Robina Scholar Spotlight: Elizabeth Mansfield Pursues a Career in Public Interest Law

Meet Elizabeth Mansfield, a current 2L at Minnesota Law and a passionate advocate for environmental and climate issues, especially as they intersect with human rights and the displacement of people around the world. 

After graduating from the University of Chicago with degrees in psychology and creative writing, Mansfield began working in the public interest sector on the issues she was most passionate about. First, she worked as a canvasser for Amnesty International's Immigrant Rights Project in Denver, followed by a stint working for the AmeriCorps in New York, focusing on literacy programs for elementary school students. After a few years of working in the public interest sector, Mansfield felt as though she was merely scratching the surface of larger systemic issues. Motivated by a desire to address these issues at a higher level, she decided to pursue a law degree.

Choosing Minnesota Law was a strategic decision for Mansfield. The law school's outstanding and robust public interest law program, coupled with hands-on clinic offerings in human rights and immigration law, made it an ideal fit. But, the most important deciding factor for Mansfield was the scholarship support she received. With aspirations to work in public interest law, scholarship support made her legal education financially viable.

Donor support has been instrumental in shaping Mansfield’s law school experience. As a Robina Scholar, she receives scholarship support as well as funding for unpaid summer public interest internships. Last summer, she worked at the Center for Disability and Elder Law, helping individuals with disabilities and low-income elderly individuals access legal services that they would not otherwise be able to access. This summer, she’ll be working at Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services continuing her path working in refugee law. “Without donor support, I would not be able to participate in these incredible internship opportunities due to financial barriers,” shares Mansfield.

Mansfield expresses gratitude to the many alumni and friends who financially support Minnesota Law, saying, “Donor support has allowed me to be able to explore so many different areas of law and to get practical experience that will inform my legal career later on. I am so grateful for that. Coming in, I knew I was interested in environmental and asylum law. However, I didn't have any practical experience in those legal fields. So, getting firsthand experience and learning from great professors has made an immense difference in the course of my career.”

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