After a career in visual arts field, Andrew Freire JD ’23 takes on mantle of immigrant defense

Photo of Andrew Freire
Andrew Freire JD ’23 (Photo by Daniel Tran)

Freire earns Immigrant Justice Corps Fellowship and will be working at Immigrant Defenders Law Center.

Although Andrew Freire took a somewhat unconventional path to law school, his love for advocacy and public service is evident throughout his work. His career in the visual arts ignited a passion for advocacy, supporting artists and their work, while his time interpreting and translating for a tenants union further developed his interests. 

Now, as a member of the JD Class of 2023, Freire has secured an Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) Fellowship and will be working at Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), a nonprofit social justice law firm started by fellow Gould alumna Lindsay Toczylowski JD ’08. 

“I’m grateful to begin my legal career with IJC and ImmDef advocates because they both lead universal legal representation programs for children in immigration court and challenge our harsh immigration system in many ways,” Freire said. “Unaccompanied minors are uniquely disadvantaged in removal proceedings and other legal forms of relief. … With ImmDef and IJC’s programs, I hope to learn from their holistic strategies that can help minors feel supported and succeed in a new environment.”

Read more about Andrew’s story