Kirat Goraya, B.A. ’16, J.D. ‘20 practices corporate immigration law as an associate attorney at the firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. She helps clients manage the challenges of an international workforce. That includes advising multinational companies on U.S. employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, working with clients to develop immigration strategies, and advocating on their behalf before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Department of Labor.
Goraya was a double major in Philanthropic Leadership and Women’s and Gender Studies. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree, she continued her education at the IU McKinney School of Law, obtaining her Juris Doctor in 2020. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to help make the world a better place, and I knew I might want to pursue a law degree in graduate school, but I wasn’t quite sure exactly what major made sense for me at the undergraduate level,” said Goraya. “I came across philanthropic leadership and was immediately drawn in.”
Her love for immigration law was discovered as a student at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She was volunteering at The Julian Center, a domestic abuse shelter and treatment center, when she was introduced to several legal aid agencies that provide pro bono immigration services. While in college she also took a training to learn how to draft protective orders and began meeting with center residents to help draft their protective order petitions.
My B.A. degree from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy helps me appreciate the importance of pro bono work, and the role it plays in building well-rounded communities.
As an attorney, she provides pro bono legal counsel to clients, most often to immigrants and asylum applicants seeking safety and stability.
Goraya says philanthropy has always been a part of her life. “I grew up in the Sikh faith, and sewa (which translates to “selfless service”) is a core principle of Sikhism; it’s the practice of doing voluntary service for the benefit of humanity, without expectation of recognition or reward,” said Goraya. “Over the years, the ways in which I perform sewa have evolved as my professional skills have developed into what they are today.”
Goraya recommends IU School of Philanthropy to students because of the opportunities it offers. “There are so many great experiential learning opportunities in downtown Indianapolis so it’s easy to do an internship while maintaining a full course load on campus too,” said Goraya. “The faculty and alumni networks are also vast, which really helps you to get and stay connected to a broad professional circle.”
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