Alumni Spotlight

Several Binger Center alumni currently work for institutional partner firms and nonprofits. They share how their student experiences influence their current work and impact in immigration law.

Connecting with Local Lawyers

“I was so incredibly fortunate to work with a lot of really talented and incredibly smart immigration attorneys, both in the center, but also then to build the connection with other attorneys they had in the community as well as nationwide. The lasting local connections were really just incredible. By the time I came out of law school, I already knew a number of immigration attorneys that I had contact while I was a student in the Center, with some to even work on a case, like a post-conviction petition. It just made that transition into practice so much easier.”

Julia Decker ‘14
BCNA Fellow 2015-17
Policy Director, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Planting Seeds of Effective Advocates

"I think the greatest piece for me is the fact that the BCNA creates advocates. We have seen that now since it’s been ten years – we’ve seen that in spades. People going to join non-profit organizations around the country, people becoming professors, some people doing what I do, going to join law firms and continuing to do pro bono work. Having that impact on individuals is what makes a broader impact overall on our immigration system. It’s planting the seeds of effective advocates more than just doing the advocacy within the clinic itself."

Raj Singh Olson ‘16
Associate Attorney, Robins Kaplan LLP
Pro Bono Attorney with The Advocates for Human Rights

Opportunities to Litigate Influential Cases

As a student, Zack had the chance to challenge an influential Board of Immigration Appeals decision at the circuit court level. The case involved social group cognizability, “basically one of the most fraught and one of the areas that most frequently leads to the denial of asylum cases.” Zack continued to litigate those cases with the Center as a pro bono attorney. “The practical experience I gained at the BCNA was the most valuable thing I learned during law school and the most direct connection to my work, both substantively, but also just taught me how to actually be a lawyer.” Zack now works at partner Nonprofit The Advocates for Human Rights.

Zack Albun ‘16
Staff Attorney, The Advocates for Human Rights

Making Community Connections

“The clinic inspired me to continue doing immigration work. I did a short bridge fellowship at The Advocates for Human Rights, and that was – that helped because of my connection with the Center for New Americans. It’s such a small immigration community. Even my current job, professor Meyers knew me from being a student at the law school so that helped. The connections really helped me with my current role and my previous roles. I think they’re very important.”

Anu Jaswal ‘ 15
Associate Attorney, Nilan Johnson Lewis
Pro Bono Attorney with The Advocates for Human Rights