New BLS Class Brings Diverse Talents
With Backgrounds Spanning From Footwear to Banking to Teaching, Incoming Students Bring Energy to Our Community
There are more than 400 new students enrolled at Brooklyn Law School this semester, and in addition to being a highly diverse group—the first-year J.D. class alone includes students whose birthplaces span 5 continents and 23 countries—they bring an intriguing mix of experiences, both academic and professional, to our community.
Some join us after working in the legal field and dreaming about earning a J.D. someday. Others worked as teachers or advocates for social justice. Some have impressive day jobs in healthcare or banking and intend to take night classes to earn their J.D. Together, they are an extraordinary group that are sure to help Brooklyn Law School continue its upward trajectory as they make new connections and enjoy all things New York City.
Here are a few members of the incoming class
Los Angeles native Aaron Daneshrad ’27, a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, spent 13 years in the footwear industry, primarily focusing on sales, marketing, and branding for e-commerce platforms and various marketplaces. He also founded and operated a resale boutique in Los Angeles in 2022.
“I chose Brooklyn Law School primarily because of its strong reputation and extensive network with leading corporate firms, especially in the sports and entertainment sectors,” Daneshrad said. “My goal in attending law school is to be actively engaged in these fields, and Brooklyn Law's reputation for employment opportunities in sports and entertainment is a significant draw for me.”
He plans to get involved in sports and entertainment-focused groups and immerse himself in New York City, particularly its music, sports, and technology scenes. “After a few years in Los Angeles, which has felt somewhat lacking, I am excited about the new opportunities and vibrant atmosphere that New York offers,” Daneshrad said.
Some incoming students, such as Danielle Raskin ’27, hope to build upon their professional experience in the legal field. Born in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, N.Y., Raskin graduated Penn State University in 2022 with a degree in criminology, and will be a third-generation lawyer, following her grandfather and her father, Josh Raskin ’96, who is a Brooklyn Law alumnus.
Raskin first interned and then spent two years working in various departments at the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. As an intern, she worked with the cold case bureau, including in the case of Robert Durst who was indicted for the murder of his wife and was famously featured in the HBO series "The Jinx.” After joining full-time in 2022, Raskin's assignments included the communications department, where she took media calls and helped arrange press conferences including for the exoneration of Leonard Mack, a Vietnam veteran who spent 48 years trying to clear his name of a rape conviction dating back to his early 20s for which he spent seven and a half years behind bars. Another man ultimately confessed to the crime. It was the most rewarding moment of Raskin’s career so far and she hopes to continue gaining hands-on experience.
“I am very passionate about criminal justice reform and wrongful-conviction type work, so I'd love to get involved in those types of clinics,” Raskin said. “Specifically, I saw online there is the BLS/EXI Innocence Clinic which would be an incredible opportunity.”
Evelly Boiguene ’27, a native of Queens, N.Y., spent the summer as a New York State Judicial Institute Legal Educational Opportunity fellow, an experience that she said, “prepared me intensively for my legal journey.” She is also well-versed in the type of public service work that is a hallmark of Brooklyn Law School. Previously, she worked as an ESL teacher for adult immigrants and collaborated with many nonprofits focused on community education. Additionally, she served as the Celestial Sound after-school director, providing children in Queens Village with extra academic support.
“I have always wanted to pursue a J.D. because I see lawyers and attorneys as advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves,” Boiguene said. “I have always spoken up, knowing that earning a J.D. would put me in the best position to make a difference.”
She has her eye on a number of academic pursuits, including a Sports Law externship, the Criminal Defense and Advocacy Clinic, and the BLS/EXI Innocence Clinic. Raised by immigrant parents—her mother is from Guatemala, and her father is from Haiti—she is also interested in the school’s Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) and Black Law Students Association (BLSA.)
Alessandra Moreno ’27, a native New Yorker who grew up in Washington Heights, will be part of the Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Law Fellowship Program. After completing her undergraduate degree, Moreno spent a year in Rwanda liaising between visiting student and professional groups from around the world and the nonprofit Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village. “I facilitated conversations on respectful travel, white saviorism, and topics related to memorialization," Moreno said.
She then spent two years as a family advocate at the Center for Family Representation, an interdisciplinary public defense organization that represents parents accused by the state of neglect and abuse. In providing direct social work support to her clients, including attending court and other conferences by their sides, Moreno became concerned that the laws created in the name of “child welfare” were broken.
“I wondered ‘How is this allowed?’ too many times to not pursue a J.D.,” Moreno said. “I am most looking forward to learning from the experiences of my Brooklyn Law classmates and professors and finding my place in the legal field alongside them.”
Brooklyn Law is well regarded for its part-time J.D. program, and the flexibility that it affords is what attracted a growing number of new part-time students like Christopher Naipaul ’28, who is a practicing physical therapist who earned his doctorate in physical therapy in 2020, and treats patients privately and as an associate doctor of physical therapy at a comprehensive pain relief and wellness clinic in midtown Manhattan.
“My decision to pursue a J.D. was driven by my desire to expand my ability to make a difference beyond the clinical setting,” Naipaul said. “I am looking forward to diving into the study of law and being part of the Brooklyn Law School community. I plan to participate in various externships and clinics that will provide hands-on experience, like the Prosecution Clinics and the Health Law externships, as well as being an active student on campus.”
Naipaul, who was born and raised in Richmond Hills, Queens, N.Y., said the Law School's ideal location and part-time extended J.D. program drew him in, because he will still be able to work while attending school.
“The close proximity to courthouses, government agencies, and large law firms, along with Brooklyn Law School’s strong reputation for academics make it a great place to pursue my J.D.,” Naipaul added. “I am honored to be part of this community.”
Similarly, Deirdre Lewin ’27 is entering the part-time program and will study in the evenings. Born in Rockville Centre, N.Y., she studied economics and public policy and ran Division 1 track at William & Mary. An internship at the Center for Social Innovation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business sparked Lewin’s interest in the policies and regulations faced by entrepreneurs who work on innovative solutions to global, social, and environmental challenges.
After graduation, she spent two years working as an analyst at the global consulting firm IBM Promontory and then in August 2022 joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst on the operational risk and resilience team within the global banking and markets division. She was inspired to dive deeper into the regulatory space after a recent project at Goldman where she assisted in remediation efforts in the wake of a major cybersecurity attack on a vendor that is used at firms across Wall Street.
“Working on this specific project was the turning point that inspired my career aspirations for the future,” said Lewin, who will continue to work at Goldman Sachs while attending the Law School. “It highlighted the importance of cybersecurity in the banking system and the downstream effects that gaps in security can have on the lives of ordinary Americans. It has opened my eyes to the serious vulnerabilities that firms with advance infrastructure and controls have, and the pressing need for better, more consistent cybersecurity coverage and regulation. I hope to use my J.D. degree to understand and address the cybersecurity risk financial institutions face and, eventually, be at the forefront of developing cybersecurity law and policy.”
Look to our social media channels for additional new student profiles, and share your story by emailing us at communications@brooklaw.edu