2023-2024 Executive Board

President, Justin Fiszer (J.D. ’25)

Justin Fiszer (he/him) is from Randolph, NJ. In undergrad, he studied Human Rights at Columbia University and Jewish Thought at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Before law school, he worked as a paralegal at Ropes & Gray and Onex Credit Partners in NYC. Justin is a current 1L Rep of the Jewish Law Students Association and a 1L Rep in the Business Law Society. This summer Justin will be interning at the NJ Office of the Public Defender for Hudson County. Justin’s favorite LGBTQ+ book is The Velvet Rage and he’s excited for the Red White & Royal Blue movie to be released! Justin loves dancing, his motorcycle, and is a staunch defender of Apple Pages. His favorite genre is country music. 

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Vice President, Jillian Baggett (J.D. ’25)

Jillian Baggett (she/her) is from Victor, New York and went to undergrad at Tulane University to study biomedical engineering and computer science. In undergrad, she was involved in Tau Beta Pi, Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity, and several design teams. She’s interested in patent litigation and prosecution, and will be working with an IP firm in Atlanta this summer. At Duke she is involved with Outlaw, DIRP, and Duke Law and Tech Society. Her LGTBQ+ icon is Lauren Sanderson and her non-law related interests are running, roller skating, and hiking!

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Director of Finance, Liv Wagner (J.D. ’25)

Liv Wagner (she/her) is originally from Chicago, IL. She attended Chapman University and was a History and Peace Studies double major. Outside of academics, she was the Editor in Chief of the undergraduate law review, Assistant Editor for the Treatment Magazine, and participated in student government. At Duke, Liv participates in the Innocence Project, Clemency Project, and WLSA. This summer she will be working in the Special Litigation Division of the Department of Law in Anchorage, Alaska. Keith Haring is her LGBTQ+ icon and she loves to paint in water color, hike, and do yoga outside of law school.

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Director of Advocacy, Eddy Fernandez (J.D. ’25)

Eddy Fernandez (he/him) is a North Carolina native who attended UNC-Chapel Hill where he majored in health policy and management. After graduating, he moved to DC to work as a research analyst supporting state health policy reforms. Eddy is currently involved in Outlaw, First Class, and the Environmental Law Society. He will be interning for the EPA in Philadelphia this summer and is super excited about it!

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Director of Outreach, Ceren Ege (J.D. ’25)

Ceren Ege (she/her) is from Istanbul, Turkey. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a double major in Psychology and Creative Writing. Prior to law school, she served for one year as an AmeriCorps English and Citizenship teacher. She also worked in the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General for one year within the Energy & Environment Bureau. In addition to OutLaw, Ceren is involved in MENALSA, DLTS, and the Innocence Project as a member of the Active Investigations team. This summer, Ceren will be a legal fellow with Compassion&Choices in D.C. to advocate for medical-aid-in-dying legislation. She enjoys writing and reading poetry and eating baked goods.

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Director of Professional Development (Law Firm), Sam Braden (J.D. ’25)

Sam Braden (he/him) is from a bunch of places, but mainly Michigan. He graduated from UofM in 2022, where he double majored in Classical Languages and Philosophy and double minored in Public Policy and Political Science. In undergrad, Sam was involved in student government and the co-ops. At Duke, Sam is also part of First Class, Clemency Project, CLAPS, and LALSA. Sam is interning this summer for North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls. Sam has the greatest dog ever, a 2-year-old German Shepherd named Athena. Sam’s interests include hiking, old music, caustic humor, and anything dog-related. He is mildly allergic to sunlight and aspires to be an ambulance-chasing lawyer one day.

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Director of Professional Development (Law Firm), Caroline Moore (J.D. ’25)

Caroline Moore (she/her) is from New York, NY. She graduated from Yale University in 2021, where she majored in Psychology and Chinese, and honed her writing chops as a reporter and Editor for the Yale Daily News. Before law school, Caroline worked as a paralegal at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, specifically in the Trial Bureau. While there, she single-handedly took down a pack of feral squirrels who had taken up residence in the building and was awarded for her heroic efforts. Caroline is interested in cross-border transactional work and dreams of living and working overseas. This summer Caroline will be working at King & Wood Mallesons in New York City. She is also the President of If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice and is very excited to join OutLaw’s executive board this year to help 1Ls navigate the world of law firm recruiting. Caroline loves boxing, Sirius XM’s PopRocks station, novelty candles, and dancing the night away at Legends. Her favorite LGBTQ+ books include “This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel and “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong. 

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Director of Professional Development (GPI), Amanda Watson (J.D. ’25)

Amanda Watson (she/her) is from Illinois, but grew up mostly in Louisiana. She attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for undergrad, and graduated in 2020 with a double major in English and political science. After undergrad, Amanda took two years off and lived in Brooklyn, where she worked for Americorps and for a small independent bookstore. This summer, she will be a research assistant at both the Irish Centre for Human Rights and with Duke professors researching transitional justice and international human rights. She’s a part of the JD/LLM program, so she’ll also be studying at The Hague for a month as part of that. Besides Outlaw, Amanda is also on the board for If/When/How and a pro bono volunteer for DIRP. After law school, she plans to return to New York and work in human rights advocacy. Outside of law school, Amanda is a huge Swiftie and loves astrology and movies!

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Director of Service & Pro Bono, Bex Magid (J.D. ’25)

Bex Magid (she/her) is from New York City. She majored in History and Latin American Studies at Columbia University and graduated in 2019. Prior to coming to Duke Law, Bex worked as a paralegal at Children’s Rights, a non-profit organization that brings class action lawsuits to reform youth-involved government agencies. Bex also worked for a year as a barista and can do latte art (barely). At Duke, Rebecca has founded the Child Welfare Law and Policy Society (CLAPS) and is a member of the Innocence Project Jail Mail team. This summer, Bex will be interning at the Door, a non-profit that advocates for youth in New York City. She will be working the Door’s legal immigration department. My top LGBTQ+ Icons are: Judy Garland, Cate Blanchett, Sylvia Rivera. Non-law school related interests: knitting/crocheting, the Crown, Beyonce, coffee. 

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3L Representative, Valeria Chavez (J.D. ’24)

Valeria Chavez (she/her) is from Orlando, Florida. She graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2021 with degrees in Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies. In addition to OutLaw, Valeria previously served on the executive boards of Duke’s Latin American Law Students Association and Transactional Law Society. She is also a pro bono volunteer on the Veterans Assistance Project and Coalition Against Gendered Violence. Her 1L summer, she worked at Hunton Andrews Kurth and Banco Santander in their Miami offices. In Summer 2023, she will join McDermott Will & Emery’s Miami office as their 2L Diversity Fellow. In her free time, Valeria enjoys making niche playlists and reading her friends’ astrological birth charts. Some of her LGBTQ+ icons and role models include Roxane Gay and Ela Melo.

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Faculty Advisor

Laurence Helfer

Laurence R. Helfer (he/him) is the Harry R. Chadwick, Sr. Professor of Law and co-director of the Center for International and Comparative Law at Duke University Law School.  Professor Helfer has co-authored three books and more than seventy scholarly articles on his diverse research interests, which include human rights, international LGBT rights, international adjudication, and the interdisciplinary analysis of international laws and institutions.  His recent publications include International Courts as Agents of Legal Change: Evidence from LGBT Rights in Europe, 68 International Organization 77-110 (2014).  His advocacy work on international LGBT rights includes submitting co-authored amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court analyzing comparative law developments in support of a constitutional right to same-sex marriage; speaking on the first expert panel at the U.N. Human Rights Council on violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; and serving as the inaugural Jacob L. Martin Fellow to the Office of the Legal Adviser of U.S. Department of State to consult with attorneys and policymakers on strategies for promoting LGBT rights globally.  He is current research includes a project on LGBT rights advocacy before the European Court of Human Rights.

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