Four women have been named the 2022 Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, PC Loan Repayment Assistance Program award recipients by the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Monique Brown-Dixon, Kameron Dawson, Cashauna Lattimore and Sarah Nwankwo will each receive $2,500.
The Baker, Donelson Loan Repayment Assistance Program annually provides financial support to UT College of Law graduates who obtain employment in the field of public interest law and who need assistance in repaying loans incurred for their legal education.
Brown-Dixon, a 2019 graduate, is an assistant district attorney in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit. In her work with the Camden County, Georgia office, she prosecutes cases on behalf of the state and handles cases from intake through resolution of a plea or trial.
“My job is extremely rewarding because I get to fight for justice,” she wrote in her application materials. “Our office is small, but our caseload is heavy. I have built a sense of community around me, and we are all working toward the same goal of justice.”
Dawson, also a 2019 graduate, works with the Nashville-based organization “A Better Balance” to advance justice for workers without jeopardizing their economic security. She has supported legislators and advocates on state legislation by researching, drafting and testifying in support of bills that support working families.
“I assist workers, a majority of which are workers of color, who are unsure of their rights in the workplace and are unfortunately being forced to choose between their health and their paycheck,” she said.
Lattimore, a 2011 graduate, works with the 4th Judicial District Public Defender’s Office in Dandridge, Tenn. After working briefly with the State of Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Lattimore went to work with the public defender’s office representing those charged with criminal offenses who cannot afford representation.
“My entire caseload is made up of underprivileged, poverty-stricken populations who are fighting the criminal justice system,” she said.
Nwankwo, a 2022 graduate, works in the juvenile division of the Fulton County (Georgia) Public Defender’s Office. Following her successful completion of the bar exam, she will provide representation for clients involved in criminal and juvenile proceedings.
In addition to their current work, award recipients must agree to remain continuously employed in the field of public interest law for one year after receiving financial support from the program. Awards are made annually in the spring. To learn more about the program, visit https://utklaw.wpengine.com/lrap.