TAMIU Alumna to Serve as Law Clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Alejandra Ávila, a Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) alumna, has been selected for a prestigious judicial law clerk post for Justice Sonia Sotomayor on the nation’s highest court, the United States Supreme Court.   

Ávila (’11) is the first TAMIU graduate to clerk on the nation’s highest court and, as a number of TAMIU students, the first in her family to pursue post-secondary education in the United States.

She graduated summa cum laude from TAMIU’s Honors Program as a Distinguished Student Scholar, receiving her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the A. R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business.  Aside from her academic excellence, she studied abroad in China and France, was a member of the Dustdevil Women’s Soccer Team, and was active in student organizations and volunteer activities, including Student Government and the Harvard World Model United Nations, among others. She earned TAMIU leadership awards at TAMIU, including Freshman of the Year and the Global Citizen Award. 

Ávila is an attorney at the Washington, D.C.  law firm of Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick PLLC, and specializes in complex trial and appellate litigation. 

She previously clerked for Chief Judge Mary H. Murguia of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Judge Micaela Alvarez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. 

Ávila also worked as an attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in San Antonio, where she handled a variety of high-profile civil rights cases.  She received her law degree from The University of Texas School of Law.

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz lauded Ávila’s historic accomplishments.

“Alejandra had stunning academic and distinguished service experiences here at TAMIU, and challenged herself to truly ‘Go Beyond’…as we encourage all our students to do. We take enormous pride in her accomplishments and commend her for her commitment, persistence and visionary excellence.  Alejandra provides all students here, in our community, our region, our state and beyond with a clear role model that  ‘sí, se puede,’” Dr. Arenaz said.

Ávila is the oldest daughter of Jorge and Silvia Ávila. A John B. Alexander High School distinguished student graduate, she earned a full academic scholarship as a President’s Scholar in TAMIU’s Honors Program.

She begins her service to Justice Sotomayor this summer.