2026

BERKELEY, Calif., Sep. 15, 2026—The John Paul Stevens Foundation announced today that the Honorable Stephanie Grogan Jones, J.D. '04, Solano County Superior Court Judge, and the Honorable Benjamin Galloway, J.D. '01, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge, have been named joint recipients of the 2026 Justice John Paul Stevens Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award.  

The national award celebrates fellowship alumni whose careers reflect Justice Stevens’ lifelong commitment to public service, equal justice, and the rule of law. Both recipients will be honored at a public reception on Thursday, October 8, at 5:30 p.m. at Santa Clara University School of Law, marking 26 years of partnership between the law school and the Foundation.

The Justice John Paul Stevens Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award

For nearly thirty years, the John Paul Stevens Foundation has been dedicated to  building a more just and equitable society by investing in the next generation of public interest lawyers – ensuring that the promise of justice is not limited by a student’s financial means. The Foundation, named in honor of Justice John Paul Stevens, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, administers the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship Program, the largest public interest summer law student fellowship program in the United States, supporting law students working in both nonprofit and government agencies across a wide range of public interest fields. The Foundation provides financial support and professional development programming for Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellows (Stevens Fellows), students at partner law schools who spend their summers working in otherwise unpaid public interest law internships with nonprofit and government agencies, experiences that are critical as students embark on their legal careers.

Created in 2025, the Justice John Paul Stevens Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award (Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award) celebrates Alumni Fellows whose demonstrated professional commitment to public interest honors the Justice’s legacy of supporting democracy, access to justice, and equality.   

“We are proud to recognize Judge Grogan Jones and Judge Galloway’s dedication to public interest law and their achievements over the past two decades. We have no doubt that Justice Stevens would have been equally as proud to celebrate these outstanding public servants.” Teresa Wynn Roseborough President, Board of Directors 

The 2026 Recipients of Justice John Paul Stevens Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award:  Judge Stephanie Grogan Jones and Judge Benjamin D. Galloway

Judge Grogan Jones received her Stevens Fellowship in 2003, interning at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia. Her experiences at the Southern Center shaped her view of the criminal justice system and prepared her for a career as a Public Defender.  

Judge Grogan Jones embarked on a career of public service in 2004. Her first role after law school was at the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office, followed by more than a decade of service as a Deputy Public Defender in Solano County, CA. For her extraordinary advocacy, she received the Clarence Darrow Award for Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2017 and 2018.   

Judge Grogan Jones was appointed by then Governor Jerry Brown to the bench in December, 2018. Judge Grogan Jones presides over the felony trial department in Vallejo.  She is a member of the California Judges Association, a Lifetime member of the Association of African American California Judicial Officers, a member of the California Judges Association Elimination of Bias Committee and on the California Judges Foundation (CJF) Board of Directors. Additionally Judge Grogan Jones is the chair of the Solano County Superior Court Elimination of Bias Committee.

Judge Grogan Jones is a 2001 graduate of the University of Southern California and a 2004 graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law.  

“Receiving the Stevens Fellowship at a pivotal moment in my legal education affirmed my calling to public defense,” said Judge Grogan Jones.

“Spending time working at the Southern Center for Human Rights exposed me further to the inequities in our justice system. It taught me mercy and compassion. Steven Bright, the former director, reminded us daily that a person is more than the worst thing that they have done in their lives. That is how I approach my service on the Solano County Bench. Justice Stevens believed that a fair legal system depends on dedicated public interest lawyers. To receive this award alongside my fellow alumnus Judge Galloway is a profound honor.”  Judge Stephanie Grogan Jones

Judge Galloway received his Stevens Fellowship in 2000. During his fellowship summer, Judge Galloway also interned at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia.    

Judge Galloway began his career in public service at the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s office, where he served as a Deputy Public Defender from 2001 to 2005. He served as an Assistant Public Defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office from 2006 to 2007 and was an Attorney at Topel & Goodman LLP from 2005 to 2006. 

From 2007 – 2017, Judge Galloway served as an Assistant Federal Defender with the Office of the Federal Defender, Eastern District of California, and became the Chief Assistant Federal Defender in 2017. In 2021, Judge Galloway was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the Sacramento County Superior Court, initially sitting in the Court’s Family Law division. He currently hears criminal trials and writs, and sits on the Superior Court’s Appellate Panel.  

Judge Galloway is a 1997 graduate of University of California, Berkeley and a 2001 graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law. 

“The Stevens Fellowship made it possible for me to pursue public interest work without financial compromise,” said Judge Galloway. “My time as a Stevens Fellow at the Southern Center for Human Rights was truly life changing. Carrying Justice Stevens’ legacy into courtrooms every day—first as a public defender and federal defender, and now on the bench—has been among the greatest privileges of my career. I am honored and delighted to share this recognition with my colleague, Judge Grogan Jones.”  Judge Benjamin D. Galloway

The 2026 Justice John Paul Stevens Distinguished Alumni Fellow Award Ceremony and Reception:  Thursday, October 8 at 5:30pm at Santa Clara Law

The Foundation will present the awards to Judge Grogan Jones and Judge Galloway on Thursday, October 8 at 5:30pm at Santa Clara Law. The evening will honor their remarkable contributions to the public interest and celebrate the 26 year partnership between the John Paul Stevens Foundation and Santa Clara Law. Dean Michael Kaufman, members of the John Paul Stevens Foundation Board of Directors and supporters of the fellowship program will be in attendance to celebrate public service and the enduring legacy of Justice John Paul Stevens.  

About Santa Clara University School of Law

Santa Clara University School of Law is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. Santa Clara Law offers students an academically rigorous program including certificates in high tech, international, public interest and social justice, privacy, and sports law, as well as numerous graduate and joint degree options. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara Law is nationally distinguished for its faculty engagement, preparation for practice, and top-ranked programs in intellectual property and international law. For more information, see law.scu.edu.

Media Contact

Pamela Nonga Ngue | Santa Clara Law Marketing & Communications | pnongangue@scu.edu | 408-551-1763

About the John Paul Stevens Foundation – Advancing a Legacy of Justice
The John Paul Stevens Foundation seeks to build a more just and equitable society. As a living tribute to United States Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, the Foundation works to protect and promote democracy and the rule of law, access to justice, and equality by supporting law students, lawyers, and others working in the public interest. The Foundation was established in 2010 in honor of Justice Stevens’ retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court by a group of his former law clerks. An independent nonprofit organization based in Berkeley, California, the Foundation provides a formal home for the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship Program.

About the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship
The Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship was created in 1997 at Northwestern University School of Law, Justice Stevens’ alma mater, to support law students who spend the summer working in otherwise unpaid public interest law internships. The Fellowship Program reflects Justice Stevens’ deep belief that a dynamic and effective justice system depends on a cadre of trained and committed lawyers committed to public interest work. For nearly three decades, the Fellowship Program has supported over 1,400 law students, of whom 73% have gone on to work in the public interest after graduating from law school. In summer 2026, the Fellowship Program supported a cohort of 158 Fellows working in a wide range of public interest placements and serving a variety of communities. 

Media Contact

Sara Woods | Executive Director | sara@jpstevensfoundation.org