Originally from Chandler, Arizona,
Raisa Ahmad, JD Class of 2016, is now planting roots in Houston. She works as a litigation associate with Fish & Richardson, with a practice that includes patent litigation, trademark, and trade secret litigation matters.
Before coming to law school, Raisa earned a BS from Arizona State in biomedical engineering. She says she chose the University of Arizona for law school because she was drawn to the small class sizes and the community, which she knew would be incredibly valuable while pursuing a law degree.
Having previously worked in a wide array of fields, including engineering, research, and banking, she had long considered a career in law. A great scholarship opportunity from the UA allowed her to finally make the leap!
Raisa enjoys many great memories from her time at Arizona Law. For one, she says,
"Having the opportunity to participate in classes that sparked my interest -- like First Amendment with Professor Toni Massaro, cyberlaw with Professor Derek Bambauer, and antitrust with Professor Barak Orbach -- made every day a rich learning experience."
And,
"I received hands-on training too, through courses such as complex litigation with Professor David Marcus, in which my classmates and I wrote a class certification brief for a class action suit involving children's rights for kids in Arizona's foster care system."
She also says that, of course, the best times were spent with classmates.
"I'm notoriously a stress-ball, and I can't count the number of times I relied on my small section with the late Professor Jean Braucher to make me laugh through even the toughest times!"
Raisa remembers Tumamoc Hill as a favorite Tucson locale. She hiked it often to enjoy the unbeatable views of Tucson and the desert surroundings.
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Raisa, left, enjoys a family vacation to Alberta, Canada.
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Now in Houston, Raisa's work at Fish & Richardson is challenging and rewarding, taking advantage of her scientific and business background along with her legal expertise.
"I have always had an interest in the intersection of law, patents, and innovation. I knew Fish was a firm that dealt with cutting-edge issues facing the tech industry.
I interned as a summer associate position in the summer following my 1L year and feel privileged feel to be officially part of the team after graduating from UA Law. The Houston team is an incredibly talented and motivated group that operates like a family. It's been a fun learning experience ever since that summer!
I love that every day I get to learn something new. Clients come to us with unique and interesting challenges, and they rely on us to tackle the issues head on. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new in the fields of computer science, medical devices, and pharmaceutical science."
Through her firm, Raisa has also appreciated the opportunity to give back to the community through her work on pro bono cases. She is currently working on gaining asylum for a woman who has faced incredible challenges in Honduras, including gang violence and domestic violence.
Raisa also enjoys her new home, where she can often be found running along the bayou or exploring Houston's "crazy good food scene."
Thanks for sharing your story, Raisa. We'll be seeing you soon!