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Esma Ozgun
(408) 898-7554 • esmaozgun@berkeley.edu • Berkeley, CA
University of California, Berkeley | GPA 4.0
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Expected May 2024
Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy (concentration on international development and the MENA region)
Clubs/Extracurriculars
Writer at the Berkeley Economic Review (BER), Berkeley Model United Nations (UCBMUN), Muslim Student Association, Political Action Committee (PAC), Berkeley Political Computer Science (PCS)
Research Assistant in the Political Science Department with Professor Leonardo Arriola researching international human rights
VOLUNTEER/WORK EXPERIENCE
Project Inspire
Founder and Project Manager; IT Manager
Outreach and coordinator for Turkey/Syria Earthquake relief
Jan. 2020 – Present
Partnered with Givelight Foundation (www givelight org) and founded volunteer academic mentoring program
Connected 90+ mentors to 300+ orphans in over 7 countries
Facilitated 1,200+ classes in 6+ academic subjects
Collaborated with businesses such as Singapore-based firm ZilLearn to develop English and Math curricula
Hosted meetings and collaborations with international orphanages in Tripoli, Lebanon and Lahore, Pakistan
Programmed management system and database; automated coordination process via algorithm that assigns best-fit volunteers to children
Designed and developed a website and volunteer portal
Education for Employment
Business Development Intern
May 2023 – Present
Summer intern at EFE, a nonprofit organization working to address youth unemployment in the Middle East
Conducted research and grant writing for proposals to obtain funding , data analysis for impact monitoring and evaluation, financial management and budgeting , risk mitigation, and Arabic translation
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
Business Development Intern
May 2023 – Present
Selected for a ten-week professional and intensive academic internship in Washington, D C to acquire deeper knowledge of the MENA region, international affairs and policy, and U S -Arab relations
Awarded Outstanding Delegate at Summer Model Arab League Conference
Blessed Bonds
Youth Leader
Lead mentor for volunteer youth group to empower girls in marginalized communities
Skills
Jan 2018 – Present
Biweekly meetings, developed curriculum and planned events community ser vice projects, including sewing teddy bears for orphans in Nigeria, food drives for Haiti, COVID relief fundraisers for homeless community
Turkish Fluent, Arabic Upper-Intermediate Python, MySQL , HTML/CSS, Microsoft Excel
Professional Experience
The White House, Office of Presidential Correspondence
Washington, DC Intern June 2023 – August 2023 (Expected)
§ The White House Internship Program is a public service leadership and development program that provides emerging leaders with an opportunity to gain valuable skills while supporting the work of the White House Office and furthering the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.
White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders
January 2023 – May 2023
Washington, DC Intern (Communications, Commission, Regional Network Workstreams)
§ Wrote talking points for HHS Secretary Becerra to give remarks for the President’s Advisory Commission.
§ Developed remarks for Secretary Becerra and Ambassador Tai for two-year anniversary of Atlanta spa shooting.
§ Drafted script for White House official and television personality to emcee AA and NHPI White House forum.
Albright Stonebridge Group – Health and Life Sciences Intern (September 2022 – December 2022)
Washington, DC
§ Consulted budgetary, legislative, and regulatory procedures and processes of two countries for Fortune 100 client.
§ Provided strategic insight on client engagement with relevant stakeholders to impact global oncological markets.
§ Served as lead researcher to analyze and summarize budgetary laws and regulations for internal team and client.
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP – Legislative and Public Policy Intern (June 2022 – August 2022)
Washington, DC
§ One of two undergraduate interns firmwide selected to support lobbying practice group with over 30 members.
§ Monitored policy and regulatory developments to aid industry clients navigating federal legislative environment.
§ Summarized hearings, as well as analyzed policy and appropriations texts in readouts for client advisory purposes.
§ Created deliverables in time-sensitive situations to facilitate client fly-ins and aid firm’s business development.
§ Researched key lawmakers and informed policy trends to inform pro bono client lobbying gun reform legislation.
Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth – Legislative Intern (October 2021– December 2021)
Washington, DC
§ Drafted cosponsor recommendations and policy memoranda aligning with the Senator’s healthcare objectives.
