Hi! My name is Valeria Lopez-Fernandez and I am currently a 2L. As a first-generation Latina, I have seen first-hand how difficult it can be for immigrants to navigate the immigration law system, and the various barriers that are placed in front of our communities when it comes to trying to access legal help. These experiences have fueled my passion for being an advocate to the people in communities like mine to ensure that they have access to the legal services they need. 

I am particularly passionate about breaking down the language barriers that many immigrants face when trying to get the assistance and counsel they deserve. I am fluent in Spanish, proficient in French, and am hoping to expand my language profile so that I can reach out and assist more immigrant communities. 

Because of the constantly changing state of immigration law, my goal for the Immigration Law Society is to provide a bit more awareness to the issues that arise in this area of practice. Even for attorneys, the immigration law system is not the most coherent so in order to provide better services to our future clients it’s important to build a foundation of understanding starting now. 

I have been fortunate enough to have worked in various immigration law opportunities whether as a volunteer during my undergraduate studies or as a summer intern at Legal Aid Chicago, and look forward to continuing this work and following my life-long passion.