Five UVA School of Law Students and Alumni Selected for Federal Attorney Honors Programs

The federal government has selected five University of Virginia School of Law students and alumni to join their ranks as attorneys in the fall through two attorney honors programs. These programs are highly selective and attract candidates from hundreds of law schools nationwide.


Natalie Anderson ’22, Sujata Bajracharya ’23, Megan Jones ’22, and Ariana Smith ’23 will join the U.S. Department of Justice's honors program. Anderson will be working as an assistant U.S. attorney with the Superior Court Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where she will be prosecuting state-level crimes in Washington, D.C. Bajracharya will be joining the Executive Office of Immigration Review in the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer and clerk for administrative law judges in OCAHO. Jones will be assisting U.S. attorneys’ offices nationwide in investigating and prosecuting white-collar and financial crimes working for the Tax Division’s Criminal Enforcement Section. Smith will work for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, assisting immigration judges by reviewing case files, analyzing legal issues, and drafting legal decisions.

Elana Oser ’23 will be an honors attorney at the U.S. Department of the Interior. In this role, Oser will support the Department of the Interior’s activities involving the conservation and management of public lands, national parks, wildlife refuges, and natural resources in the U.S. Office of the Solicitor.

Kevin Bui ’23 will also join the ranks of attorneys in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office through its honors program.

The selection criteria for these programs are highly competitive. They vary, but are generally based on a commitment to government service, academic achievement, law school experiences (such as leadership, journal, moot court, mock trial, or clinical experience), past employment, and extracurricular activities related to the department’s work.

The students expressed their excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to serve their country and gain valuable experience as attorneys in the federal government. They also shared their goals and aspirations for their roles, which include improving their oral advocacy skills, learning more about how immigration and employment law interact, creating accountability for those who violate the law, gaining insight into the way that immigration judges make their decisions, and supporting the mission of the Department of the Interior.