Experience

Cardozo School of Law

• United States
• Higher Education
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Director Of Student Life

  • Aug 2020 - Present

• Director Of Student Services and Advising

  • Jan 2020 - Aug 2020



New York State Unified Court System

• Administration of Justice
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Law Clerk

  • Mar 2019 - Jan 2020



Center for Family Representation

• United States
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Staff Attorney

  • Sep 2017 - Mar 2019

  Family court public defender, representing parents in ACS proceedings against them. Family court public defender, representing parents in ACS proceedings against them.



New Jersey Judiciary, Essex County Superior Court, Family Division

• Newark

• Law Clerk

  • Aug 2016 - Aug 2017



ACLU

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Legal Intern

  • Jan 2016 - May 2016

  Legal Intern in the ACLU LGBT and HIV Project Legal Intern in the ACLU LGBT and HIV Project



Cardozo School of Law

• United States
• Higher Education
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Lawyering and Legal Writing TA

  • Aug 2014 - May 2016



Cardozo Center for Public Service Law

• Student Fellow

  • 2014 - May 2016

  Public interest event planner, including Cardozo's annual Public Law Advocacy Week, a weeklong conference on public service lawyering. Public interest event planner, including Cardozo's annual Public Law Advocacy Week, a weeklong conference on public service lawyering.



Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund

• New York, NY

• Legal Intern

  • Aug 2015 - Dec 2015



National LGBTQ Task Force

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Holley Law Fellow

  • Jun 2015 - Aug 2015



Civil Rights Clinic

• Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York

• Legal Intern

  • Aug 2014 - May 2015

  Represented a transgender prisoner in a 1983 action and a state negligence action. Represented a transgender prisoner in a 1983 action and a state negligence action.



Lambda Legal

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Legal Intern

  • Jun 2014 - Aug 2014

  Researched and wrote memos on marriage cases, transgender prisoners’ rights, federal benefits for same-sex couples, changing gender markers on identity documents, anti-gay conversion therapy, HIV criminalization, and LGBT homelessness. Staffed Legal Help Desk. Researched and wrote memos on marriage cases, transgender prisoners’ rights, federal benefits for same-sex couples, changing gender markers on identity documents, anti-gay conversion therapy, HIV criminalization, and LGBT homelessness. Staffed Legal Help Desk.



Courtroom Advocates Project

• Brooklyn Family Court, Brooklyn NY

• Advocate

  • Sep 2013 - May 2014

  Drafted a petition for a temporary Order of Protection. Appeared in Brooklyn Family Court and successfully argued case before the court. Advised client about safety planning and return date for an Order of Protection. Drafted a petition for a temporary Order of Protection. Appeared in Brooklyn Family Court and successfully argued case before the court. Advised client about safety planning and return date for an Order of Protection.



Hon. Judge Dennis Cavanaugh, Federal District Judge, New Jersey

• Newark, NJ

• Intern

  • May 2013 - Jun 2013

  Drafted in forma pauperis orders and dismissal orders for clerks to review. Observed court proceedings. Drafted in forma pauperis orders and dismissal orders for clerks to review. Observed court proceedings.



ACLU

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• Women's Rights Project Intern

  • May 2012 - Aug 2012

  Interviewed servicewomen about combat experiences and gender-based discrimination in the military. Researched and wrote memos on pregnant and parenting teenagers, gene patenting, and domestic violence. Interviewed servicewomen about combat experiences and gender-based discrimination in the military. Researched and wrote memos on pregnant and parenting teenagers, gene patenting, and domestic violence.



Wellesley College Political Science Department

• Wellesley, MA

• Research Assistant

  • Nov 2010 - Nov 2011

  Compared and summarized media coverage of Harriet Miers’ and Sonia Sotomayor’s nominations. Analyzed credibility of female judges versus male judges. Compared and summarized media coverage of Harriet Miers’ and Sonia Sotomayor’s nominations. Analyzed credibility of female judges versus male judges.



National Women's Law Center

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Outreach Intern

  • May 2011 - Aug 2011

  Attended congressional hearings. Protested unequal pay and cuts to social programs outside the Capitol and Supreme Court. Updated social media. Blog posts at www.nwlc.org/profile/francesca-acocella Attended congressional hearings. Protested unequal pay and cuts to social programs outside the Capitol and Supreme Court. Updated social media. Blog posts at www.nwlc.org/profile/francesca-acocella



ACLU-NJ

• Newark, New Jersey

• Civil Liberties Intern

  • Jan 2011 - Jan 2011

  Evaluated whether civil liberties issues existed in complaints. Drafted responses to requests for representation. Evaluated whether civil liberties issues existed in complaints. Drafted responses to requests for representation.



Congressman John Adler's Office

• Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Congressional Intern

  • May 2010 - Aug 2010

  Answered constituent correspondence on health care, education, and senior issues. Received training in history and architecture to be a Capitol tour guide; gave tours to constituents. Answered constituent correspondence on health care, education, and senior issues. Received training in history and architecture to be a Capitol tour guide; gave tours to constituents.



New Jersey Democratic State Committee

• Trenton, NJ

• Intern

  • Aug 2008 - Aug 2008

  Planned events for the New Jersey delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Organized transportation for delegates. Handled logistics for New Jersey events at the convention. Planned events for the New Jersey delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Organized transportation for delegates. Handled logistics for New Jersey events at the convention.