Sixteen Nebraska attorneys have been selected as the 2026 cohort of Children’s Justice Attorney Education Program fellows in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Law.
Participants have committed to an eight-month program in which they will receive extensive education on state and federal child welfare and juvenile justice laws, along with insight into the social and psychological factors that impact children and families involved in the justice system.
Attorneys selected for the 2026 cohort serve clients across 46 Nebraska counties, bringing private practice, county attorney and state agency perspectives to the program. Listed alphabetically, they are:
- Aisha Carr — Aisha Carr Law, serving Brown, Rock, Sheridan and Thomas counties
- Nathan Heinz, ’21 — Polk and York County attorney
- LaCygne Howser — Sisu Law LLC, serving Cass, Douglas, Lancaster and Otoe counties
- Ivy Lutz, ’23 — Tingelhoff Law PC, LLO, serving Adams, Butler, Colfax, Dakota, Dodge, Hall, Holt, Lancaster, Platte and Saunders counties
- Samuel Mellema — Bruner Frank, serving Adams, Buffalo and Hall counties
- Jason Mielak, ’96 — Mielak PC, LLC, serving Butler, Colfax, Platte and Polk counties
- Shelby Mueller, ’23 — Washington County Attorney’s Office
- Shelby Nelson, ’22 — Nelson Law PC, LLO, serving Franklin, Furnas and Knox counties
- Deanna Piña, ’19 — Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, serving 25 Nebraska counties
- Kelsey Ruby — Ruby Law Office, serving Brown and Cherry counties
- Joshua Salter — Garfield County attorney, deputy Howard County attorney, deputy Sherman County attorney, Sikyta Law Office, serving Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Howard, Sherman, Valley and Wheeler counties
- Sydney Story — Pieper and Story, serving Cedar, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Stanton, Thurston and Wayne counties
- John Paul Svec, ’23 — The Law Offices of Bromm, Lindahl, Freeman‑Caddy and Lausterer, serving Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Colfax, Cuming, Dixon, Dodge, Douglas, Jefferson, Lancaster, Platte, Saunders and Washington counties
- Katherine Taylor, ’25 — Brogan Lammli PC, LLO, serving Antelope, Boone, Buffalo, Cuming, Knox, Madison, Pierce, Platte, Stanton and Wayne counties
- Brianna Wilson — Hall County Attorney’s Office
- Brandi Yosten Buda, ’12 — Yosten Law, serving Antelope, Boone, Greeley, Madison, Merrick, Nance, Platte and Wheeler counties
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The Children’s Justice Attorney Education Program began in 2022 as an extension of the work being done in the College of Law’s Children’s Justice Clinic. This year’s cohort is the fifth group, with 52 rural Nebraska attorneys having completed the fellowship. Learn more.
