Justin Lombardi

Justin Lombardi joined the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) as an intern in January 2021. At the time he was also a graduate student in the Catholic University of America's M.A. Program in Human Rights. Justin’s own faith helped him readily appreciate the significance of RFI’s work to advance religious freedom. He notes, “Religious freedom helps a society smoothly function despite disagreements over theological and other matters. That is something that I could easily get behind.”

Working under RFI’s Nathan Berkeley, Justin primarily helped with the Freedom of Religious Institutions in Society (FORIS) project. When his internship ended in May 2021, he was asked to stay on as a research assistant. Justin credits the editing and organizational skills he acquired as an intern and research assistant with helping him get his current job at a well-known international law firm. There he helps attorneys and support staff working on a large volume of patent applications, which is often complicated work. He remarks, “As an intern at RFI, you are entrusted with helping support the institute’s multi-faceted initiatives and projects and the experiences you have there will serve you very well for the future.”