Posted by 
By: Nathaniel Baldo ’25
This summer, I was fortunate enough to serve as an intern for Journey’s End Refugee Services, a community-based organization dedicated to welcoming and supporting refugees. Their many programs include refugee resettlement, employment, education, mentorship, and legal services.
As a Journey’s End intern, I worked in the legal department and was stationed at Vive, a shelter run by Jericho Road Community Health Center. Located in Buffalo, New York, Vive is the largest refugee shelter in the United States. Their services include housing, daily meals, a free clothing store, English language classes, and childcare. My responsibilities included assisting clients with work authorizations and asylum applications, including personal statements detailing why it is unsafe for the client to return to their country of origin. I also participated in community outreach, helping connect newly arrived asylum seekers to legal services.
I applied to University at Buffalo School of Law with the explicit goal of pursuing public interest work, namely, civil legal services including tenant defense, senior legal services, and immigration advocacy. I recognize that all these disciplines are in growing demand given the aging population, the ongoing housing affordability crisis, and increased global migration fueled by climate change. With respect to immigration, I am thankful to see that Journey’s End is expanding their legal team to help meet this growing demand. Before I began this internship, I heard nothing but good things from fellow students and UB staff about the organization. Journey’s End has obviously built a very good working relationship with UB’s Law School, the broader Buffalo legal network, and the communities they serve.
Since graduating college, I have worked for several non-profit organizations in Rochester, New York, which is also where I currently reside. My prior work experience has included care management and health law paralegal work. While I have enjoyed my past work experiences, summer internship programs are a terrific opportunity for me to explore different working environments in Buffalo and elsewhere. Even though I drive over an hour each way to Vive shelter from my residence in Rochester, New York, it has been well worth the commute. Journey’s End is obviously well-equipped to accept legal interns. Upon arrival, I was immediately assigned a supervisor and always received helpful guidance, instruction, and training from her and other staff.
While interning for Journey’s End, I had the pleasure of learning from a very dedicated legal team with a wide array of experiences and skillsets including familiarity with multiple languages. I now have a much more comprehensive understanding of how to develop a compelling case for asylum seekers. I also have a greater appreciation for the arduous journey that so many individuals and families make to this country in pursuit of a better, safer life. I certainly intend to stay in touch with Journey’s End throughout my time at law school and beyond.
I am grateful to both Francis M. Letro ’79 and Cindy Abbott Letro for supporting the University at Buffalo School of Law Summer Public Interest Funding & Fellowship Program and creating the 2023 Francis M. Letro ’79 & Cindy Abbott Letro Fellowship, without which I would not have been able to pursue public interest legal work.
Name: Nathaniel Baldo ’25
Fellowship: 2023 Francis M. Letro ’79 & Cindy Abbott Letro Fellowship
Placement: Journey’s End Refugee Services
Location: Buffalo, New York
One important lesson I have learned from this fellowship: “I now have a much more comprehensive understanding of how to develop a compelling case for asylum seekers. I also have a greater appreciation for the arduous journey that so many individuals and families make to this country in pursuit of a better, safer life.”
UB School of Law Responds 