For Andrea Sacasa 3L being able to get hands-on experience in immigration law is what made her decide on Hofstra Law. “When I was in the process of looking for law schools, one of the big things I did while I was doing the tours was ask about the variety of clinics that they had to offer. I’ve always been interested in immigration law and Hofstra has three clinics that offer different varieties of immigration relief. So I was excited about that prospect and I think that’s what attracted me the most.”
In her 2L year she got to see first-hand how impactful the immigration clinics were when she participated in the Deportation Defense Clinic—a clinic where law students focus on client representation, impact litigation, and community advocacy.
“I was a part of the Deportation Defense Clinic last semester and it was fantastic. It’s not another class in law school; I think a lot of people have that misconception. You are operating in the clinic as if it were a law firm. Specifically deportation defense, it’s very hands-on, there’s a lot of client experience. I had clients calling me on the weekends and it was very immersive.”
For her it was a game changer that exposed her to the many different types of immigration law that could be practiced. She excelled and went on to be a research assistant at the clinic where she was able to continue the work she started.
“I got to continue my work with the clients, I got to touch such a different variety of topics within immigration that I never would of thought. With deportation defense, it’s not as simple as they need asylum, they need special immigrant juvenile status, [or] they are a trafficking victim. It’s not one particular subject that deportation defense is focused on, it’s on everything. I got to touch such a wide variety of immigration relief that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have otherwise if I didn’t participate in that clinic.”
Outside of her work at the clinic, Andrea also participates in the Latino/a American Law Student Association (LALSA) where she is the president. An organization that has provided her with “lifelong friends” and networking opportunities that have created “strong bonds.” As president of LALSA she really wants the organization to “service the students in the way they want it to” through “fundraising events and different scholarship opportunities.”
She also wants to continue to “build intersectionality between LALSA and the other affinity groups” on campus through co-sponsored events such as their most recent Critical Race Theory event. The “very powerful” event educated students and faculty on the origins of critical race theory and why it is such a hot topic right now.
From her previous internship experiences she suggests first-year students look for clerkships. She believes that it’s a great way to find a type of law to practice. “When you clerk for a judge you’re exposed to such a wide variety of law. I think that’s a good way of feeling out if you would be into that or not.”
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