Public Service

Public Service at Fordham Law

Each year, Fordham Law School students pledge thousands of hours to public interest and pro bono work. One of those students was Sarya Baladi ’25 JD, who chose Fordham Law in part for its prime location in New York City—home to some of the nation’s leading immigration advocacy organizations.

“I came to law school to do immigration work, which I have been passionate about for a long time,” says Baladi. “I was thinking about possible career paths I could take to pursue that goal. With the law, I found I could pursue advocacy work by combining different skills that I enjoy, such as direct services and legal writing and research.”

Baladi also took part in Fordham Law’s Stein Scholars program, which pairs students with pro bono service opportunities. In addition, she served in the Criminal Defense Clinic, took part in the Immigration Advocacy Project student group, and worked on the Fordham Law Review.

Sarya Baladi ’25 JD

“I wanted to go to a school with supportive faculty, access to a vibrant alumni network, and a strong focus on public service and opportunities,” says Baladi.

“The whole staff at the Public Interest Resource Center offers invaluable support to public interest students at Fordham,” she continues. “They were extremely supportive and helped guide me during my years at Fordham, offering feedback on various internships and post-graduate opportunities.”

While she studied, Baladi worked at the Safe Passage Project, which works with undocumented youth in removal proceedings. Her second summer, she worked with the American Friends Service Committee’s Detention and Deportation Defense Initiative, which provides pro bono representation to detained non-citizens in removal proceedings.

Baladi’s experiences led her to be chosen for a prestigious Equal Justice Works Fellowship.

Baladi also had a semester-long externship at Legal Services NYC, participated in various limited scope clinics throughout New York, and joined Fordham’s Feerick Center for Social Justice on a week-long service trip to El Paso, Texas.