Name: Abby Leigh

Practice area: Immigration Law and International Human Rights 

Recent Personal accomplishment: Completing law school and taking the bar exam!

What does winning the Stipend mean to you: Having the support of OCWLA is such an honor and a privileged. Receiving the stipend was a huge financial relief to me during this transitional period of my life. Between graduation and when I start my job, I have several months of living expenses to cover. Knowing I had financial support during this time allowed me to focus 100% of my energy on studying for the bar exam, which alievated a lot of stress and anxiety.  

What are your post-bar plans: In September, I will start a two year fellowship. I was selected as one of the the Immigrant Justice Corp Fellows and placed with Immigrant Defenders Law Center where I will mainly be working with unaccompanied minors. In the meantime, I plan to rest, spend time with my partner and our dogs, and enjoy the rest of the summer!

What was your favorite part of Law School: My favorite part of law school was the practical training I received. I was fortunate enough to participate in two clinics (the Immigrant Rights Clinic and the International Justice Clinic) where I had the opportunity to work with actual clients prior to graduating. During my legal education, I also completed an internship with Haitian Bridge Alliance, an organization committed to advancing fair and human immigration policies with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and survivors of torture. Through this experience, I was able to combine passion for international law and immigration law by engaging in transnational advocacy. 

Philanthropic Interests (organizations or causes that are important to you): I am deeply passionate about the LGBTQ+ community, international human rights, and racial justice, among many other causes. Ultimately, I care about any cause that advances human rights because all issues caused by oppressive systems are overlapping and intersecting. 

What is a fun or interesting fact about you that you would like OCWLA members to know: A fun fact about me is that I hiked several 14ers (mountains with 14,000 feet of elevation) while living in Colorado before I moved to California for law school. 

Is there anything else you would like the OCWLA Members to know about you: Thank you so much for creating this opportunity!