Noor Shater, Founder of Underrepresented
The University of Pennsylvania Law School
My name is Noor, and I am a 3L at Penn Law. I come from a family of Egyptian and Palestinian immigrants, and I am the first in my family to pursue law. My background inspired me to found Underrepresented to expand access and opportunity for first-generation and diverse law school applicants. Guided by my faith, which calls me to be of service, I’ve worked to build a community rooted in paying it forward. As Founder and Director, I have the privilege of overseeing aspect of the program, from recruiting mentors to supporting participants nationwide. I dedicate this work to my mother, a lifelong teacher, who instilled in me the values of service, compassion, and holding the door open for those who come next.
Meet our Team
Since 2023, our mentors, graduates and students at top law schools including Harvard, Yale, Penn, Columbia, Chicago, Georgetown, and Cornell, have provided free admissions support to aspiring law students. Coming from a wide range of backgrounds, we bring firsthand insight into the pressures of the process, especially for underrepresented applicants. We are not professional admissions consultants, we offer practical, experience-based guidance to help the next generation navigate law school admissions based on our own experiences.
Joshua
I am a first-year law student at Stanford Law School, and the first in my family to attend law school. I graduated with a double major in political science and German studies from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah in 2025, before enrolling at Stanford in the fall of 2025. I am passionate about constitutional law (including reform), especially the First Amendment. I am interested in both public interest oriented litigation and legal academia. A Utah native, I have also spent two years living in Sweden between high school and college, and I speak Swedish and German fluently. I'm excited to be a part of the Underrepresented mentoring network, and I especially look forward to connecting with students with a background in the Humanities who are looking to make the transition to law.
Thea
Columbia Law School
Thea is an associate in Latham & Watkins' investment funds 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.
Cris
Cris Guevara-Plunkett is a Yale Law School J.D. candidate and Hurst Horizon Scholar with a strong background in law, government, and public service. Before attending law school, Cris worked at the Supreme Court of the United States, contributing to its internal operations for nearly three years, and in the Speaker of the House’s office, advancing national legislative priorities. In his hometown, he served as a commissioner and committee member on multiple San Francisco local governmental bodies, driving key policy initiatives. At Yale, Cris is a prominent student leader, serving as President of First Generation Professionals, Editor-in-Chief the Yale Law & Policy Review, and is the Vice President of Professional Development for the Yale Law & Business Society, and is a Symposium & Empirical Editor for the Journal on Regulation. His recent professional experiences include transactional work at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, as well as Davis Polk, and advancing appellate strategy in the Division of Writs & Appeals at the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. A San Francisco native, he graduated from UC Berkeley, where he was honored as a Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholar, inducted as member of Phi Beta Kappa, and a recipient of the Congressional Award. Outside of his professional and academic endeavors, Cris is an avid basketball fan, enthusiast of Meso-American mythology, and active runner.
Lauren
Lauren is a current 2L at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. At Northwestern Law, Lauren is a Rivkin Public Advocacy Fellow and Office of Community Engagement and Access Fellow. She is the President of the Northwestern Law and Data Society (NLDS), Professional Development Chair for the Women’s Leadership Coalition (WLC), and the Vice President of Communications for the American Constitution Society (ACS). Lauren is on the Bartlit Trial Team and an APEX Mentor. She is a current pro bono volunteer with the American Constitution Society and has worked pro bono with Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) and the Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL). She will be Managing Technical Editor for the Journal of Law and Social Policy’s Volume 22. Lauren graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022 with a B.A. in Sociology and minors in Planning, Public Policy, and Management and Legal Studies. As an undergraduate, she co-founded the premiere pre-law organization at UO, served as a Wayne Morse Scholar and Legislative Scholar. Throughout college, she interned at the United States Attorney’s Office in Eugene and for various congresspeople. Lauren spent her 1L summer working at the Environmental Advocacy Clinic and will spend her 2L summer at Latham and Watkins. In her free time, Lauren enjoys reading regency literature, running with her rescue dog, and trying out new boba spots with her friends.
