Sierra Sánchez

Sierra Sánchez

3.10.2023

By Lynn Kodjoe

Name: Sierra Sánchez
Hometown: Franklin, IN
Law School: Hofstra Law
Graduation Year: 2023

What inspired you to go to law school?

For a long time, I thought of law school as a potential path that would suit my strengths. However, what truly inspired me to go to law school was my work with an adult education program in Greenwood, Indiana. Through that program, I taught English to adult immigrants and asylum seekers, many of whom had fled persecution or social unrest. As a result of working and interacting with the students, I gained a better appreciation for law as a practice that is not only theoretical but deeply personal.

What area of the law interests you and why?

After graduating, I will be joining the Litigation department at Dechert LLP. Going into law school, I knew I wanted to be a litigator because I love oral advocacy. I hope to devote much of my pro bono practice to immigration matters because that is the area of law that inspired me to go to law school in the first place.

What extracurriculars are you involved in and how have they impacted your experience?

I am a Social Justice Fellow with the Monroe H. Freedman Institute for the Study of Legal Ethics. As a Fellow, I have been able to meet and work with students with a shared commitment to using and reforming the law to better serve equity. During my first year of law school, I co-founded the Women of Color Collective (WoCC) at Hofstra Law with another Social Justice Fellow. I served as co-President through my second year and am now a member. WoCC has allowed me to connect with a community of women of color at Hofstra Law that has been invaluable both personally and professionally.

What do you hope to achieve after you graduate?

I hope to develop my skills as an advocate and give back to my community as much as I can.

What advice would you give to your fellow law students?

I cannot overstate the importance of finding a community of peers and mentors to support and guide you. When I started law school in the fall of 2020, pandemic restrictions were much more severe, and it was hard to reach out and establish a community. However, through the Freedman Fellowship and WoCC, I found peers and mentors who have helped me beyond measure.

Why should other law students join NYSBA?

Joining NYSBA is a tremendous opportunity for law students to learn more about the profession before entering it and to make connections with experienced members of the profession.