University of Houston Law Center student Nicholas Guillory.
June 11, 2019 — Nicholas Guillory, a University of Houston Law Center 2L, drew upon personal experience in his choice to work with the National Center for Transgender Equality via a 2019 Summer Public Interest Fellowship.
“This summer I wanted to work for an organization whose work was very meaningful to me,” Guillory said. “As a black transgender man, this work is very important to me and the community around me.”
Founded in 2003, the National Center for Transgender Equality based in Washington, D.C. strives to reform policies and implement a broader societal understanding and acceptance for transgender people.
Guillory will be an Andrew S. Cray Legal Fellow, working with the Policy Counsel to improve state and federal level protections for transgender individuals.
“Whether it be legal representation or representation in policy, it is important to ensure that underrepresented groups, like transgender people, get a voice,” he said. “When rights are secured for marginalized communities, it makes life better for all.”
After law school, Guillory will follow his passion for public interest work by striving to secure a job in LGBT Rights Law, whether it be developing policy or working on impact litigation.
“Being a legal fellow at the National Center for Transgender Equality, I will be learning how to do the exact policy work that I aspire to work on in the future,” he said.
Although he is primarily intrigued by LGBT Rights Law, Guillory has enjoyed a variety of courses during his time at the Law Center.
“Constitutional Law and Property have been my favorite classes. Not only are the two subjects very interesting, but Professor Chandler and Professor Warren were incredible.”
