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The child of immigrants from Peru, Samantha Lopez’s parents are her inspiration for pursuing a degree in law. Now that she is at Pace, Samantha appreciates the close-knit community and guidance of her professors. “Professor Merton has been extremely helpful and has provided me with a lot of guidance. She is definitely an inspiration and role model. I would love to eventually participate as a student attorney in the Immigration Justice Clinic.”

With a passion for immigration law, Samantha’s experience as a Summer Legal Intern with Sanctuary for Families as part of their Immigration Intervention Project was exactly the type of summer experience she hoped for when she began her law school journey. “I was able to gain a better understanding of the legal immigration process and work directly with clients as I wrote an asylum brief, drafted a client’s affidavit, and filed N-600 forms. Meeting with the clients and being able to talk with them (mostly in Spanish) was an amazing experience that really cemented that I am on the right path.”

Now, a 3L at Haub Law, Samantha is secretary of the Latin American Law Student Association and the Pace Immigration Law Society. “I wanted to join LALSA because I believe when going through something difficult, such as law school, one needs a strong support system to help you through it. Knowing that members of LALSA typically come from similar backgrounds and have had similar experiences as I have had has made going through law school as a first generation law student a far better experience. I am also glad to have joined an organization with such an extensive alumni network that provides support.”