Cindy Zapata

Cindy Zapata is a Clinical Instructor in Harvard Law School's Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program, where she supervises and trains students in the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic (HIRC) and Crimmigration Clinic. Her work involves direct representation in immigration cases, bond representation, and managing humanitarian protection applications. She coordinates community outreach programs including Know-Your-Rights presentations and serves as supervising attorney for the HLS Immigration Project (HIP).

Education:

• J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (2015)
• B.A. in Political Science, Queens College, City University of New York

Research Focus: Zapata specializes in immigration systems, refugee protections, criminal-immigration law intersections, and gender-based legal frameworks. Her clinical work emphasizes practical advocacy for vulnerable populations through direct representation and community education initiatives.

Supervision Roles: Trains law students in asylum case preparation, humanitarian protections, and crimmigration litigation while leading a student-practice organization focused on immigration advocacy.