Todd Rubin was a Bazelon Fellow from 2012 – 2014. He received his JD from Georgetown Law Center and BA from the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and Hispanic Studies.

Todd’s experience at Georgetown Law Center helped him develop legal research and writing skills that proved instrumental to his success at Bazelon.

The Bazelon Fellowship provided Todd with the opportunity to combat the stigma associated with mental illness and to delve deeply into complex health policy issues. Todd recalls a specific settlement agreement that involved going door to door within adult homes to collect stories about substandard living conditions. On the day of the hearing, Todd accompanied people from homes throughout the five boroughs of New York to the Eastern District of New York courthouse. Hundreds of residents told their stories to the judge, the agreement was approved, and people had the opportunity to move to better homes.

As a Bazelon Fellow, Todd learned to be a more strategic, sharper thinker. The discussions with Bazelon litigators improved his skills as a writer, policy analyst, and lawyer. He found it extremely rewarding to be part of a community of people who care deeply about disability policy. For anyone interested in a Bazelon Fellowship, Todd strongly encourages applying.

Todd currently works for the Administrative Conference of the United States, where he analyzes administrative procedure and drafts recommendations to improve it.