Northern Virginia

Teresa’s personal experience growing up in a heavily immigrant community surrounded by families with mixed immigration statuses motivated her to pursue a legal career advocating for society’s most vulnerable, particularly those children who cannot advocate for themselves. She now works with unaccompanied children who have been victims of severe forms of violence, including intra-family violence, community violence, sexual violence, and trafficking. Teresa is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law (WCL). At WCL, Teresa was a student attorney with the Women and the Law Clinic, where she was awarded the highest grade certification for her work with indigent clients. While in law school, she also interned with Ayuda, where she assisted in a number of unaccompanied children’s cases, KIND, where she conducted numerous intakes with unaccompanied children, and Catholic Charities’ Hogar Immigrant Services, where she was introduced to a wide variety of immigration cases. Prior to law school, Teresa graduated with honors from George Mason University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology – with a concentration in Childhood and Youth – and a minor in Spanish.

Sofia Lorenzo became an attorney with KIND in January 2016. Prior to joining KIND, she worked as an immigration attorney with Northern Virginia Family Service in Falls Church, Virginia, and as a Washington College of Law-J.D. Distinguished Fellow with Ayuda in Washington, D.C. Sofia received her J.D. in 2014 from the American University, Washington College of Law. She received the Dean’s Award for Professional Responsibility for her work as a student attorney with the Immigrant Justice Clinic. As a law student, Sofia interned with Ayuda, the Legal Aid Justice Center, and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. She received her B.A. in Latin American Studies from George Mason University in 2011.

Reta Arbusto joined KIND as a Staff Attorney in September 2021. Prior to joining KIND, Reta was a Staff Attorney at Legal Services of Central New York for over seven years and launched an Immigrant Rights Project in 2016. Through this casework, she focused on the unique needs of children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and disabled refugees pursuing naturalization. Reta earned her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law in 2013. During law school, Reta interned for Human Rights Watch, a Constitutional Lawyer in Uganda, and a local NGO in rural Sierra Leone. As a student attorney in the Community Development Clinic Reta began working with local immigrant communities and was compelled to continue this work after graduation. Reta earned her B.A. from the University of Washington in 2006

Max joined KIND in June 2020. He received his J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. In law school, Max was the Editor-in-Chief of the National Security Law Journal and completed internships with the Public International Law and Policy Group and the Washington D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings. Prior to attending law school, Max taught English in Brazil and in Argentina. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2012. Max is currently pursuing a Master of International Policy and Practice at George Washington University.

Bio coming soon!

Prior to joining KIND, Hamida worked as an Investigations, White Collar, and Fraud Associate at Hogan Lovells US LLP, where she maintained an active pro bono practice representing women and children in immigration, custody, and domestic violence cases. As a first-generation American, Hamida has long been committed to empowering immigrants and refugees, including vulnerable children. She served adults and unaccompanied minors seeking immigration relief as a volunteer pro bono attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center in Virginia, and she previously managed a non-profit internship program impacting children and youth in New York City through Harvard’s Center for Public Interest Careers. Hamida clerked for a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia and a U.S. District Judge in the District of Maryland. She earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School, where she gained experience handling wage and hour, SSI, criminal expungement, and eviction cases in Stanford’s Community Law Clinic, and served as Co-Director of the Timor-Leste Legal Education Project. Hamida also holds an A.B. in African Studies with a Secondary Field in Government from Harvard University.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon.

Esperanza Hernandez supports the Legal Services team at KIND. She joined KIND in June 2022. She graduated from Duke University with a degree in Public Policy, a certificate in Latinx Studies in the Global South, and a minor in History. Esperanza has worked with several non-profit organizations in the U.S. Southwest region to research policies about driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, higher education access for undocumented students, and sanctuary cities. Prior to KIND, Esperanza served as a college adviser in North Carolina through the College Advising Corps where she helped 200 high school seniors navigate the college application and financial aid process.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon!