DePaul Law student recieves Prettyman Fellowship

DePaul University College of Law student Fadya Salem (3L) was recently accepted into the E. Barrett Prettyman and Stuart Stiller Fellowship Program at Georgetown University Law Center, which selects three fellows annually. The Prettyman Fellowship was established in 1960 for recent law school graduates to represent indigent clients in Washington, DC. During the two-year program, participants obtain practical training as defense attorneys while gaining a greater understanding of the court system.

The first DePaul Law student to receive this honor, Salem is “beyond excited“ to become a Prettyman Fellow and to work “with indigent clients who are marginalized in society and among the most deserving people needing help.” She first learned about the Fellowship while spending a summer as a law clerk with the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, which was funded by DePaul College of Law's Judge Richard D. Cudahy Fellowship.

Salem was further inspired to apply for the Prettyman Fellowship due to its mentorship opportunities. Having learned first hand the value of receiving guidance from professionals with similar passions, she would like to also counsel aspiring attorneys and recognizes this program as an important way to reach out to others. Salem credits two DePaul Law alumni in particular for guiding her on this path: Chalet Braziel (JD '09) and Theodore Thomas (JD '09), both of whom are Cook County Public Defenders. As her mock trial coaches over the past two years, Braziel and Thomas promoted extensive preparation and practice as keys to success, and their “unwavering support” drove her towards excellence.

After completing the Prettyman Fellowship, Salem hopes to continue her work as a public defender and positively impact the lives of others. ​​