On March 27th, Immigration Judge Kyung S. Auh served as the keynote speaker for an event hosted by the Queens College Legal Studies Club. During the event, he recounted his career journey of becoming a judge and offered insights into what students can anticipate upon entering law school.
Judge Auh began his undergraduate career at QC before transferring to the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 2002.
After receiving his Doctor of Law (JD) from the CUNY School of Law in 2010, Judge Auh began his legal career in the Queens County District Attorney’s Office where he served as an assistant district attorney from 2010 to 2016.
From 2016 to 2018, Auh served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, based in Miami. Auh is currently an immigration judge assigned to the NY Ulster Immigration Court and a reserve judge advocate in the New York Air National Guard.
Professor Mona Kleinberg, Political Science professor and the faculty advisor to the QC Legal Studies Club, hosted the event and said she was, “Inspired by Auh’s willingness to connect with students and his genuine care about Queens College.”
Judge Auh told The Knight News, “I am very fortunate that Professor Kleinberg invited me back to Queens College because this is my home neighborhood. Much of this campus looks the same, and it’s refreshing because I can feel the energy from the students when I share my story and answer their questions.”
Judge Auh stated that his desire to practice law and prosecute criminal cases stemmed from his experience as a college student during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This had a profound impact on him, occurring as his graduation date was fast approaching.
Judge Auh also discussed the difficulties he encountered while attending the CUNY School of Law at the same time as having active duty status in the New York Air National Guard, such as learning time management and prioritization while balancing weekend drill responsibilities. He explained that attending the CUNY School of Law was still advantageous for him as it was affordable due to its comparatively low tuition fees.
Professor Kleinberg asked Judge Auh whether the expense associated with attending an Ivy League law school is worth it. He responded that it depends on one’s ultimate goal, as attending CUNY or Harvard Law School has no limitations unless one wants to be a Supreme Court justice.
When asked to describe the experience of law school, Judge Auh shared the anecdote that in the first year professors scare you to death. In the second year of law school they work you to death, and in the third year, you are bored to death because you are now an expert and know a lot.
Given the significant impact immigration law can have on individuals’ lives, students showed great interest in asking Judge Auh various questions, including his feelings about the responsibility of handling immigration cases.
He responded that his background as a trial attorney and prosecutor equipped him to preside in immigration cases, and further explained due process and the different levels of appellate review.
As for handling the moral component of cases, Judge Auh referenced a psychological system utilized by the Queens District Attorney office called the ‘‘model of abuse.’’ This system recognizes that abuse can manifest in various forms beyond physical harm, including manipulation and psychological abuse.
When discussing law school applications, Judge Auh advised students to keep a high GPA and to personalize their applications and resumes in order to authentically showcase their abilities.
Shivangi Sharma, the QC Legal Studies Club president, stated, “It is important for the Political Science department to host more events like this in the future because there was a lot of valuable information about expectations for law school.”
The Political Science Department at QC has a pre-law advising program that interested students should ideally apply for in their first or second year if interested in law.
Professor Keena Lipsitz from the Political Science department who is one of the faculty pre-law advisors, stated that once students enroll for pre-law advising, “We will discuss whether law school is right for them, and if so, help them chart a path at Queens College that will best prepare them for applying to and enduring the rigors of law school.”
Every semester, Professor Lipsitz offers an internship course open to students of all majors with an interest in law and politics to pursue internships with elected officials, lawyers, and non-profits while developing professional skills and networking.
To apply for the internship course, interested students can fill out this form and attach a resume.
