Elise Payette completed her first year at the University of New Mexico School of Law this spring (Class of 2026). Elise moved to New Mexico from the Midwest to attend UNM for her bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies, Spanish, and Portuguese. After graduating, Elise worked as a medical interpreter and Spanish language instructor. She then worked as a paralegal and senior case manager for an Albuquerque immigration law firm for six years prior to starting her legal education. This experience gave Elise insight into the challenges and intricacies of legal work and led her to pursue a JD. She looks forward to integrating her passion for social justice, practical legal skills from her paralegal training, and analytical skills from her first year of law school into the new areas of criminal defense and civil rights.