Georgetown program placed additional fellows with Planned Parenthood

December 24, 2009

The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program the Georgetown University Law Center universities has placed two fellowship winners with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America since 2007, according to the university’s web site.

Typically, organizations such as Planned Parenthood must apply to the Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program of the Georgetown University Law Center in order to host a fellow. Once the university’s fellowship program approves the organization’s application, a grant is awarded to the organization so that the fellow can be paid a stipend.

In 2007-8, fellowship winner Marya Torrez was placed with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Prior to winning the fellowship, Ms. Torrez helped found a Law Students for Choice chapter at Georgetown University and had interned at the National Abortion Federation. During her year as a fellow in Planned Parenthood’s legal and litigation department, Ms. Torrez, according to a university web page,

conducted extensive legal research and analysis, examining numerous state and federal statutes, investigating proposed legislation, and analyzing federal and state cases that are winding their way through the courts. She has studied state referendum initiatives, conducted interviews, and explored potential litigation strategies in conjunction with her colleagues. Marya has also undertaken research projects concerning regulatory and administrative law, the use and effect of executive orders, and various constitutional law provisions. In addition, she assisted one of her colleagues in preparing for oral argument in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and she also attended the hearing in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 2008-9, fellowship winner Meredith Asay was placed with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. According to a university web page:

Through her work with the legal and litigation department at PPFA, Meredith has helped prepare a legal response for the possibility of a very restrictive ban on reproductive health services via a state-level referendum. Meredith was intensively involved in researching the relevant legal issues and meeting with many attorneys working on the issue, as well as obtaining testimonials from women who opposed such bans based upon their personal experiences. Meredith has also been responsible for overseeing the legal and litigation department’s submissions to PPFA’s “Now What” newsletter, which is sent to affiliates, other offices, and organizations … In December, the Department of Health and Human Services published the final rule on “Ensuring that Department of HHS Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law.”

PPFA had previously submitted comment s on the HHS proposed rule in September, Meredith and her colleagues were waiting to see if the final rule incorporated any of the suggested changes or comments. Meredith researched various issues relating to potential harm to PPFA and its affiliates that may have been caused by the rule, as well as how the rule addresses other matters. More recently, Meredith has been conducting research into President Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by retiring Justice David Souter this summer.

The university’s Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program has awarded fellowships to others whose background included advocacy for legalized abortion.

Founded in 1789 by the Jesuits, Georgetown University has 15,318 students, 7,092 of whom are undergraduates.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Outreach (2007-8)
• Outreach (2008)
• Outreach (2009)
• Georgetown law program placed fellowship winner with Planned Parenthood (CWN, 12/23)