Andrea Canona selected to the Department of Justice’s Honors Program


Andrea Canona

Third-year law student Andrea Canona will begin her law career as a law clerk in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Honors Program, the largest and most prestigious federal entry-level attorney hiring program.

“When the Department of Justice informed me that I had been selected I was ecstatic, and frankly, a bit surprised,” Canona said. “The selection process is very competitive and I feel very fortunate to be in this position.”

Selections to this prestigious program are made based on several elements of a candidate’s background including a demonstrated commitment to government service, academic achievement, legal aid and clinical experience, leadership, and extracurricular activities that relate to the work of the DOJ.

Originally from Brazil, Canona moved to the United States in 1993. She received her bachelor’s from Carlos Albizu University in business administration and credits her interest in immigration law with influencing her decision to pursue a law degree after 15 years as an administrative assistant and translator.

At FIU College of Law, Canona participated in the Legal Externship Program, where she had the chance to work at the Department of Justice’s Immigration Court. She has also been active with the Carlos A. Costa Immigration and Human Rights Clinic and currently serves as intern to the Honorable Frank A. Shepherd of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal.

While in the DOJ Honors Program, Canona plans to explore the intricacy of immigration law, an area she believes encompasses a multitude of legal issues.

“I will be working as a judicial law clerk for the Immigration Court, which typically handles cases of national importance, and it will be an honor to serve my country,” she said.

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