Noor Shater, Founder of Underrepresented
The University of Pennsylvania Law School
Noor is a first-generation Muslim law student of Palestinian, Egyptian, and Sudanese heritage. Inspired by her experience as a Sunday school teacher and youth mentor at her local mosque, Noor's commitment to educational equality is deeply rooted in her faith and the values instilled in her by her mother, who has been an elementary school teacher for over 10 years. As a first-year law student, she launched "Underrepresented," a diversity initiative aimed at fostering inclusivity in the legal field. In her free time, Noor enjoys cooking Palestinian food, spending time with family and friends, and watching reality TV (namely RHONJ).
Over the past two years our team has consisted of of dedicated mentors who have graduated from or are currently enrolled in the nation's top law schools such as Harvard, Penn, Columbia, University of Chicago, Georgetown, and Cornell. Many of our mentors are first-generation law students and come from diverse backgrounds. We understand the inherent stress of the admissions journey, especially for underrepresented applicants. Our goal is to alleviate some of this stress by offering cost-free law school admissions support. Having successfully achieved their own law school dreams, our mentors are eager to support the next generation of diverse applicants on their path.
Note: Our mentors are not professional admissions consultants. However, we have all successfully navigated the law school admissions process and can provide valuable insights based on our firsthand experiences.
Alexis
Alexis is an advocate, avid writer and recent law school graduate. As a woman of color with a disability, Alexis is passionate about assisting other underrepresented individuals in navigating higher education. Alexis received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from American University and graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with a Juris Doctor degree. During her time in law school Alexis served in various leadership roles and worked with the office of admissions to encourage increased diversity in law student recruitment. Alexis will be starting her legal career as a litigation associate at a law firm. She is eager to serve as mentor for Underrepresented!
IAN
Duke University School of Law
Ian is a 2L at Duke University School of Law where he currently serves as President of First Generation Professionals (1GP). As a first-generation college graduate, Ian has a profound admiration for students who have overcome various obstacles to achieve academic success. Prior to law school, Ian served five years in the Marine Corps where he attained the rank of Sergeant. During his service, Ian played a pivotal role as the Communications Chief for a six- month long Navy & Marine joint exercise, training multiple foreign militaries throughout Southeast Asia. Subsequent to his military service, Ian worked as a surveillance investigator for over two years, where he researched, tracked, and obtained evidence for major corporate clients involved in workers compensation and insurance fraud disputes. In 2022, he graduated summa cum laude from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a minor in Sports Management. During his first year of law school, Ian participated in the Twiggs-Beskind Mock Trial Tournament as a plaintiff’s attorney. He worked on the Innocence Project’s Active Investigation Team where he evaluated petitions for the clinic’s legal services. Ian was also active in the Black Law Student Association, First Class, and the Duke Law Lifting Club. Presently, Ian serves as a mentor for Service 2 School, helping veterans on their path to law school. For his 1L summer, Ian was the 1L LCLD Scholar at Winston & Strawn in Chicago. As a summer associate, Ian helped draft an affidavit for an immigrant’s asylum petition, counseled clients on arbitration provisions in internet contracts, and drafted various memorandums regarding motions in limine, allocation of marital property, and class action waivers. Ian also worked for the litigation department at Abbott, a Fortune 100 company. Ian is interested in a career as a litigator, particularly in government investigations, labor and employment, and complex commercial litigation. Ian is a Chicago native and plans to return to the city upon graduation.
Mickey
The Georgetown University Law Center
Mickey Haywood grew up on the Caribbean Island of Antigua. Being the child of immigrant parents, Mickey understands how difficult it can be to navigate a landscape where one might feel like they don’t fit it. Mickey understands the importance of diversity and inclusion and lives by the motto, “Pour back into others what was poured into you.” She is constantly looking for new ways to help others similarly situated to her to be successful in all places. Mickey has dedicated her time to participating in diversity programs and serving as a mentor for underrepresented individuals in the legal and political space. Mickey is an alumni and mentor for several programs including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program, and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Foundation. Mickey is a recent graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center. As a law student, she was a Student Ambassador and was involved with several school organizations including the Black Law Student Association (BLSA), the ACLU, the First-Generation Student Union, and RISE – a program at Georgetown Law focused on helping law students from underrepresented backgrounds to navigate the legal world. Mickey is a strong believer in community and civic service. She is a member of the Junior League of Atlanta, and volunteers with several legislators at the local, state, and federal level. Mickey is also an alumnus of D.C. Chapter of New Leaders Council, a progressive leadership program aimed at training the next generation of progressive leaders. Mickey is currently a Civil Litigator with Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP in Atlanta. Mickey is a huge foodie and enjoys restaurant hopping and gaming with her sister.
