Alex Kurtz ’21 will join the Clark Lau law firm in Boston as an immigration paralegal. He talks here about his interests in law and immigration, and what drew him to the position.
What made you consider a career in the legal field, and how did you end up focusing on immigration law?
Some of my favorite aspects of Hamilton were the open curriculum, the emphasis on writing and analysis, and the tight-knit community that encouraged me to throw myself into the fray. Happily, many of these qualities also exist at my new employer and to some degree within the legal field more broadly. As an immigration paralegal at Clark Lau, I will be exposed to a wide variety of government systems, business models, and personal stories, while the small size of the firm means that I will take an active role right away.
What aspects of your new position are you looking forward to most?
I am excited to interact with a diverse array of people and businesses, and I look forward to helping them navigate the complexities of the immigration system.
Major: Economics
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
High School: Brighton High School
What are your long-term career goals/plans?
I hope to learn all I can about law and immigration over the next few years, while staying open to the possibility of further study in law or even an eventual return to the business side of things.
What Hamilton experiences helped prepare you for this endeavor?
As I mentioned, the open curriculum has been instrumental in fostering my intellectual curiosity, as well as my ability to confront new subject matter and absorb it. In addition, working at the Career Center gave me an important push to start networking early in my college career, while my role as Student Assembly treasurer provided valuable practice negotiating bureaucracies for a positive end.
What advice would you give to students interested in pursuing similar career paths?
For students in any field, there is absolutely no substitute for talking to alumni. The alumni network is robust, and at Hamilton, in particular, the alumni tend to be helpful and responsive. Let this reservoir of knowledge work for you!
