Meet the 2024 Paralegal Fellows
Adewumi Abioye
Adewumni Abioye was a criminal defense attorney in Nigeria, before coming to the United States. He holds a law degree from a Nigerian University and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar Association after his graduation. Abioye has experience practicing criminal law, but is also interested in appellate litigation. He is enthusiastic about entering the next phase of his professional career and hopes to attend law school in the United States in the future. Outside of work, Abioye enjoys reading and traveling.
Amy Cashman
Amy Cashman, originally from San Jose, California, holds an Associate degree from Portland Community College. Her experience as an administrative assistant coupled with her analytical mindset has prepared her for a career as a paralegal. Cashman is most interested in criminal law and looks forward to learning more about the functionality of the U.S. legal system. She hopes to be a reliable member of any legal team she joins and looks forward to taking this step in her professional journey. Cashman is an activist and cares deeply about showing solidarity with her community.
Mark Davis
Mark Davis, a District native, is interested in studying tort law and civil law. Previously, he was a group facilitator in a personal development class and enjoyed sharing his personal experiences that could benefit others. Davis is looking forward to the challenge of entering a new discipline and developing organizational skills that will serve as a foundation for the rest of his professional career. As a strategy-oriented person, Davis believes that he will succeed in the legal field. He enjoys playing chess in his spare time.
Saleem Davis
Saleem Davis, a Washingtonian, is interested in studying civil law with the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program. He has experience as a substance abuse counselor and is enthusiastic about education; he has taken classes on conflict resolution, electronics, and custodial maintenance. Davis is excited to network with members of the Georgetown Community and to continue his education. He writes poetry in his free time.
Mark Ford
Mark Ford is interested in a number of topics including criminal law, corporate law, immigration, and criminal justice reform. He is the founder of a non-profit that supports returning citizens and helps local youth avoid getting involved in the criminal legal system. Ford is a strong communicator and looks forward to developing his networking skills while learning more about the legal world in order to support justice-impacted people. Ford enjoys spending time with his family.
Alex Galarza
Alex Galarza, a D.C. native, applied to the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program, because of his interest in criminal law and his passion for research and reading. Galarze is pursuing a career as a paralegal because his history with the criminal legal system inspired him to help those who are facing the challenges that he did. He hopes to remind those who are justice-involved that there is always hope and he looks forward to continuing to reconnect with his community. In his spare time, Galarza enjoys bowling and spending time with his daughter.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson was excited to hear about the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program because it gave those with prior convictions, like herself, the opportunity to contribute to their communities. Johnson has previous administrative and IT experience, which has prepared her to manage the clerical and technological work that paralegals do. She looks forward to learning more about legal terminology and working on her time management skills while in the program. Johnson enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles and reading mystery novels in her free time.
Jasmine Joyner
Jasmine Joyner has worked extensively to support justice-impacted individuals, as she served as both a Case Manager for returning citizens and a GED tutor for incarcerated individuals. Because of her experience working with those involved in the criminal legal system, Joyner is most interested in criminal law. Her greatest strengths are her research skills and analytical mindset, both of which she looks forward to sharpening during the program. She is excited to be back in a classroom setting and enjoys learning about current events in her spare time.
Mathew Adé Ogunsalu-El
While Mathew Adé Ogunsalu-El was incarcerated, he spent his time in the law library studying and working on his appeal. His experience working on his case, and the cases of others, drew him to pursue a career as a paralegal since his release. Aside from helping others write post-conviction appeals while he was incarcerated, Ogunsalu-El has also worked as a motivator and a chef. He looks forward to working on his research skills and developing a more analytical mindset. Ogunsalu-El’s interest in environmental law stems from his love of nature. He often spends time hiking and tree climbing.
Charles Joseph Rice III
Charles Joseph Rice III, originally from Philadelphia, is passionate about criminal post-conviction law, as he is an advocate for wrongfully convicted individuals. While working on his own case, Rice became interested in studying law and looks forward to continuing his legal education in a classroom setting. An avid reader, he is looking forward to learning as much as possible during his time in the program. In his free time, Ricelikes to exercise.
Elon Royster
Elon Royster, a D.C. native, is excited to sharpen his communication and research skills while studying to become a paralegal. He is most interested in consumer law and criminal law, both of which he hopes to use to support and protect regular people. Royster looks forward to continuing his education and getting his professional career back on track. A passionate Washingtonian, Royster enjoys cheering on both the Commanders and the Wizards.
Jimika Williams
Jimika Williams, previously from Miami, is interested in educational law. She holds a Masters degree in educational leadership and worked in education management. She became interested in pursuing a career as a paralegal after she was able to work on her case with her attorney. Williams has identified systemic injustices within the criminal legal system that she hopes to correct. She looks forward to learning more about discrimination and hopes to attend law school in the future.
Kendra Young
Kendra Young, a Washingtonian, was drawn to the MORCA-Georgetown Paralegal Program because of the lack of representation that justice-involved people have. She has worked with Stand Up Wireless, a non-profit that provides phones and internet services to low-income or justice-impacted families in the District. Young is interested in both criminal and civil law and looks forward to alleviating the fear many people feel while they are involved in the criminal legal system. Young is a licensed esthetician and is passionate about wellness.
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