§ Served as first line of communication for constituents and veterans nationwide to provide casework assistance
§ Handled office’s day-to-day operations, including staffing front desk, sorting mail, and transferring documents
Tennessee Justice Center – Health Policy and Advocacy Intern (June 2021 – August 2021)
Nashville, TN
§ Built grassroots support for Medicaid expansion through community correspondence, engagement, and projects
§ Ghostwrote op-ed for visually impaired client in healthcare coverage gap in support of Medicaid expansion
EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
The George Washington University, B.A. in International Affairs (Minor in Public Policy) August 2020 – May 2024
§ Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, Dean’s List (6/6 semesters, GPA: 3.95/4.00), Presidential Academic Scholarship (Merit scholarship for most competitive first-year applicants), Sigma Iota Rho (The Elliott School’s co-ed honor society)
§ Extracurriculars: GW Student Musician Coalition (Drummer), Sigma Iota Rho, The GW Hatchet (Reporter)
The Elliott School of International Affairs – Peer Advisor (May 2023 – Present)
Washington, DC
§ Give insight for first-year students in introductory course on best practices navigating international affairs major.
Alpha Iota Chapter of Sigma Iota Rho – President (April 2023 – Present)
Washington, DC
§ Oversee 10+ executive board and chair members and $15,000+ budget to lead honor society of 100+ members.
Vice President of Professional Development (April 2022 – April 2023)
§ Led professional development workshops and provide in-house resume and cover letter editing services.
Additional Information
Volunteering: Summer Counselor, Camp TALKS at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for children who stutter
Skills: Verbally Fluent in Thai, Consulting, Problem-solving, Regulatory Analysis, Time Management, Writing
Publication: Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP “Capitol Snapshot” August 2022 Advisory
Education
Santa Ana College Santa Ana, CA
Paralegal, ABA Approved Program – Graduated December 2020
Pathway To Law School – Awarded February 2019
Associative of Science and Arts
Social & Behavioral Sciences, Multicultural Sciences, Social Sciences – Awarded 2013-2014
Honors: Top 1%/Salutatorian, Lambda Epsilon Chi (Paralegal Honor Society), Santa Ana College’s Honors Program
Activities: Santa Ana College Community Legal Clinic’s Student Organizing Committee Member, Orange County Paralegal Association (OCPA)
Competitive Apprenticeship/Fellowship: 2022 Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law - Summer Law & Leadership Academy, 2022 Public Policy AnalysisPublic Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Law Fellow (UC Berkeley School of Law & School of Public Policy), Pre-Law Winter Institute-Chapman University Fowler School of Law (2019, 2020), 2021 UCLA Law Fellow, 2021 CLEO (Council On Legal Education Opportunity), Inc. ASAPAchieving success in the Application Process, Summer Legal Academic for Undergraduate Students’ Legal Scholar – University of Miami School of Law (2021), LatinoJus tice PRLDEF & LAWbound’s Luis J. DeGraffe Pre-Law Academy’s Legal Scholar (2021) .
Conferences Attended: 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 UCLA - Law School Admissions Conference (UCLA School of Law), Open House Event (Chapman University Fowler School of Law), 2019 West Coast Public Interest Law Reception (UC Irvine School of Law), Public Interest Law School Reception (UC Irvine School of Law), OCPA Student Event (The Orange County Paralegal Association), 2018 & 2019 - OC Legal Tech Conference, (Santa Ana College & The Orange County Bar Association), Chapman University School of Law’s Campus Visiting & Professional Power Skills Training (Santa Ana College’s Pathway to Law School), Law Pathway Students and Scholars: An Evening Celebrating the Law (Sheppard Mullin, LLP), Law Pathway Students and Scholars: An Evening Celebrating the Law (Reed Smith, LLP), 2018 & 2020 Law School Exploration Workshop (USC Gould School of Law), Understanding the Law School Admission Process (Southwestern Law School), Law JD Edge Workshop (UC Irvine School of Law)
University of California, Los Angeles
Bachelor of Science Candidate, Cum Laude (Current) Biochemistry
Honors: Chancellor Service Awards, Senior of The Year Awards
Activities: UCLA Pre-Law Society
Los Angeles, CA
08/2013 – 12/2016
LANGUAGES
English & Vietnamese Fluency, Spanish (Basic Conversational)
SKILLS, ACTIVITIES, & INTERESTS
Skills: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (Passed the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Exam), Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator (Passed the Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) Certification Exam), Lexis Nexis, ProLaw, Practice Panther, Legal Research, Legal Motion (1203.4), Case Briefing (Basic), Legal Memorandum (Basic), Community Liaison, Community Outreach, Multiple Media
Law Office Work Experience
United States Attorneys' Offices – The Central District of California Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate Extern
As the paralegal intern, undergraduate legal extern, I assisted the attorney to perform the following tasks: Trial preparation, organizing evidence (discovery), transcribing calls, and assisting paralegals.
