08/31/2026
Hannah Blackwell (JD ’22) was in college when an ICE raid in her hometown changed the direction of her career. By the time she applied to law school, she knew she wanted to practice immigration law.
At DePaul Law, Blackwell built toward that goal through immigration-related coursework, the Asylum & Immigration Law Clinic and direct client experiences that showed her immigration law as both legal practice and human advocacy.
A little over a year after graduating, she opened Blackwell Law, and today, she represents people in removal proceedings, files asylum applications, appears in court and handles other humanitarian immigration matters.
For Blackwell, trust is essential. She builds it by showing up, making connections and being present with the people she serves.
“People really value seeing a face in their community over a traditional ad,” she said. “Never underestimate the importance of word of mouth.”
Read more about Blackwell’s path from DePaul Law to building an immigration law practice grounded in community: https://bit.ly/3SlnXpX
