Joel and Denise Golden Merit Award in Child Advocacy

The Joel and Denise Golden Merit Award in Child Advocacy is presented annually to University of San Diego School of Law students who are already using their legal skills to impact the lives of children in foster care. Students are eligible for the award at the conclusion of their second year of law school study. This award seeks to encourage students to work on behalf of foster children, thus enabling the foster children of San Diego to benefit from the innovative efforts of young legal advocates.

This award was created by a former USD law student who specialized in child advocacy and benefited from the opportunities offered by the Children’s Advocacy Institute. The award is named in honor of the student’s parents: Joel, a gifted and generous attorney who works to vindicate civil rights, and Denise, a tireless child advocate and exceptional adolescent therapist. Most importantly, both are role models of unconditional love and support, which every child deserves.

The following USD law students are past recipients of the Joel and Denise Golden Merit Award in Child Advocacy:

2018

• Ashlee Walcott

2017

• Hanna Tavill

2016

• Alexa Katz 

2015

• Hala Alskaf 

2014

• Maryam Rastegar 

2013

• Holly McCord

2012

• Georgia Gebhardt

2011

• Justine Elgas

2010

• Brenden Shaw

2009

• Julia Davis

2008

• Rebecca Wu

2007

• Christopher Mank

2006

• Kirsten Widner

2005

• Johanna Schonfield
• Kerrie Taylor