Andrew
University of Michigan Law School
Andrew Buendia is currently a 2L at the University of Michigan Law School and is a proud Latino from Detroit, Michigan. Andrew graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. Before law school, he worked as a constituent relations coordinator for a state senator in Michigan, spent time in Nicaragua teaching English, and worked in construction. During his 1L year, Andrew served as a representative for the Latinx Law Student Association. For his summer internship, Andrew was an LCLD scholar at Winston & Strawn in their Chicago office. In his free time, Andrew loves to try new restaurants and coffee shops, going to the gym, reading, and gardening with his local community."
Ndem
Harvard Law School
Ndem is a 1L at Harvard Law School. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2024 with a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Public Service. As an undergraduate, he worked as a research and teaching assistant in several political science courses, where he delivered guest lectures on constitutional law cases and American political thought. He was involved in organizations including the Davis Pre-Law Society, the Black Student Union, the Nigerian Student Association, and the Black Pre-Law Student Association. During his time at UC Davis, he also completed two internships—one with Congresswoman Nanette Barragán in Washington, D.C., and another with Congressman Mark DeSaulnier in his district office in the Bay Area. After graduating from UC Davis, Ndem spent one year working for Congressman Mark DeSaulnier as an immigration caseworker. In this role, he liaised with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of State to help ensure constituent immigration matters and related inquiries were handled efficiently and accurately. At Harvard Law School, Ndem is an incoming Executive Technical Editor for the Harvard Civil Rights–Civil Liberties Law Review. He currently serves as a J.D. Admissions Fellow, working alongside the Admissions Office to support recruitment and outreach efforts for prospective and newly admitted students. He is also a member of the 1L Committee for the Harvard Black Law Students Association and a Section Representative for the American Constitution Society. During his 1L summer, he will work at the California Attorney General’s Office in San Francisco. Outside of school, Ndem enjoys weight training and cardio and actively plays basketball in his free time. He is an avid Los Angeles Lakers fan and also enjoys watching soccer, where he is a devoted Manchester United supporter. He also enjoys listening to music in his free time.
Daniele
Daniele Mempin Meñez hails from Bulacan, Philippines and Tamuning, Guam. At 18, she stepped foot on continental America for the first time to pursue higher education in Seattle. As Political Chair of the Filipino American Student Association (FASA), she founded Political Corner, a biweekly dialogue space to engage students’ political & cultural awareness and action. She then served as Director of the Pacific Islander Student Commission, where she helped lead a campaign in the Student Senate to secure protected seats for Pacific Islander student organizations, including FASA, through a campus-wide ballot measure. At the end of her junior year, Daniele was elected Student Body President, the first Filipino in history to serve in the role. She led student government’s $1.2m nonprofit organization, managing over 65 employees, 23 entities & programs, and 600 volunteers. She advocated on behalf of over 45,000 students, advising university administration and lobbying in the state legislature on critical issues such as race & equity, tuition affordability, and campus accessibility. Currently, she is a 2L at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on international human rights law. She is involved in the First Generation Professionals, International Human Rights Advocacy Project, Womxn of Color Collective, and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA) student groups. Outside of Penn, she has worked for the United Nations, and for two federal district judges in both the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. As a proud daughter, niece, and cousin of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Daniele is passionate about the rights of Filipino migrant workers, addressing widespread corruption in government, and creating meaningful impact at the intersections of law and policy. She loves Asian cinema, Hot Cheetos, studying languages, and poetry.
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.
Alisha
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Alisha Alam is a rising 2L at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. She is a first-generation law student who is originally from the Chicagoland area. Alisha graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 2023 with a B.A. in Political Science and minors in Business, Global Studies, and Legal Studies. Prior to law school, she worked as a Legal Analyst at a corporate finance law firm in Chicago and is interested in pursuing Transactional legal work in the future. During her 1L year, Alisha served as a Professional Development Representative for the Women’s Leadership Coalition and as a StreetLaw Representative. She has a history of involvement with nonprofits, ranging from lobbying, advocacy, and social entrepreneurship, as well as pro bono work including immigration research and asylum cases. She is also interested in decarceration and prison reform and currently volunteers with Lifelines. In her free time, she enjoys live music, thrifting, exploring new cities, and trying new restaurants.
