Free Speech For People is pleased to announce our summer 2026 Legal Advocacy Program interns!
We appreciate the talent, time, and commitment to defending our democracy that these law students bring to the Free Speech For People team. Learn more about our new Legal Advocacy Program interns below!
Auryon Azar is a rising second-year student at Harvard Law School. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science, where he served as Student Body President. In his free time, he enjoys reading, playing chess, and hiking America’s beautiful national parks.
Molly McCarthy is a rising second-year student at UC Berkeley School of Law. She graduated from George Washington University in 2021 with a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in Archaeology. Prior to law school, she worked as a book editor at publishing houses in London, UK, and taught English at a primary school in Spain.
Erin Mehigan is a rising second-year student at Boston College Law School. She graduated from Boston College in 2023 with a BA in History and Applied Psychology and Human Development. Prior to law school, Erin worked in fundraising for New England’s largest homeless services provider, where she developed her dedication to poverty alleviation. On the weekends, you can find Erin out on her paddle board, or with a good book in hand.
Michael Nevett is a rising third-year student at Harvard Law School. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Prior to law school, he worked for Democracy Defenders Action, another legal nonprofit dedicated to advancing democracy and legal accountability.
Ryan Smith is a rising second-year student at Columbia Law School. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2023 with a B.A. in Political & Social Thought, and from the University of Oxford in 2025 with an MPhil in Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics. In his free time, he likes to play the banjo.
Alice Zhao is a rising second-year student at Harvard Law School. She graduated from Peking University in 2025 with a B.A. in Korean, and spent her undergraduate years working at nonprofits focused on campus sex education and legal aid for domestic violence survivors, alongside part-time English tutoring. In her free time, she can usually be found with a coffee in hand, behind a camera, or driving on the road.