Nour Elkassabany, rising 2L at Temple University Beasley School of Law
I am excited to join Regional Housing Legal Services as a Law Student Intern this summer.
I am a rising 2L at Temple University Beasley School of Law. I grew up in Wayne, PA and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Health & Societies. After graduation and during pandemic lockdown, I spent a lot of time volunteering at local farms and community gardens. Seeing the role these places played in their surrounding communities really nurtured my interest in environmental justice, land use, and equitable decision making.
I’m excited to be at RHLS because housing underscores the interconnectedness of these topics. The organization and the opportunity to do public interest transactional work are both unique. I have already gotten a glimpse at the ways that clients rely on RHLS, and I look forward to helping the attorneys here and the organizations we serve make more affordable housing in Pennsylvania a reality.
In my free time, I enjoy reading, collaging, and going to live shows.
Joseph Miller, rising 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
I am thrilled to join Regional Housing Legal Services this summer as a Legal Intern. Fair housing for all is one of my core beliefs, and RHLS has been a leader in this fight for over 50 years.
I am a rising 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. I was originally born in Cleveland, Ohio, and I grew up primarily in Tennessee and Oregon before graduating from The Ohio State University with a double major in History and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).
My interest in housing justice traces back to high school and was cemented when I was a student volunteer with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Ohio. Prior to law school, I was also a consumer housing paralegal at Philadelphia Legal Assistance. My previous work involved helping hundreds of clients who were facing the loss of their homes due to foreclosure or eviction. I saw how difficult it is to find and preserve affordable housing, and I joined RHLS this summer to help organizations who are trying to solve our ongoing housing crisis. I’m excited to work with RHLS’ dedicated attorneys and community partners to promote a vision of Pennsylvania where everyone has a safe place to live.
Outside of my work, you’ll find me biking on the Schuylkill River Trail, playing Quizzo with friends, exploring local markets, and watching baseball games.
John Rossi, rising 2L at Temple University Beasley School of Law
I am excited to be joining Regional Housing Legal Services as a legal intern this summer. I look forward to learning more about the strategies available to combat the affordable housing crisis.
I am a rising 2L at Temple Law. I grew up in South Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in History.
My interest in affordable housing began when I was working with tenants in Philadelphia Landlord-Tenant Court on behalf of the Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN). Most tenants were facing eviction simply because they could not afford to pay their rent. I quickly learned that a severe lack of affordable housing meant that the poorest tenants were subject to the constant threat of displacement.
I later worked on Philadelphia’s Eviction Diversion Program, which aims to prevent landlords and tenants from initiating eviction actions in Landlord-Tenant Court. The program saves landlords from the costly court filing process and spares tenants from the black mark of an eviction filing. I enjoyed helping landlords and tenants work out their issues—necessary repairs, late rent payments—in mediation, and helped administer a rental assistance program that paid millions to bring tenants current on their rent. This experience gave me an appreciation for the administration of a large, complex program designed to keep tenants in their homes.
I am grateful to RHLS for the opportunity to gain experience working through complex contract and land use issues.
In my free time, you can find me cheering on the Philadelphia Union (the city’s professional men’s soccer team), looking at soccer statistics, and/or sitting on the couch with my dog.