Drew Wilds
2022 Public Interest Grant Recipient
Drew Wilds was raised in Oak Park, California and graduated from the College of Saint Benedict with a degree in political science and peace studies. She has a strong background in public interest and civic engagement.
Currently, Drew attends LMU Loyola Law School. During her first year, Drew was the 1L Representative for the Women’s Law Association (WLA) and the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF). During her second year, she will be taking part in the Civil Rights Practicum and Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Clinic to advocate for survivors of violent crimes. She has stepped into various leadership roles as events co-chair for WLA, community service chair for PILF, and a general board member for ACLU Loyola.
Over the summer, Drew worked with Public Counsel’s Center for Veterans Advancement (CVA). As a 2022 WLALA Fran Kandel Fellow, she created a toolkit for veterans seeking to appeal their Caregiver Program benefit determinations after the U.S Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims granted claimants the right to appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. This decision affects nearly 400,000 veterans and their caregivers and created a dire need for a comprehensive guide for the appeals process.