Bluhm Legal Clinic Fellow – As part of the Chicago office's signature Juvenile Justice Project, the firm sponsored a DLA Piper Fellow at Northwestern University. Carolyn Frazier works at the Bluhm Legal Clinic and the firm, mentoring attorneys who are representing youths.  The firm has funded this fellowship since 2004. 

“As a lawyer committed to protecting and defending children’s rights, I feel very fortunate to be working with the firm on its Signature Project. Every time I discuss the Project with other attorneys, I am reminded how unusual it is for a private law firm to devote such a large amount of resources to helping children,” Carolyn said. “It has been especially exciting to watch the collaboration between the firm and Northwestern University grow and develop. This partnership has improved the quality of representation that both the firm and the clinic are able to provide to children, and should serve as a national model for the delivery of pro bono services.”

Access to Education Fellow - Tara Foster is the Senior Attorney of the Education Rights Project of Queens Legal Services and the Director of a number of the Project’s special initiatives including the Citywide Title I Initiative and the Zero Tolerance Initiative. Tara has written a parent manual on the No Child Left Behind Act and has testified before the New York City Council on education rights issues. She has done extensive work for victims of domestic violence who, in fleeing their abusers, have had to relocate their children to new schools and obtain special school programs, supports, and services. Prior to joining the Education Rights Project, Tara practiced in the areas of housing, benefits, and housing/disability discrimination. She has litigated in federal and state courts and before numerous administrative bodies. She provides trainings and workshops for parents, students, service providers, lay advocates, and community-based organizations and provides group and individual advice and representation. In addition, she has taught numerous Continuing Legal Education classes for attorneys in many areas including family law, housing law, and education law. Tara is a recipient of the 2006 Legal Services Award from the New York City Bar Association.