Thank you, Mel!

Reflections from Murnaghan Fellow Melanie Babb

August 28, 2024

We were fortunate to have Melanie Babb as the 23rd Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. Appellate Advocacy Fellow this past year. Here she reflects on her time at the Public Justice Center.

During my fellowship year, I served as lead counsel for the Appellate Advocacy Project at the Public Justice Center (PJC). The PJC’s Legal Director, Debra Gardner, provided supervision and support, empowering me to take ownership of case monitoring and management. I authored amicus briefs in federal appellate courts, and merits briefs in the Appellate Court of Maryland.

I also gained exposure to a broad range of civil rights issues, including housing, workers’ rights, LGBTQ+ discrimination, government transparency, and bankruptcy, yet our advocacy was interconnected. We uplifted our clients’ voices and pushed courts to consider the systems that lie just underneath the surface of every case.

The Murnaghan Fellowship allowed me to hone my legal research and writing skills. For example, in the amicus brief for Todman, a landlord/tenant case, I researched the various problems people facing eviction encounter, which are only compounded by the fact that under Baltimore law, residents could lose all of their personal property left in the leased property after an eviction is executed, with no opportunity for renters to reclaim their property. On June 10, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of the Todmans, finding that the Baltimore City provision violated their constitutional rights by depriving them of their property after an eviction without due process of law and that the City is liable for that violation. This was a huge win not just for the Todmans, but for renters in Baltimore City whose personal property is now protected from being stolen by their landlord after they are evicted. In the amicus brief for Benshot, a bankruptcy case, I highlighted the negative impacts of wage theft and how companies and businesses are using the bankruptcy code as a tool to avoid paying their workers. These cases allowed me to collaborate with our internal teams at the Public Justice Center as well as other organizations across the country whose clients deal with similar issues.

This Fellowship also gave me the opportunity for direct representation. On behalf of a non-profit located in Frederick County, I filed an appeal in the Appellate Court of Maryland regarding the awarding of attorneys’ fees when people successfully sue government agencies for failing to provide public records as required under the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA). The prospect of having to pay attorney’s fees for violations of the MPIA should motivate government agencies to comply with the law. This was an extremely rewarding experience as I learned how to navigate filing briefs electronically, communicating with opposing counsel and advising my client on next steps. In this way, the Murnaghan Fellowship enabled me to develop a comprehensive set of advocacy tools.

Apart from the substantive work, through the Murnaghan Fellowship, I formed many meaningful interpersonal connections. Appellate work is often solitary; however, the Fellowship provided a tremendous sense of community. In striving to take our advocacy to the national level, I was able to make new connections with other appellate advocates located in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, relying on their expertise of what their clients are going through and incorporate them in our amicus briefs. When I ran into a problem, my fellow co-workers at the PJC were more than willing to step up and help to make sure our clients’ needs were fulfilled to the best of our ability. Finally, our courageous clients, who decided to take the leap and fight for justice despite the various obstacles blocking their way, have inspired me to become a braver person, and it was an absolute honor to represent them. Overall, the people I met over the course of the Fellowship enriched my personal life and pushed me to become a better attorney. I look forward to continuing to cultivate these relationships.

The Murnaghan Fellowship allowed me to develop the competence and confidence to pursue a career as a public interest attorney. I look forward to applying the lessons I learned as a Fellow in my future work at the Office of the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. I can think of no better way to start one’s public interest career than as the Murnaghan Fellow.

Our Legal Director, Debra Gardner, shared these words of gratitude: “Working with Mel this year was a delight! Her dogged pursuit of excellence in her advocacy and justice for our clients and their communities was inspiring. We’re so glad she’ll be continuing the work right here in Baltimore and throughout Maryland.”