Shreya
Ryan is a 1L at Columbia Law School, where he serves as a representative for the Society for Law, Science, and Technology, the Taiwanese Law and Culture Club, and the Outdoors Club. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in Business Economics and was honored as a William F. Sharpe Fellow for his excellence in academics, leadership, and civic responsibility. Ryan also spent 9 months studying Mandarin Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University directly before law school. Before law school, Ryan gained significant experience at the intersection of law, business, and entertainment. He worked as a Producer and Legal Affairs Manager for WOW Television Enterprises, an early-stage entertainment startup, where he managed legal, financial, and talent operations and negotiated high-value agreements. He also interned in business and legal affairs at CMG Worldwide, where he conducted market research on NFTs and consolidated decades of licensing data for iconic estates like Maya Angelou and James Dean. Ryan has a strong commitment to service, having served as the Director of Transportation for Kids Korner Tutoring and as a volunteer tutor for the Asian American Tutorial Project during his time at UCLA. In his free time, Ryan is an avid traveler who recently backpacked through Asia. He also enjoys hiking, playing pickup basketball, following Formula 1, and playing poker.
Max
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Max Lepore is a student at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago. At Northwestern, Max has engaged in pro bono work for the Center on Wrongful Convictions and Street Law. He also serves on the Student Bar Association Careers and Clerkships Committee and is a 1L Representative for the American Constitution Society, First Generation Law Student Association, and Labor & Employment Law Society. Max earned his Honors Bachelor of Science in Political Science with minors in Business and Campaign Management from the University of Utah in 2024. While an undergraduate student, Max served internships for the Utah Governor's office, United States Senate, and a local campaign agency. Max was also involved at the University of Utah as an Honors peer mentor, teaching assistant, and resident advisor while volunteering for several different organizations on campus. Following his graduation, Max worked as a judicial assistant for the Utah State Courts prior to beginning his law school career.
Kanami
Kanami Malie Okabe is a 2L at Berkeley Law. Raised in California, she is passionate about indigent defense and its importance in protecting the rights of criminal defendants, particularly those from marginalized communities who are disproportionately targeted by the carceral system. During law school, she has worked with the Solano County Public Defender’s Office, the East Bay Community Law Center’s Housing Clinic, and the Alameda County Public Defender's Office. At Berkeley, she also leads the Women+ of Color Collective, Defenders at Berkeley, and the Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trip (BLAST) to Hawai’i, during which law students travel to Honolulu to do pro bono work with non-profits focusing on the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians. In the future, she hopes to become a public defender here in the Bay Area.
Lily
Lily Chavez is a rising 3L at the University of Michigan Law School. She earned her undergraduate degree in Global Studies and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. As a first-generation law student from Phoenix, Arizona, Lily is committed to equipping individuals with the legal tools necessary to assert their rights within systems that far too often strip them away. Before law school, Lily worked in human rights and international development. While working at a nonprofit, she helped coordinate evacuation efforts for Afghan women leaders after the Fall of Kabul in 2021. She later worked at Arizona State University on international development initiatives focused on education, gender equality, and human rights. At Michigan Law, Lily serves as Co-President of the ACLU @ MLaw Student Chapter, Partnerships Chair for the Organization of Public Interest Students, Public Interest Outreach Chair for the International Law Society, and an Associate Editor of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law. Lily is also an active member of the Latinx Law Students Association and First- Generation Law Students Association. During her 1L summer, Lily interned with the ACLU’s Center for Liberty in New York where she supported litigation on disability rights and other civil liberties issues. She will spend her 2L summer at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Navigating the path to law school can feel overwhelming and inaccessible, particularly for students without connections to the legal profession. As a mentor, Lily hopes to share the guidance and transparency she once sought with students who may not always have someone to turn to.
