AG Racine Welcomes 2019 Class Of Charles F.C. Ruff Fellows

Prestigious OAG Fellowship Promotes Public-Interest Legal Work to Recent Law School Graduates

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine has welcomed 15 recent graduates from area law schools to join the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) as part of the 2019 Charles F.C. Ruff Fellowship. This year-long fellowship was established in 2012 to promote public-interest legal work and gives recent law school graduates the opportunity to practice law as Assistant Attorneys General for the District of Columbia. The fellowships are jointly funded by OAG and the law schools, and fellows were chosen through a highly competitive application process. Many previous fellows have gone on to become full-time attorneys at OAG after their fellowship.

The fellows are graduates of American University’s Washington College of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, George Washington University Law School, Howard University School of Law, and the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.

The new Ruff Fellows and their assignments to OAG divisions are:

  • Jack Bardo, Georgetown University, Civil Litigation Division
  • Rachel Deitch, Georgetown University, Civil Litigation Division
  • Matthew Goldstein, American University, Public Safety Division
  • Brendan Heath, George Washington University, Public Interest Division
  • Carter Lorant, Georgetown University, Family Services Division
  • Lindsay Marks, George Washington University, Public Interest Division
  • Katherine Moore, Georgetown University, Civil Litigation Division
  • Joshua Morris, American University, Public Advocacy Division
  • Gavin Palmer, Georgetown University, Public Interest Division/Office of the Solicitor General
  • Lewis Preston, George Washington University, Office of the Solicitor General
  • Kia Rahnama, George Washington University, Legal Counsel Division
  • Camille Wagner, University of the District of Columbia, Public Safety Division
  • Greyson Wallis, Georgetown University, Public Advocacy Division
  • Reginald Whitaker, Howard University, Public Advocacy Division
  • Mark Yurich, American University, Commercial Division

The Ruff Fellowship was established in 2012 to promote public-interest legal work. The program is named in memory of Charles F.C. Ruff, who was the District of Columbia’s Corporation Counsel (the position now known as Attorney General) from 1995 to 1997. Ruff served as White House Counsel to President Bill Clinton after his service as Corporation Counsel, and Attorney General Racine worked under him as an Associate White House Counsel. Ruff also served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and taught at area law schools. He passed away in 2000.