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If
you have the pleasure of meeting alumna Laura Belous
('10), you will find her to be soft-spoken,
even-tempered, patient -- and tenacious.
With
a background in radio journalism, Laura arrived at
Arizona Law with a grounding in communication and
persuasion. She had served as an editor, reporter,
and producer for public radio shows such as Morning
Edition and Weekend America.
After
her 1L year, Laura was selected to serve as a
senior writing fellow for our Director of Legal Writing,
Professor Suzanne Rabé. Quick to recognize writing
talent, Suzanne describes Laura's student briefs as
"compelling, polished, and frankly -- elegant."
Laura
found her calling, however, in the clinics, working in
both the Bacon Immigration Clinic and the Child and
Family Law Clinic. Professor Nina Rabin remembers Laura
as a "fierce advocate with a quiet passion for her
clients." As a clinic student attorney, Laura had an
understated, even-keel manner, and she demonstrated a
deep-seated commitment to public interest work.
Since
graduation, Laura has served vulnerable populations such
as immigrants, children, and the mentally ill. As an
Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Florence Immigrant and
Refugee Rights Project, Laura advocated on behalf of
immigrants with serious mental health issues. She then
represented children in dependency proceedings for the
Pima County Office of Children's Counsel. She currently
works for the Florence Project, representing minors and
mentoring pro bono attorneys.
In
2013, Laura returned to Arizona Law as a Professor of
Practice teaching legal writing to our international JD
students. She communicates to her students the building
blocks of solid research and well-crafted advocacy. She
understands storytelling, and she appreciates the power
of brevity. Both in and out of the classroom,
Laura is a dynamic example to Arizona Law students of an
effective advocate for the most powerless among
us.
In
recognition of Laura's effective and zealous advocacy on
behalf of individuals in extreme need, the Arizona State
Bar has selected Laura to receive this year's Sharon A.
Fullmer Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award. We look
forward to seeing Laura at the State Bar Convention and
hope our alumni will turn out to support Laura and the
other Arizona Law award winners. Congratulations!
Three
other Arizona Law alumni are also receiving 2015 State
Bar awards:
- Kellie
L. Johnson ('96), Michael C. Cudahy Criminal Justice
Award
- Tom
Henze ('73), Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award
- William
C. Porter ('68), President's Award
The
annual awards will be presented noon-2 pm on June 26,
2015 at the State Bar Convention. And, of course,
if you are at the State Bar Convention, please be sure
to stop by the Arizona Law Centennial Alumni
Reception on Thursday, June 25th. For more
information about the Alumni Reception click here. | 
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