Kylie Mignat
As a law school applicant, I knew that I wanted to prioritize pro bono and specifically targeted schools that would allow me to work on pro bono opportunities as a 1L. I applied to my first pro bono project during the second week of classes, and the projects that I worked on this past year quickly became the most memorable part of 1L for me. During my first year, I logged over 200 pro bono hours with seven organizations, including The Advocates for Human Rights, Catholic Migration Services and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND). Throughout the year, I had the opportunity to draft legal filings for submission to various immigration authorities, conduct legal research on family and immigration law issues, and use my fluency in Spanish to screen potential clients for immigration relief eligibility and gather information from clients for affidavits and applications.
Creating a student-initiated pro bono project with KIND was particularly special and rewarding for me as I had worked as a senior paralegal at KIND before law school. As a 1L, I loved being able to work with some of my previous clients again and using my newly acquired legal research skills to draft memoranda of law for guardianship cases.
The Pro Bono Program has played a critical role in shaping my experience at UVA Law. When I felt overwhelmed or frustrated by some of the theoretical concepts in my doctrinal courses this past year, I always turned to my pro bono projects to ground myself and to remind me of why I came to law school in the first place. I am thrilled to continue working on projects through the Pro Bono Program over the next two years!