Samantha is originally from Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when she was 5 years old. Samantha has always had a passion for justice and helping others. After being the victim of a life-altering vehicle accident when she was 16, Samantha decided she would become an attorney to help others in the way she was not. Samantha experienced first-hand how important access to justice and legal resources was from this incident and vowed to help others to prevent similar injustice. Samantha is a second generation American and witnessed the opportunities her family was able to obtain after emigrating to the United States from Terceira, Portugal. In witnessing these hardships and experiencing her own, in conjunction with her passion for justice, Samantha found her calling and pursued a career in immigration law.
Samantha attended the University of Nevada, Reno where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Law and Justice in 2017. During her years in undergrad, Samantha interned at both the Washoe County Public Defender’s Office and the Washoe County District Attorney’s office. Additionally, Samantha was a member of the Wildlife Society Student Chapter, a member of the Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity, and on the Dean’s Honor List.
Samantha immediately went on to receive her Juris Doctor in 2020 from Lewis and Clark School of Law in Portland, Oregon where she was a recipient of the Deans Scholarship for Excellence. Throughout her time at law school, Samantha was a member of the Minority Law Student Association and the Constitutional Law Society. During Samantha’s first year, she was a research assistant to an international wildlife professor and assisted translating legislative documents from Portuguese to English to assist in multiple environmental crime projects occurring in Portuguese speaking countries. Samantha also volunteered with the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) on their “Citizenship Day” to help lawful permanent residents with their naturalization paperwork. In addition, Samantha taught criminal justice to high school students through the Street Law Student Teacher program and during her final year of law school, Samantha interned with SOAR Immigration Legal Services, a non-profit organization in Portland, where she assisted noncitizens with their defense against removal proceedings to obtain asylum status in the United States.
Samantha is fluent in Portuguese and enjoys travelling, reading, painting, and being with animals. Samantha joined Quiroga Law Office in Spring 2022 and currently handles humanitarian-based visas. Samantha’s resilience and work ethic have made her a valuable member of the Quiroga Law Office team and she continues to work hard for each and every client.
Education:
- University of Nevada, Reno (B.A. 2017)
- Honors:
- Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Recipient
- Dean’s List Recipient
- Honors:
- Lewis and Clark School of Law (J.D. 2020)
- Honors:
- Dean’s Scholarship for Excellence Recipient
- Honors:
Experience:
- Insurance Subrogation Law Firm
- Law Clerk | May 2019 – November 2019
- SOAR Immigration Legal Services
- Intern | November 2019 – May 2020
- Civil Litigation Defense Law Firm
- Associate Attorney | June 2021 – March 2022
Certifications:
- Bar license: Nevada State Bar Association, May 2021
- Nevada Supreme Court, May 2021
- United States District Court of Nevada, November 2021
- Executive Office of Immigration Review, May 2022