06/2020- 08/2020
Observed trials and other court proceedings in cases on which have been worked or in cases of general interest in the office
Assisted in the prosecution of high-profile corruption cases across the United States
Conducted a pre-trial review in consultation with trial attorneys
Performed investigatory research for use in federal trials
Participate in various program activities such as attending oral arguments and trials, meeting Judges and Magistrates, and atte nding panels of AUSAs discussing their roles and purpose in practicing law with the USAO
Learn the facets and intricacies of Federal Criminal law through firsthand experiences of reading and analyzing briefs., deposi tion
Orange County Public Defender – Undergraduate Honors Program
Legal Assistant/Paralegal Intern/Volunteer
Draft motions to expunge felonies from client’s records.
Orange County, CA
08/2019 – 05/2020
Discuss cases with clients accused of probation violations, gathering information regarding mitigation and defenses.
Synthesize police reports, reviewed 911 calls and body worn camera videos, prepared Power Point or Prezi presentations for tria l and being an active member of the defense team
Assist with cases for upcoming hearings, arraignments and updated case files by uploading documents with the agency’s case mana gement system.
Manage work schedules to meet deadlines
Render spoken messages accurately, quickly, and clearly
Take the client intake and be able to independently perform intake tasks under the supervision of employer and attorney.
Perform and facilitate the translation between both languages (English, Vietnamese) and between both client and attorney.
Learn and practice both conversational Spanish and legal terminology in Spanish to further my understanding and utilize it for legal services. Present a case intake to the supervising attorney, working to answer any additional questions that may come up from the client. Then I will accurately convey attorney advice directly to the client.
Council on American-Islamic Relations – California - CAIR Orange County, CA
Legal Assistant/Paralegal Volunteer 05/2019 – Present
Provide legal assistance to the attorney for Lawful Permanent Residents on an occasional basis by helping them prepare their ci tizenship application, Form N-400 both in paper and electronically.
Manage work schedules to meet deadlines
Render spoken messages accurately, quickly, and clearly
Take the client intake and be able to independently perform intake tasks under the supervision of employer and attorney.
Perform and facilitate the translation between both languages (English, Vietnamese) and between both client and attorney.
Learn and practice both conversational Spanish and legal terminology in Spanish to further my understanding and utilize it for legal services. Present a case intake to the supervising attorney, working to answer any additional questions that may come up from the client. Then I will accurately convey attorney advice directly to the client.
Answering telephones, forwarding calls, taking messages
Filling, word processing and make phone calls to students for events and for tracking purposes
Typing labels, create files
Public Law Center
Legal Assistant/Paralegal/Interpreter Volunteer
Orange County, CA
03/2019 – Present
Provided free legal assistance to Lawful Permanent Residents during Citizenship Fairs, at the clinic on an occasional basis by helping them prepare their citizenship application, Form N-400 both in paper and electronically.
Interpreted for attorneys and law students during legal screenings, quality reviews, and consultations with monolingual Vietnamese Speakers to identify legal issues and provide referrals.
Converted concepts in the source language to equivalent concepts in the target language in terms of legal matters. Compiled information, such as technical terms used in legal settings, into glossaries and terminology databases to be used in translations.
Santa Ana College Undocu-Scholar Program
Paralegal Intern / Office Assistant
Santa Ana, CA
09/2018-06/2019
Clerical assistant duties included managing phones, messages; client/student outreach phone calls.
Built files, maintained filing system.
Created Word documents: letters, mail merge, labels, etc.; created Excel tracking systems for events.
Directed students to community programs for legal services and other assistance. Scheduled appointments, maintained program calendar of events and activities.
Legal Aid Society of Orange County
Legal Assistant/Paralegal Intern/Interpreter
Orange County, CA
09/2017 – 12/2018
Converted concepts in the source language to equivalent concepts in the target language in terms of legal matters. Compiled information, such as technical terms used in legal settings, into glossaries and terminology databases to be used in translations.
Relayed the style and tone of the original language; rendered spoken messages accurately, quickly, and clearly. Managed work schedules to meet deadlines.
The Law Office of David K. Tran
Legal Assistant Intern/ Paralegal
Orange County, CA
07/2016 – 07/2017
Keeps cases organized by establishing and organizing files; monitoring calendars; meeting deadlines; confirming case status with attorney and investigating the facts of a case for 20 clients per week
Helps develop cases by maintaining contact with people involved in the case; describing and filing complaints from clients to the attorney and conducts research on relevant laws, regulations, and legal articles.
Keeps clients informed by maintaining contact; communicating case progress
Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications and participating in different conferences, training courses to renew credit for employment.
