Nicholas Melvoin ’21
“After teaching in the inner city, I came to law school to advocate for my students and their families in a different forum...”
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My Pathway
at a glance
Before NYU Law:
Taught in South Central L.A. for Teach for America
Academic focus:
Education Law; Constitutional Law
After NYU Law:
Director of Policy, Communications, and Legal Counsel for GPS LA (Great Public Schools Los Angeles)
• 1L Highlight •
“I had Constitutional Law class with Professor Kenji Yoshino, who is a rock star in the field. For me, as a former teacher, to see someone who was not only so knowledgeable about constitutional law but communicated it so effectively was incredible.”
• 2L Summer •
“I worked at the White House with the Domestic Policy Council’s Office of Justice and Regulatory Policy – “Team Justice,” as I like to call it. Our docket was civil rights and criminal justice reform. To walk through those gates everyday, and to be able to meet the president and the first lady and the vice president was a very cool way to spend the summer.”
• 3L Highlight •
“During my last semester of law school I went back to LA to testify in Vergara v. California about the effects of teacher layoffs, which really made it seem like the journey was worthwhile.”
• Public Interest Scholarships •
The Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship and the Frank J. Guarini Institute for Government Leadership. “They gave me not only financial opportunities, but mentorship experiences and camaraderie with other students who are interested in doing this work.”
• Con Law: The Next Generation •
“Legal Outreach pairs law students with inner-city students to help with constitutional law debate prep.”
• Beyond the Books •
Review of Law and Social Change, Editor-in-Chief
Education Law and Policy Society, Chair
Suspension Representation Project, Advocate
• Faculty Mentor •
Professor Paulette Caldwell is “extremely knowledgeable and very well connected. I think a lot of what I'll take into my career in education will be thanks to her courses.”
• NYU Law in One or Two Words •
“Social change.”
