HAN Identifies Rising
Public Interest Star

By Chip Mellor

In addition to equipping aspiring students with the tools to become successful public interest lawyers, our law student training program and our summer clerkships enable us to identify talent. These experiences also provide a good way for students to get acquainted with the Institute for Justice. It’s no coincidence then that a significant number of our staff attorneys have been hired after coming to our attention in this manner.

Our newest attorney Bert Gall is a great example. Bert attended our 1998 Law Student Conference and became intrigued with IJ-style public interest law. After a clerkship with Judge Karen Williams on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Bert joined the Charlotte-based firm of Helms, Mulliss, and Wicker. He got good experience as a litigator, but like so many other young attorneys, he found private practice unfulfilling.

So when the Institute for Justice advertised for a new attorney, Bert promptly applied. We were delighted, and wasted no time in hiring him. Bert dove right in, rapidly immersing himself in our school choice litigation and also producing a law review article on the Blaine Amendment in record time. Presently, he is playing a key role in preparing our next big case challenging eminent domain abuse.

According to Bert, "It was my experience at the Law Student Conference that ultimately brought me to IJ. Whether I’m representing parents who want their children to receive a quality education that the public school monopoly fails to provide, or helping property owners protect their land from eminent domain abuse, working here is exciting and rewarding."