Three Recent Alumni Receive Pro Bono Distinction Award

The Philadelphia Bar Association recently recognized Villanova Law alums Nikkita Gottling ’18, Pamela Putnam ’18 and Christian Wynne ’18 with the Eve Biskind Klothen Law Student Pro Bono Distinction Award, which is given to area law students for their commitment to pro bono and public interest work. Gottling, Putnam and Wynne devoted hours of their time to pro bono legal work through Villanova Law’s in-house clinics, student organizations and externship placements.

Gottling served as director of the Walter Lucas Public Interest Fellowship Program. She also volunteered with Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s Medical Legal Community Partnership and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Gottling also represented low-income individuals with Villanova Law’s Federal Tax Clinic.

Putnam, a Public Interest Scholar, worked closely with Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s Medical Legal Community Partnership and Face to Face Birth Certificate Clinic. In addition to her volunteer work, she represented individual clients through the Interdisciplinary Mental and Physical Health Law Clinic, externed with Community Legal Services and worked with the Legal Clinic for the Disabled and the Pennsylvania Health Law Project. Now, she is continuing her passion for public interest as an Independence Fellow at the PA Health Law Project.

Wynne volunteered with the Youth Sentencing & Re-entry Project’s mitigation program and with an education program for inmates at State Correctional Institution - Chester. She was also president of the Coalition for Advocating for Rights and Dignity and vice president of the Criminal Law Society. At Villanova Law, Wynne represented clients in the Civil Justice Clinic. During law school, she worked at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where she is continuing to work post-graduation.