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.
Ava
The University of Pennsylvania Law School
Ava is a 2L at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. She graduated from Macaulay Honors College at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Law. Before law school, Ava worked in both the nonprofit and corporate sectors, which showed her how law intersects across industries and helped spark her love of litigation. She grew up in Queens, New York, and as a first-generation law student, she is committed to making the law school process more transparent and accessible. At Penn, Ava is involved with the Women’s Law Association, the Trial Team, the Entertainment & Sports Law Society, the Middle Eastern Law Students Association, and the Journal of Constitutional Law. Outside of school, she enjoys planning events both on and off campus, tackling puzzles (like Murdles), and exploring the city on long walks.
Kristen
Kristen Perez is a JD candidate at the University of Michigan Law School and a seasoned business leader with more than 20 years of experience in business development, contract strategy, and team leadership. Her work focuses on litigation, employment law, gender equity, and systems-based advocacy. A certified advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, she is committed to strengthening institutions from within and expanding access to safety and economic stability. Kristen proudly identifies as a Mexican and Native American woman, single mother, and an 11-time professional natural bodybuilding champion whose career reflects discipline, resilience, and principled leadership.
Christian
Christian Grant is a 2L at Penn Carey Law. Christian is a Philadelphia-area native and graduated from West Chester University in 2021 with a B.S. in Finance. At West Chester, Christian served as Co-Chair of the Pre-Law Society, where he helped organize a guest speaker to discuss the Supreme Court’s Bostock decision and its implications for LGBTQ+ rights. As a first-generation college student, Christian is an active member of the First Gen Professionals organization. He also currently serves as Vice President of Lambda, Penn Carey Law's LGBTQ+ affinity group. Christian's commitment to the law stems from his personal experience with economic hardship and his dedication to expanding institutional accessibility. In his leadership role with Lambda, he was instrumental in organizing numerous student events and providing mentorship to a 1L mentee, as well as securing funding for the recent 2026 symposium, "Hopeful but Not Optimistic: Humanizing LGBTQ+ Legal Practice," a CLE-accredited program featuring prominent scholars and practitioners exploring innovative strategies in marginalized legal fields. Christian's professional focus centers on the intersection of zoning, housing, and transportation law. He has contributed to the development of the National Zoning Atlas by analyzing regulatory documents and submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to municipal governments, helping build the first public repository of national zoning data. During his 1L summer, he interned at the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, representing the Commission in administrative trials at the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings against for-hire ride share companies that violated public safety regulations, contributing to improved driver safety and working conditions. He currently participates in Penn Carey Law's Civil Practice Clinic, which provides free legal aid to low-income Philadelphians facing issues including wage theft cases, consumer debt, and housing matters such as quiet title actions and adverse possession claims. In his free time, Christian loves to find new coffee shops, go hiking, and read classical philosophy. He is a firm believer that the best legal writing is artful just as much as it is analytical.
Anika
Anika Srivastava is a 2L at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, originally from Los Angeles, California. In 2023, she graduated from UC Irvine with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in management. During her gap year, she interned at the Children's Law Center of California, working alongside attorneys who represented survivors of trafficking in the foster care system. She continued developing advocacy skills at the Illinois Human Rights Commission during her 1L Summer. Through her courses, she has developed an interest in transactional work and hopes to establish an international corporate practice moving forward. At Northwestern, she serves as the co-president of the International Law Society and one of the Vice-Presidents of the FIRSTGEN student organization. She is a member of the Northwestern Law Journal des Refuses and is also involved with the Street Law organization, the South Asian Law Students Association, and the Women's Leadership Coalition. She strives to support incoming law students and strengthen the bridge between legal literacy and underrepresented communities throughout her career. During her free time, you'll find her doing pottery or finding a new coffee shop to try!