Human Rights Clinic Equips 2L Alondra Martinez to ‘Build a Case From the Ground Up’

Second-year law student Alondra Martinez gained experience building a successful asylum case from the ground up in UC Law SF’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic.

2L student Alondra Martinez shares how she made a tangible difference in UC Law SF’s Refugee and Human Rights Clinic working on an asylum case from beginning to end.

• Helped a client apply for asylum while working with the UC Law SF Refugee and Human Rights Clinic. 
• Simultaneously learned about asylum law and how to navigate client-facing work.  
• Gained a fundamental understanding of how to build a case from the ground up. 
  

2L Alondra Martinez:

Working with the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic not only taught me extensively about asylum law but also how to navigate client-facing work. It was a privilege to work alongside two other team members to draft and prepare a client’s I-589 application for asylum and withholding of removal. The case resulted in an approval. I know many might shy away from showing emotions with clients, but I’m not afraid to admit I cried right along with the client. It was truly the best way to end 2024.     

Through the clinic, I learned how to conduct interviews in a way that ensured the client felt comfortable and safe while eliciting information crucial to their claims. I now feel much more confident in my ability to work with clients and have gained a fundamental understanding of how to build an asylum case from the ground up.  

Our immigrant community, and particularly those seeking asylum, are among the most marginalized in our society. They often arrive fleeing from dangers and persecution many of us have difficulties even fathoming. To have the opportunity to aid them on their path to safety, security, and a chance to rebuild their lives with human dignity is incredibly fulfilling, and crucial work that often gets overlooked. 

This clinic has been the best experience I’ve had as a law student so far. Not only did I get to work on a case that I knew changed someone’s life for the better, but I also experienced what it’s like to build a case from beginning to end.  

I hope to become a lawyer that specializes in human rights and refugee law. This experience feels like a fundamental step towards this goal as it’s given me crucial experience with client work and knowledge concerning refugee law.   

Knowing that all the work I’ve put in has aided someone who needed help feels profoundly rewarding and reaffirms why I chose to pursue a career in law in the first place—to make a tangible difference in the lives of the most marginalized in our community.

The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the college’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.