We’re excited to introduce you to the students who are joining Bayou City Waterkeeper as legal interns for the summer.
Lauren Alexander-Bachelder, The University of Texas School of Law (2L)
Lauren is a rising second-year law student at The University of Texas School of Law. She grew up on a cattle ranch in East Texas, spending her weekends out on the lake. Lauren received a B.B.A. in Business Management and B.A. in Philosophy with a focus on Philosophy of Law from Southern Methodist University. While in college, Lauren became passionate about environmental activism, serving on the SMU Environmental Society leadership team and volunteering with various organizations, including Texas Campaign for the Environment and Clean Water Action. Since then, Lauren has joined the Environmental Society board at Texas Law and plans to join the Texas Environmental Law Journal next fall. Before interning at Bayou City Waterkeeper this summer, Lauren will clerk in the 126th District Court in Travis County. She enjoys cooking—especially homemade pasta—and cooks international dishes inspired by her travel adventures. Lauren is excited about the opportunity to explore her interest in water law and advocate for environmental justice at Bayou City Waterkeeper this summer.
Stephen Babendreier, UCLA (2L)
Stephen is a rising 2L at UCLA Law. Stephen currently serves as a Staff Editor for the UCLA Journal for Environmental Law and Policy and is the incoming Co-Chair of the Latinx Law Students Association. Stephen is originally from the D.C. suburbs, but attended Columbia University in New York City for undergrad, where he majored in Neuroscience and Behavior. Prior to attending UCLA Law, Stephen worked in New York City for a litigation boutique where he gained exposure to patent litigation and general commercial litigation. In his free time, Stephen likes cooking, Latin dance, and all things outdoors. Stephen is really looking forward to the opportunity to help secure safe and sustainable water systems for the Houston community.
Lekwan Frazier, Texas Southern University (3L)
Lekwan is a third-year law student at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He is originally from Pasadena, California by way of Washington, D.C. Lekwan earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from Howard University and worked for more than three years in economics research. As a law student at TSU, Lekwan was part of a team that took first place at this year’s National Black Law Students Association Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition, Southwest Region. Lekwan enjoys spending time outdoors and believes that we must respect our place on earth and work toward creating a society that preserves natural resources for future generations.
Elizabeth Hidalgo, University of Houston Law Center (3L)
Elizabeth is a rising 3L at the University of Houston Law Center. As a fifth-generation Houstonian, she was raised with a deep appreciation for our natural waterways and is passionate about the environmental justice issues facing the Houston-Galveston area. She graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word with a B.A. in Music and English. During her time in law school, she has focused her education on environmental law and has interned with the Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas Innocence Network. Elizabeth is very excited to work with Bayou City Waterkeeper to protect and restore the integrity of the bayous and coast she grew up on for future generations of Texans.
Charlotte Raty, University of Pennsylvania (2L)
A Houston native, Charlotte is a second-year law student at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She graduated from Swarthmore College with a double major in Mathematics and Computer Science and worked as a software developer in Philadelphia before deciding to pursue a career in law. She has worked on multiple pro bono projects during her time at Penn, including work with the Texas Voter Protection Project through Penn’s Democracy Law Project, and is an Associate Editor of Penn’s Journal of Law and Social Change. She hopes to work in environmental law after graduation. She is excited about the opportunity at Bayou City Waterkeeper to advocate for sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and access to clean water for Houston-area communities.
Allie Soileau, University of Houston Law Center (2L)
Allie is a second-year law student at the University of Houston Law Center. While originally from New York, Allie was raised in south Louisiana and fell in love with the swamps and waterways of The Pelican State while developing a deep-rooted passion for environmental conservation. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Louisiana Tech University in 2019 before moving to Houston, where she worked in a veterinary clinic that saw domestic and exotic animals. In 2020, Allie began studying for her J.D. at the University of Houston with hopes for a career in environmental or conservation law. She was recently appointed President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund at UHLC and aims to protect the animals in our ecosystems as well as the ecosystems themselves. She enjoys traveling, hanging out with her many pets, and hiking in the Texas state and national parks. Allie’s passions for environmental protection, sustainability, and conservation drew her to Bayou City Waterkeeper, and she looks forward to learning about, and advocating for, the protection of our waterways.
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Throughout the year Bayou City Waterkeeper hosts law, policy, and science interns to help with our research, investigation, and analysis of issues affecting water quality, wetlands, and flood resilience across the greater Houston-Galveston region. For current job and internship openings, please visit our career opportunities page.