RUTHIE
Ruthie is a 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she is a Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander Scholar. After graduating from Arizona State University in 2020 with a degree in Biology, she spent two and a half years working as a microbiologist. During her 1L Summer, she worked in-house at a cancer research hospital in the Philadelphia area. She is interested in Intellectual Property, Life Sciences, and Pharmaceuticals. Ruthie grew up in Wyoming. As a first-generation law student, she is dedicated to helping other diverse, first-generation students navigate the law school admissions process. At Penn, Ruthie is an active member of the law school community. She is in the Masters of Bioethics program. She has roles such as Admissions Co- Chair of Penn’s BLSA, treasurer of the Internet, Technology, Society Collective, and a member of the Intellectual Property and Private Equity Venture Capital groups. In her free time, Ruthie enjoys cooking and baking, going to art and history museums, and traveling. She is also active and loves running, hiking, and practicing yoga.
Thea
Columbia Law School
Thea is an associate in Ropes & Gray’s asset management group. During law school, Thea served as the professional development chair of the Black Law Students Association and the mentorship chair of First Generation Professionals. Thea also was a student attorney for the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic, where she represented low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs.
Warda
Warda Mohamed is a 1L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She graduated from Rice University in 2023 with a B.A. in Sociology and English. Before law school, she worked as a project assistant at a law firm, where she rotated between departments and gained insight into various legal fields and discovered an interest for transactional work. As a second-generation, Warda is passionate about equity, access, and community building. She sought out a legal education to advocate for communities that have been historically excluded from resources and opportunities . Through law, she aspires to instill a sense of ownership and belonging for people within her community and increase access to legal representation and remedies. At Penn Carey Law, Warda is involved in the Black Law Students Association and pro bono projects centering international law and immigration. In her free time, she enjoys watching reality T.V. and trying new coffeeshops.
NATHALIE
Nathalie currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania, and a proud Afro-Latina and Orlando, FL native. As a first generation American and a first-generation college student, she is passionate about helping underserved and under-resourced communities. She attended Southeastern University and graduated with a B.S. in Political Science and Legal Studies. At Southeastern, she served in the office of Multicultural Affairs and on the Student Government as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion. She brings her passion for advocacy and equity to law school. This summer, she will serve as a judicial intern for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with the Honorable Judge Nitza Quiñones Alejandro. After law school, she is dedicated to working against mass incarceration and systemic racism, and to mentoring young people from similar backgrounds. In her free time, Nathalie loves to try new restaurants and coffee shops, go on walks, and enjoy quality time with her loved ones. She is also an avid weightlifter and passionate reality TV viewer.
Holly
Duke University School of Law
Holly Merrill is a rising 3L at Duke University School of Law. She is a member of the Moot Court Board and the Alaska Law Review. During her 2L year, she served as the Vice President of the Duke ACLU chapter, represented clients in the Health Justice Clinic, and volunteered as an LLM Ambassador. This summer Holly will be working at a plaintiff's-side antitrust firm in Philadelphia. Her primary interests are in impact litigation, direct client services, and antitrust and consumer protection law. Holly's favorite part of law school is participating in pro bono work, including criminal expungement clinics, LGBTQ+ name change clinics, and domestic violence research projects. Last summer, she worked with the Labor Section of the North Carolina Department of Justice. Prior to law school, Holly spent several years working as a paralegal at a small boutique law firm. She graduated from American University in Washington, DC, where she interned on the Hill and as a counterterrorism research intern for nonprofit Rise to Peace. Holly is originally from Alaska, where she was born and raised in a small, rural town. In her free time, Holly enjoys attending Pride with her partner, hiking, board games, thrifting, and making mixed drinks.
Suresh
Duke University School of Law
Hi, I’m Suresh. I’m from New York State’s Hudson Valley, about an hour and a half north of New York City. For undergad, I went to Fordham University, where I majored in International Political Economy. I took two years off before coming to Duke Law, and worked at a multinational consulting firm. I am the VP of Advocacy for Duke Law’s OutLaw chapter, and a member of the South Asian Law Students Association. I’m also part of Duke’s American Constitution Society and National Lawyers Guild chapters. I’m excited to help underrepresented students navigate the law school application process. In my free time, you can find me running and/or cycling on one of Durham’s many trails.
Shreya
Shreya is a current 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2023 with degrees in Sociology and Administration of Justice and minors in Political Science and Legal Studies. As an undergraduate, Shreya founded the pre-law organization Women in Law at Pitt and established the inaugural mentorship program between her organization and Pitt Law Women’s Association, matching over 40 undergrads to law students. Throughout college, she interned at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. At Penn Carey Law, Shreya is a Toll Public Interest Fellow. She is the Pro Bono Chair for the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) and the Social Chair for the Student Public Interest Network (SPIN). She is also a pro bono volunteer with the Death Penalty Project and the International Human Rights Advocacy Project. Shreya is passionate about criminal justice reform and is working towards a career in nonprofit post-conviction criminal defense, focused in wrongful convictions and/or capital habeas litigation. She will spend this summer working at the Defender's Association in Philadelphia.
