Current and Past Fellows

"As a Takasugi Fellow, I worked at Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO) in San Francisco.

"There, I represented low-income and immigrant clients in the areas of domestic violence, family law, immigration law, and public benefits.

"Every day, I counseled clients, conducted intakes, interviewed witnesses, prepared various family law and immigration applications, and collected supporting evidence. I wrote briefs for administrative and appellate courts, and represented a client before an administrative judge.


Avantika Shastri, Takasugi Fellow 2003

"My experience as a Takasugi Fellow was invaluable. Working directly with clients - in English, Hindi, and other languages through interpreters - demonstrated to me the importance of making legal services accessible to everyone. It also revealed to me the immense need for such services. Working closely with the attorneys and staff at APILO also taught me about the importance of skilled advocates, who push the boundaries of existing law to ensure that legal rights and remedies reflect the complexity of our clients' lives and the diversity of our communities' experiences. Ultimately, the Takasugi Fellowship has inspired me to continue in the footsteps of Judge Takasugi, whose commitment to justice for all communities is an example for all of us."

— Avantika Shastri, Takasugi Fellow 2003, Boalt '03

PHOTO: Judge Takasugi with 2002 Fellows Cancion Soto (left) and Elizabeth Choi (right)

Sung Young Elizabeth Choi, a second-year law student at USC, was selected as the 2002 Robert M. Takasugi Fellow for Southern California. As the Takasugi Fellow, Elizabeth worked with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles in their Asian and Pacific Islander Community Outreach Unit. There, through the language hotlines and community clinics, she provided direct legal services to low-income members of the API community in various legal issues, but with a special emphasis on domestic-violence. Elizabeth also participated in a community outreach program which focused on educating the API community of their basic constitutional rights.

Cancion Soto, a third-year law student at UC Davis was selected as the 2002 Robert M. Takasugi Fellow for Northern California. As the Takasugi Fellow, Cancion worked with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco. There, in response to the post 9/11 backlash against Arabs, South Asian, Muslims and Sikhs, and those perceived to be members of these groups, Cancion wrote demand letters to retail establishments and employers to fight discrimination against these individuals. Also, through the Lawyers’ Committee’s community legal clinics and asylum program, she provided direct legal services addressing housing, public benefits and immigration issues.

PHOTO: (Left to right) Do Kim, 2000 SoCal Fellow; Elizabeth Choi, 2002 SoCal Fellow; Cancion Soto, 2002 NorCal Fellow; Minah Park, 2001 SoCal Fellow

“The Robert M. Takasugi Fellowship allowed me to spend my summer as a law clerk with the Legal Defense and Educational Fund of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). There, I was able to work on cases important to the public interest, such as Labor/Community Strategy v. MTA, and Castaneda v. Regents of the University of California. Being named a Takasugi Fellow is a tremendous honor, because Judge Takasugi’s record for championing civil rights is unparalleled. He has dedicated his life to using law as a vehicle to advance social justice for women and minorities. Just as important as his role as a lawyer and a judge, his impact on the community has left a lasting impression. His passion for the law is matched only by his desire to give back to his community.”

-- Do Kim, Takasugi Fellow ‘00, UCLA Law School ‘02

“As a Takasugi Fellow, I worked at the California Women’s Law Center in Los Angeles. There, I developed a model policy to preserve the civil rights of pregnant and parenting teenagers in California schools. Although the Fellowship was specifically assigned for my summer position with CWLC, the spirit of the Takasugi Fellowship is still alive with me today as I continue to pursue projects that fight to secure social and economic justice for low-income to working class communities of color. The Takasugi Fellowship continues to do amazing things as it supports the visions of passionate and progressive law students who dream and work for a better tomorrow.”

-- Rebecca Yee, Takasugi Fellow ‘00, UCLA Law School ‘01

“The Takasugi Fellowship provided me with the opportunity to work with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, both in its Housing and Asian/Pacific Islander Community Outreach units. There, I gained valuable experience in community outreach and had the opportunity to provide direct legal services to Korean-speaking immirants on housing and immigation issues. The Takasugi Fellowship has encouraged and supported my efforts to pursue a career in public interest law. It was also an inspiration to meet Judge Takasugi, who has paved the way for Asian Pacific Americans in the field of law.”

-- Minah Park, Takasugi Fellow ‘01, Loyola Law School ‘02

Receiving the Takasugi Fellowship allowed me to pursue important public interest work in the spirit of Judge Takasugi’s activism and leadership. The fellowship gave me the opportunity to work as a summer law clerk for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights in San Francisco. At the Lawyers’ Committee, I worked on issues of racial profiling, immigration and juvenile justice. This work not only gave me initial exposure to these substantive areas, but also paved the way toward my future career as a civil rights attorney. I recently received a Skadden Fellowship to pursue a project developed during my summer at the Lawyers’ Committee as a Takasugi Fellow. Following in the footsteps of Judge Takasugi, I will continue to advance the rights of marginalized groups.”

-- Kathleen Kim, Takasugi Fellow ‘01, Stanford Law School ‘0