Pathway: Law student eyes career in immigration law field

By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News

Kourtney Lovett’s parents and several friends are health care professionals but she knew that wasn’t a good fit for her own career.

“I knew I wanted a career where I’d be able to make a difference in my community, and I quickly realized the law is a perfect field to utilize my strengths to advocate for others,” she says.

A rising 2L at University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, Lovett praises the faculty and staff. 

“They are extremely passionate about teaching and truly care about my success as a law student and a future attorney—and my kind peers have made my
day-to-day law school experience stimulating and enjoyable,” she says.

A Detroit Mercy Law Fellow and a Student Ambassador, Lovett also is a member of the Wolverine Bar Association, and received her upcoming summer clerkship with DTE through the WBA.

“I’m looking forward to developing and strengthening my legal research and writing skills, seeking networking opportunities, and learning from the expertise and advice of the lawyers I’ll be surrounded by,” she says.

During her senior year of undergrad at Eastern Michigan University, Lovett wrote her senior thesis about issues with immigration courts, and she is interested in continuing to explore immigration law. She is looking forward to taking an immigration law class next semester—and if her interest holds, has a long-term goal of becoming an immigration judge.

Lovett dipped her toe into the political arena in 2015 by interning with State Senator Rebekah Warren.

“Interning for Senator Warren was one of my best experiences during my time at Eastern,” she says. “I enjoyed learning how to adapt to different forms and styles of writing. I learned how to craft tributes, memoranda, and e-mails to constituents, which I had absolutely no experience with prior to my internship.

“More importantly, I learned how important it is for our elected officials to be strong advocates for their constituents when they reach out to them with legitimate concerns. Working in the political realm, truly showed me the good that politicians can do for our community.”

After earning a minor in Spanish, Lovett traveled to Spain in 2014, where a dance class, a language class, and a cultural studies course at the Universidad de Salamanca expanded her knowledge of Spanish language and culture.

“The dance class was particularly interesting because I learned how to do traditional Spanish dances such as Flamenco, Sevillanas, and Jota,” she says.

She also relished excursions to Toledo, Madrid, Málaga, and Segovia, and particularly enjoyed the 18th century Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso in the hills near Segovia. The relationship she developed with her host family in Spain was memorable.

“I had gotten very ill, and I was amazed at the compassion they showed me for having only known me for a few short weeks,” she says. “They treated me like a family member, took me on different excursions, and helped me develop my Spanish skills.”

In undergrad, Lovett volunteered weekly by distributing fruits and vegetables at Hope Clinic in Ypsilanti; and volunteered with the STAR After School Program, aiding a sign language teacher in Ypsilanti middle schools. She looks forward to getting involved with the community surrounding Detroit Mercy Law.

A native of Southfield who moved to Farmington Hills after fifth grade, Lovett now makes her home in Roseville in Macomb County, and enjoys spending time with her immediate and extended family, reading, attending concerts, and watching her younger brother play baseball.
 

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