Briana is a rising third year student at American University Washington College of Law. When she began her search for a summer internship, she knew she wanted to work at a place that practiced immigration law, and she was hoping for a non-profit.
“I was looking for an office that actively helped clients with immigration issues, took cases and saw them through, and didn’t require me to speak another language, since my language skills are not my strongest asset,” Briana said.
When she met Sarah Milad at an internship fair, Briana knew she had found the place she wanted to intern. During her time with Just Neighbors, she had the opportunity to work with countless clients. She learned about U-visas, VAWAs, Adjustments of Status, replacement green cards, DACA, a Naturalization and more.
“I met with clients, put together cases, requested documents, helped with forms, asked a thousand questions, and submitted multiple applications to Immigration. I learned the requirements and necessary evidence for each case type, as well as the application process from start to end, handling issues as they arose,” Briana added.
Briana also learned that immigration law is a complex practice with complex laws and requirements that are sometimes not easy to understand. There are all sorts of little steps, processes, and challenges that aren’t intuitive without a mentor to explain.
Summing up her experience, Briana said, “The best way to learn the practice is to do it. Just Neighbors spent the summer teaching me how to practice immigration law with all of its complexities and intricacies. I learned from doing and from the incredible teaching skills and patience of each person in the office. It was an incredible summer!”
Thank you, Briana, for giving your time and talent to Just Neighbors and our clients!