Wednesday, May 27, 2026

The Cardozo Center for Public Service Law honored public-service heroes at its 34th INSPIRE! Awards. The annual event recognizes Cardozo's public-service mission, highlighting community members who make a difference through their work, scholarship, and service.

Community Impact Honorees

The 2026 Community Impact Honorees have made a powerful difference through immigration advocacy, and they have increased their impact by training other attorneys to vindicate the rights of detained immigrants. Both honorees were Fellows with Cardozo’s Immigration Justice Clinic.

Andrea Sáenz is Senior Counsel of Co-Counsel NYC and the Managing Director of National Immigration Habeas Institute (NIHI), a new joint venture between the Center for Immigration Innovation at Cardozo and the National Immigration Litigation Alliance. This year, NIHI trained 200 attorneys on filing habeas corpus petitions in federal district courts, which are the primary vehicle to vindicate the rights of detained immigrants.

Jackie Pearce is a Pro Bono Immigration Attorney at Fried Frank – the firm that sponsored this year’s awards – and participated in NIHI’s New York training program. Since then, she has trained and supervised 30 attorneys at her firm in filing habeas cases for detained immigrants, and she has managed nine of these habeas pro bono matters with her firm.  

Student Awards

Leaders in Service Awards

These students are leaders and organizers at Cardozo who facilitate pro bono opportunities for themselves and other students.

• Jinny Minjung Choi ’27 - Courtroom Advocates Project 
• Marianna Najman-Franks ’27 - Suspension Representation Project 
• Jacqueline Blyudoy ’26 - Uncontested Divorce Project 
• Elizabeth Algeri ’27 - Unemployment Action Center 
• Julia Leibman ’27 - Public Interest Law Student Association 
• Darci Siegel ’27 - Public Service Scholars 
• Rachel Aristei ’26 - Public Service Scholars 
• Gwyneth Z. Chen ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Trystan Edwards ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Dianara Ramirez ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Rachel Rosenbaum ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Ali Sayed ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Drew Svensson ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program 
• Deborah Yadidi ’26 - Pro Bono Scholars Program
   

Student Service Awards

These students are recognized by fellow students for their commitment to public service.

• Rachel Aristei ’26 
• Daniel Johnson ’26 
• Darci Siegel ’27 
• Nancy Larcher ’27 
• Jolene Comenat ’28 
• Marcus Fraser ’28 
• Dillon Patten LL.M. ’26 

Champions of Change Awards

These are graduating students who are leaders in their fields, already making a substantial impact in the public-service sector.

• Rachel Aristei ’26 
• Daniel Johnson ’26 
• Lily Brower ’26

SPARKS Live Recording
 

This year’s event also featured a special live recording of Cardozo’s podcast SPARKS, held in panel format. Dean Melanie Leslie and Dean Carey Bertolet Grand hosted a conversation with the 2026 Community Impact Honorees about their work in immigration law, some of their biggest challenges, and their advice for young lawyers. A recording of this conversation will be released in the coming weeks.

Cardozo thanks Fried Frank as the event's generous sponsor!