Guneet Hora’s passion for helping others runs deep. Her parents immigrated from India, and as a child, Hora watched them encounter various legal and financial hurdles related to their new life. The kindness and generosity shown by immigration lawyers who helped her parents obtain legal status inspired Hora to pursue a similar career path.
“That’s where my interest in law began,” Hora said. “My family’s experiences made me want to provide similar support to those facing legal challenges, and seeking justice within our legal system. It fueled my passion for advocating for fair and equitable treatment, particularly within our justice system.”
One year after graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Hora (College Nine ’23, intensive psychology, legal studies) works as a paralegal at the Office of the Federal Public Defender in the Western District of Virginia. As a paralegal, Hora is responsible for helping her team provide legal representation to individuals who are charged with federal crimes, but lack the financial resources to hire a private attorney.
In her role, Hora conducts legal research on cases, prepares legal documents to provide to the court, communicates with clients, and reviews discovery to assist her attorneys in building compelling arguments for their clients. Overall, Hora’s job is to make sure that the defense is as effective and as comprehensive as possible.
“Being able to assist in the courtroom in hearings and trials alongside the attorneys is great experience,” she said. “It helps me observe how arguments are crafted and presented. I know I want to pursue a career defending the rights of indigent clients, so this experience provides me with plenty of opportunities to learn from legal professionals.”
In the future, Hora plans to advocate for those who are most vulnerable in our society, likely as a public defender. One day, she hopes to attend graduate school to explore her interests in criminal law and psychology, subjects she focused on at UCSC, and to be able to integrate those principles into her work.
“A lot of my classes at UCSC were very social justice oriented, which gave me a good opportunity to learn about oppressive systems, like our justice system or immigration system, and how it can disadvantage people.”
While she was a student at UCSC, Hora served as an immigration and legal services intern at the Davenport Resource Service Center; worked in the Human Rights Investigation Lab as a research assistant and team manager; and took the class JRC 125 in conjunction with Soledad State Prison. The class took trips to the prison to speak with incarcerated men, learn about their experiences, and discuss social justice issues.
“That experience was a turning point because it allowed me to better understand the human impact of the justice system, and the importance of advocacy and reform.”
Hora says she is grateful for the opportunities she had at UCSC.
“UCSC helped me build a solid foundation for my career,” she said. “My coursework enhanced my ability to analyze legal issues and communicate effectively.”
After graduating from UCSC, Hora attained a paralegal certification from UC San Diego Extension.
Read more about the Class of 2023 and their lives beyond the UCSC redwoods.
