“I’ve always felt that I had an obligation to speak up for people who might not be as lucky as me. I used to volunteer with sexual violence and trauma victims, but without any legal experience, it was hard to arouse change.

I still wanted to make a difference, though, so I went to law school. This way, I would finally have the authority to fight against unjust treatment.

Now I practice family law, but it’s not as easy and clear-cut as I anticipated. With families, you don’t always know the right answer; there’s never a perfect solution, nor is there always a clear right or wrong.

As challenging as it can be, it’s rewarding to see clients through this ambiguity. For many, it’s the first time they feel that their lives matter. I’m able to empower them and give them a say.

I represented a client who underwent more than eight years of domestic violence. I remember that she, her mother, and her sister took the stand in court and said: ‘In the country that we grew up in, we just tolerated this. It was the expectation that we would be okay with violence. Now we’re in America, and we don’t deserve to be treated like this. We shouldn’t have to feel scared of the people that we love.’

I’ve never seen such a clear example of empowerment. Now her case is almost closed; we got her a divorce, sole custody of her kids, and financial compensation.

When I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself why I’m a lawyer: because fighting for people matters. We have to claw, sweat, and bleed for the people around us. We need to put ourselves out there and protect each other, because if not, who else will?”

Photography © Jona Bocari