Christina
Harvard Law School
Christina is currently a 2L at Harvard Law School. She is interested in prison abolition, decarceration, movement lawyering, and civil rights/racial justice work. At HLS, she participates in several student practice opportunities, including the Harvard Election Law Clinic, the Harvard Tenant Advocacy Project, and the Prison Legal Assistance Project. Christina is also a member of several student organizations, including the Harvard Black Law Students Association, the Women's Law Association, the Harvard Plaintiffs’ Law Association, the American Constitution Society, the Equal Democracy Project, and the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. During her 1L summer, Christina interned with the Abolitionist Law Center in Philadelphia, PA where she worked on cases involving inhumane conditions of confinement, police brutality, and wrongful convictions. Christina is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University, where she obtained a B.A. in Political Science. At CAU, she served in various student government positions and founded several campus clubs and initiatives, including CAU Votes. Christina also interned with several organizations including the ACLU of Georgia, the Andrew Goodman Foundation, Campus Vote Project, Common Cause, Fair Fight Action, IGNITE National, Public Citizen, and Rock the Vote. Christina is a proud Philadelphia, PA native and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. In her free time, Christina enjoys cooking, baking, watching reality TV, and making TikToks.
Amrutha
Amrutha Chethikattil was born in Dubai, raised in Arizona, and studied at the University of Miami, where she earned dual degrees in Biochemistry and Political Science. At Miami, she conducted cancer research at the Miller School of Medicine and wrote an honors thesis on the potential therapeutic role of vitamin C in B-cell lymphoma. She is the first in her family to go to law school and the first to attend college in the United States. She is now a J.D. candidate at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she is a Levy Scholar and also pursuing a Master of Bioethics at the Perelman School of Medicine. Amrutha is the incoming Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Law & Innovation and will be a Littleton Fellow for Penn’s legal writing program. Currently, she is a 2L Class Representative on the Council of Student Representatives, the Mentorship Chair for the South Asian Law Students Association, a Teaching Assistant, and a student advocate for the Custody and Protection pro bono project. Amrutha is passionate about the intersection of science, technology, and the law. She was a 1L Fellow at Perkins Coie, where she worked on high-tech patent litigation, and will spend her 2L summer at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York. Outside of law, she enjoys cycling, going on long walks with her dog, and mentoring pre-law students.
Laryssa
My name is Laryssa! I am currently a 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, though I proudly call California home. I am the first in my family to attend college and pursue a career in law. I graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Political Science and a concentration in Comparative Government. During undergrad, I was involved as a member of UCLA’s Pre-Law Society, and served with AmeriCorps in the Consumer and Business Affairs Department for Los Angeles County. Before law school, I worked in family law and quickly realized it was a true passion. Since starting at Penn Carey, I have continued that work through pro bono service with Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s Family Law Unit. On campus, I serve on the board of the First Generation Professionals Association and the West Coast Law Students Association. This summer, I will be heading back to California to work at a firm that handles high-stakes family law litigation as well as high impact environmental and land use litigation. Both areas are causes I care deeply about. During my free time, you can usually find me playing tennis, basketball, spending time with my family, or cooking new recipes.
Nicole
Nicole Pashalis is a rising 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She is a first-generation college student who comes from a Greek community in Queens, New York. Nicole graduated from Duke University in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and a Certificate in Markets & Management Studies. Before law school, she worked as a paralegal in the trusts and estates practice of a big law firm in New York City. During her 1L year, Nicole served as a representative for First Generation Professionals. Next year, she looks forward to continuing her involvement with the organization’s programming. She will also serve as a Contracts Teaching Assistant, an Associate Editor for the Journal of Constitutional Law, and Co-Vice President of the Real Estate Club.
ERICA
My name is Erica Payne and I am student at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, but I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. I attended the University of California, Davis, for undergrad, where I graduated with a degree in International Relations and minors in French and Economics. As a first-generation professional student and the first in my family to pursue a career in law, I am excited to help future law students navigate the admissions process. After college, I worked as a paralegal at a small law firm specializing in sexual harassment and employment law. I also spent a year teaching English in France, during which I had the opportunity to travel throughout France. Additionally, I gained valuable public service experience through internships with a District Attorney’s office, a Public Defender’s office, and Representative Ro Khanna’s district office. This summer, I will be working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, going on long walks, and exploring new coffee shops.