Monica A. Young is a Fort Wayne native and proud graduate of North Side High School, Class of 2011. She is a first generation college graduate and attorney who attributes her drive and compassion to her upbringing in the heart of Allen County.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and Political Science from Indiana University - Purdue University (IPFW), Monica was admitted as a Robina Public Interest Scholar to one of the nation’s highest ranking law schools, the University of Minnesota Law School. She left Fort Wayne in 2017 to begin her legal studies there and quickly gravitated toward constitutional and criminal law.

While working towards her law degree, Monica competed for and secured multiple competitive internships. In 2018, she was selected for a position with the nation’s first nonprofit criminal defense firm, the Legal Rights Center, where she worked as a certified student attorney and was mentored by some of the most passionate criminal defense attorneys in Minneapolis. In 2019, Monica interned at the Office of the State Appellate Defender in Chicago, where she prepared criminal appeals and assisted with oral arguments. Monica’s favorite part of law school was working as a certified student attorney in her school’s Child Advocacy and Juvenile Justice Clinic, which allowed her to work closely with teens accused of criminal conduct. These valuable, real-world experiences sharpened Monica’s legal knowledge and cemented her dedication to criminal defense and her clients.

Monica graduated from law school in 2020 after earning her Juris Doctorate with a concentration in Criminal Justice. She then returned to Indiana, determined to put her skills to use in her home state and the community she loves.

Monica was certified as a mental health advocate in 2020. She has served as a board member of numerous local nonprofit organizations in Fort Wayne, including the Center for Nonviolence, Amani Family Services, and Community Friends of Women’s Studies. She has a broad, expanding view of her role as an advocate and continuously searches for ways to positively impact her community and those around her.

Monica is motivated by difficult circumstances and values opportunities to connect with those in need. She is a dedicated advocate who approaches each client with deliberate care. Protecting the rights of her clients while easing the strain of the legal process is always at the forefront of her mind.