The 40th Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award Celebration honored Patricia Legge ’95 and Jason Hernandez for their commitment to public interest in a night dedicated to bringing Rutgers faculty, students, alumni, and supporters together in encouragement of each other and social justice.
“Philbrook is a signal event at Rutgers and is a joyful expression of our social justice mission. One of our core values has always been that we centered on justice,” said Rutgers Law Dean Johanna Bond, who gave opening remarks.
Legge has always been a leader since her time at Rutgers Law where she participated in both the Women’s Law Caucus (WLC) and the Association for Public Interest Law (APIL), two student organizations that co-present the Philbrook Awards each year. Continuing her commitment to community and leadership, Legge founded the Volunteer UP Legal Clinic in 2018, a non-profit that connects clients facing legal challenges with South Jersey attorneys who volunteer to provide high-quality pro bono legal services not otherwise available. From humble beginnings in her own kitchen, she grew the dream into a non-profit with five staff, 200 attorney volunteers, and a half-million-dollar budget today.
“Access to justice should not depend on your income, your background, or your past,” said Legge on the motivation behind Volunteer UP Legal Clinic.
Hernandez’s commitment to service began before law school when he participated in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (“JVC”) after his undergraduate studies. His year of service established his career path dedicated to immigrant legal services and advocacy. Hernandez was a fellow at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of Pennsylvania (HIAS-PA) and led their Asylee Outreach Project. Since becoming Director of the Rutgers Immigrant Community Assistance Project (RICAP) in 2017, Hernandez founded the project to provide free and confidential immigration counsel, advice, and direct representation to Rutgers students, staff, and faculty. He has held 563 individual consultations across all Rutgers campuses and directly represented 348 people.
“None of this is done alone. It is done through the Rutgers community,” said Hernandez.
Alongside the two honorees, nine current students and one recent graduate were recognized for their pro bono and public interest contributions at the ceremony on October 14. Rutgers Law School-Camden Alumni Association (RLSCAA) President Angella Middleton also gave tribute to Charles Reznick ’77, a staunch supporter of Rutgers Law school who recently passed away.
“[This] evening is all about our being here for each other, to support each other, and to build things together,” said Associate Dean of Rutgers Law School’s Pro Bono and Public Interest Program Jill Friedman.
Philbrook Celebration founder Ann E. Freedman closed out the ceremony, celebrating the last 40 years and highlighting the importance of coming together to share joy and stories in public interest. Her closing remarks were preceded by video messages from Professor Emeritus Bob Williams and Linda Wharton ’81 and a live Zoom message from Professor Emeritus Rand Rosenblatt heralding Freedman’s achievements.
“Every year is the best Philbrook ever,” said Freedman.
The annual awards celebration is held in honor of Mary Philbrook's life, legacy, and impact. Philbrook was a prominent leader in the campaign for women's suffrage and the Equal Rights Amendment as well as the first woman admitted to the New Jersey Bar. She was instrumental in the formation of New Jersey's first statewide legal aid society and the adoption of the equal rights provision in the 1947 New Jersey state constitution. She also worked in the settlement houses of slums, educated immigrants, organized workers, and attempted to reform prison and the juvenile justice system.
The celebration was presented by APIL, RLSCAA, WLC, and the Burlington and Camden County Bar Foundations. Additional event sponsors included Archer & Greiner, P.C., Volunteer UP Legal Clinic, RD Communications, and Weinberg, Kaplan & Smith, P.A.
The event was the culmination of Philbrook Week. Students made Welcome/Support Kits for clients of the Center for Family Services Juntos Program on October 8. The kits were given to unaccompanied immigrant children who are awaiting family reunification. The same day, Hernandez and Professor Joanne Gottesman conducted a teach-in, “Hot Topics in Immigration Law.” The following day, Maria Hernandez ’07 held a “Trauma-Informed Communication Discussion.” Legge held a Q&A for Rutgers Law students the day before the Philbrook celebration.
2025 Mary Philbrook Student and Alumna Honorees
