Catching Up with Alumni
Samara Diab ‘19, Attorney for Legal Aid Services of Oregon
December 8, 2023
By Annalynn Mueller, junior English Major
Pictured above: Samara Diab
Growing up in Ashland, Samara Diab decided to stay local and live at home during her undergrad. She was not certain what she wanted to do, but picked classes based on what excited her most–reading, writing, research, and analysis. Naturally, these things led Samara to the English department. She double majored in English and French (She was one of the last French majors to graduate before the program got cut) and minored in Economics. Although she did not know what she wanted to do after graduation, Samara had a passion for using her “academic skills… to directly benefit people impacted by the injustices of our world.”
“I am drawn to the concept of using research and academia as a form of advocacy.”
– Samara Diab
Looking back on her undergraduate years, Samara cannot emphasize the importance of her English major enough: “It provided me with critical reading, writing, editing, research, and analytical skills that so many different graduate programs and careers value.” Additionally, she appreciated the flexibility that the major gave her to explore different topics. She says “thank you to all the professors who returned essays to [her] completely covered in red- ink edits.” and to Alma Rosa Alvarez’s critical-theory course for being challenging and rewarding. As an English major, Samara became a confident writer and a quick reader with an eye for detail — skills which were essential in law school and in her future career.
In fall 2019 Samara began law school at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law. This program seemed like “a natural fit…in the sense that it required a strong ability to read, write, and analyze–all of the things [she] had loved so much during undergrad.” Although she felt prepared for the academic demands of law school, Samara felt frustrated by the culture and the “archaic and often ritualistic pedagogy that fails to support students who do not fit the traditional, conservative image of ‘lawyer.’” The pandemic only heightened her frustration. Despite these challenges, Samara found professors and peers who challenged, supported, and inspired her. During the pandemic, she watched tenants being evicted from their homes in a “conveyor belt-like fashion” and with the help of colleagues “established an eviction court watching project to help hold local eviction courts accountable.” In 2020 the Almeda fires drew Samara back to southern Oregon, where she found a strong sense of purpose and direction to use her skills and passions after graduating with her JD degree (juris doctorate) in 2022.
“I felt compelled to use the skills I was learning in law school to support the community that had always supported me.”
– Samara Diab
Samara now works as a staff attorney with the Eviction Defense Project at Legal Aid Services of Oregon. She “provides services to low-income tenants statewide,” but her primary service area is the central Oregon coast (Lincoln county) area. Samara works as both an eviction defense attorney and a trial attorney. As an eviction defense attorney Samara represents low-income tenants in eviction court and “advocates to preserve people’s housing (and keep evictions off their records), connect [her] clients with other services such as social workers or rent assistance to help them preserve their housing in the long term, and to help them navigate exploitative power dynamics and institutions.” As a trial attorney Samara has to keep up on new legislation, conduct settlement negotiations with landlords on behalf of her clients, and prepare to be in the courtroom.
“Another one of the important parts of my job is giving my clients a space to feel heard, validated, and advocated for… I strive to make sure my clients understand the processes so that they feel that they can have a voice and autonomy in these eviction proceedings.”
– Samara Diab
To accomplish all of these goals, Samara spends a lot of time “talking to clients and opposing parties on the phone; conferring with colleagues about case strategy; conducting legal research; drafting motions, advice letters, settlement agreements, and other legal documents; and appearing in court.” She typically has between 10-20 clients at a time and has cases that can last anywhere from several days to several months. She is able to help a wide range of low-income Oregonians who are often “elderly, disabled, single parents, or other intersectional identities who are negatively impacted by our property and legal system.” She takes pride in making a difference in the world through “helping low income individuals stay in their homes and prevent landlords from exploiting them financially or forcing them to live in uninhabitable conditions.”
“Personally, this job has had a profound effect on me. It has enabled me to advocate for the basic rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our Oregon community.”
– Samara Diab
Samara has also had the opportunity to quickly, excel, and gain confidence. In her year of being an attorney, she has already had extensive courtroom and trial experience. Samara has already made an immense impact on the community and finds it rewarding “seeing a tangible difference in the world as a result of [her] work. She urges current students to “seek out opportunities that inspire and excite you even if you aren’t certain about exactly what you want to do or whether you are qualified.”
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Interested in being featured on the English Program blog? Or know someone who is interested? Contact English Program blogger Annalynn Mueller at muellera1@sou.edu .
Learn more about SOU’s English Programs:
English Home Page | English BA/BS | English Minor | TESOL Certificate Program
