We are proud to introduce the 2020-2021 Fellow for the Walkup Civil Justice Fellowship Program. Kelsey Constantin grew up in Irvine, California and attended UC Santa Barbara where she received her B.A. in psychology. After graduation, she moved up the coast to Oakland and enjoyed Bay Area living while exploring different career paths. When she landed a position as a legal assistant at a personal injury firm, it sparked her interest in becoming a lawyer.
Kelsey graduated magna cum laude from UC Hastings in 2020. During her time at Hastings she pursued opportunities in various legal sectors but always maintained her passion for public interest work. Growing up around her mother’s special education classroom and volunteering with special needs children throughout high school instilled a passion in Kelsey for helping young people which she applied in her internship at East Bay Children’s Law Offices, and as an Executive Board member of the Hastings Association of Youth Advocates. While in law school Kelsey externed for the Honorable Ming W. Chin on the California Supreme Court, interned in the Clean Slate Program operated by the Alameda Public Defender’s Office, and served as the Executive Articles Editor for Hastings Law Journal.
In her last year of law school, Kelsey worked in the Hastings Individual Representation Clinic and represented clients in a Social Security appeal, and obtained a criminal conviction dismissal. Her law school experiences led Kelsey to apply for the Civil Justice Fellowship because it offered the opportunity to learn from distinguished litigators while helping clients through critical and difficult points in their lives. Connecting with people and client-centered advocacy fighting social injustices are Kelsey’s main driving forces in her legal career. The types of cases that the Walkup team handles also exemplify the kind of impact on both individuals and systems that Kelsey wants to be a part of.
As Kelsey arrived we bid a fond adieu to last year’s Fellow, Daniel Contreras, who returned to his home state of Texas to complete a judicial clerkship in San Antonio at the end of his fellowship year. We wish Daniel continued success in his legal career.