Sarya Baladi ’25 came to law school with the goal of practicing immigration law, something she has achieved by being chosen for a prestigious Equal Justice Works Fellowship. She said that she chose Fordham Law, in part, for its central New York City location nearby several organizations doing immigration work. Baladi also took part in several activities at law school, including being in the Stein Scholars program, serving in the Criminal Defense Clinic, participating in the Immigration Advocacy Project student group, and working on the Fordham Law Review.
What is your hometown, and where did you go for college?
I grew up in Westchester until the age of 11, then moved to Australia for three years, then Spain for four years. I went to Boston College where I majored in Islamic civilizations and societies.
What made you decide to go to law school?
I came to law school to do immigration work, which I have been passionate about for a long time. I was thinking about possible career paths I could take to pursue that goal. With the law, I found I could pursue advocacy work by combining different skills that I enjoy, such as direct services and legal writing and research.
Why did you pick Fordham Law?
I really wanted to go to school in New York City. As someone who wants to practice immigration law, this is a diverse and vibrant city with a lot of amazing organizations doing immigration work. I also wanted to go to a school with supportive faculty, access to a vibrant alumni network, and a strong focus on public service and opportunities.
What activities or organizations have you been involved in during law school?
I’m a member of the Stein Scholars program, and this academic year, I served on its governing council. I was also active in the Immigration Advocacy Project, where I served as a 1L representative and as the outreach and programming director during my 2L year, and then as a 3L advisor.
I was part of Fordham Law Review for the past two years, both as an article notes editor and associate diversity & inclusion editor. It was meaningful to be in a direct mentorship role, to work directly with authors, and to learn about different areas of legal scholarship.
I participated in the Criminal Defense Clinic at Fordham during the spring of my 2L year. It was my first time working in the area of criminal defense, so it was a meaningful experience for me to step out of my comfort zone and learn about a whole new area of the law. In addition to representing clients in Manhattan Criminal Court, we also worked with the Legal Aid Society on its Video Mitigation Project. We put together a story of our client’s life in a documentary-style video to present a fuller picture for the prosecution and the judge. We worked with our client and people in their support network to draft the narrative and present their story in the most authentic way possible. It was really mind-opening as it showed me the power of mitigation in the criminal legal system.
Is there a particular professor or mentor you will remember? If so, why?
The staff at the Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC)—especially Angela DeVolld, director of Public Interest Scholars and fellowships and Martha Kellogg, a post-graduate fellowship counselor. The whole staff at PIRC offers invaluable support to public interest students at Fordham. Angela and Martha were extremely supportive and helped guide me during my years at Fordham, offering feedback on various internships and post-graduate opportunities.
My first summer, I worked at the Safe Passage Project, which works with undocumented youth in removal proceedings. My second summer, I worked with the American Friends Service Committee’s (AFSC) Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative, which provides pro bono representation to detained non-citizens in removal proceedings. AFSC’s office is in Newark but most clients are detained in Elizabeth, NJ, or Moshannon, PA. I also had a semester externship at Legal Services NYC with its immigration director, participated in various limited scope clinics throughout New York, and joined the Feerick Center for its week-long trip to El Paso, Texas in August 2024.
What are your plans after graduating?
I’m going to be an Equal Justice Works Fellow at Central American Legal Assistance in Brooklyn, working with asylum seekers in removal proceedings. It’s a two-year fellowship.
What advice do you have for an incoming law student?
Being in law school is such a unique time of your life—take advantage of the resources, classes, and clinics the Law School offers and explore something outside of your comfort zone. I encourage students to take advantage of those opportunities because it’s really the only time you can do it.
