Her Story
About Victoria
I always wanted to do human rights law. My first job was the Residential Management Fellowship which placed me in UCIS. I've been an advocate or immigration attorney for a long time. I run a firm making sure my team is comfortable and well-trained, handling compliance, finances, marketing, and my caseload which includes immigration court, USCIS, ICE, and detention cases.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Victoria
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I'm actually able to see talent in people. And when I see that, I really hone in on it and try to build them up and make them feel make them see the talent in themselves. People follow you, and that's really something that's been an amazing part of the later part of my career. I feel very comfortable managing a team because I am able to figure out what people's strengths are and put them in the right positions.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I had a professor who basically me to intern everywhere that I could. I always worked during law school at various ends. It's really good practical experience because something on the outside looks very different on the inside. While you're in school you have opportunities for those internships and doing real-world work while you're in school helps you pick the career path.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Young women in my field so much trauma that happens with speakers VAWA and use visas. Clients sometimes seek out the comfort of a woman attorney. Even though it can be hard and sometimes even re-traumatizing, it's so important and so rewarding to be able to help other women who are in vulnerable positions. Don't let that stop you because even though the wins and there is sadness and trauma the wins are very very satisfying and it's worth it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Immigration is changing so quickly and almost every single week there's a new policy that's coming down and it can create a lot of shock amongst my clients and so we're constantly having to change legal strategy. I've also grown a lot in the past year and a half because you have to learn new things and adapt and no matter what a case needs it's your job to learn how to it. The book is still being written and it'll never be done.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I want to always be fair to my clients. I have a pretty strong sense of justice. Fighting hard for what I believe is right is really important. And I think always staying human. It's very easy to get jaded in this field. I still feel a lot of sympathy for my clients and I think how I do human approach lawyering where I think of not just what the person needs in a legal sense but what strategy makes sense for them as a whole at what stage of their life.
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