issues. He participated in the first annual Diversity Stakeholders' Retreat hosted by the State Bar's Committee on Minorities and Women in the Law and has been an active participant in the Hispanic National Bar Association's Mentoring Program. "I will continue to dedicate myself to the spirit of social justice and use my legal education to advocate for the public interest. Whether it is a part of the daily work of a future job or through volunteering, I will fight for justice."

2012 Recipient - Kyle Robertson

While in law school, Kyle worked with the Consumer Advocacy Protection Program providing legal assistance to low-income families throughout Arizona. He also traveled throughout the state on the Family Justice Bus, a program designed to bring free legal services to underserved communities. He volunteered at the United States Bankruptcy court, assisting self-represented individuals with paperwork and reaffirmation proceedings. Kyle focused much of his free time on serving at-risk children in the state by assisting the Arizona Friends of Foster Children, and volunteering during National Adoption Day at the Maricopa County Juvenile Court. For his efforts during law school, Kyle was awarded Highest Pro Bono distinction at graduation. No matter where his legal career takes him, Kyle plans to stay devoted to serving people in need.

2011 Recipient - Lauren Morris

2010 Recipient - Matthew Binford

2009 Recipient - Matthew Moellering

2008 Recipient - Philip Beatty

2007 Recipients - Jalayne Arias & Michelle Niehaus Ogborne