Barbara Czaja was born and raised in Kielce, Poland, and came to New York City at 18 with two suitcases, a few hundred dollars and limited English. When she was physically assaulted shortly after arriving in the United States, she gained a new perspective on the world—and law.
“Although I did not speak English very well, I navigated the American criminal justice system on my own by filing legal actions and navigating various courts. As a first-generation immigrant, I had to figure out not only how to survive but how to find my place and succeed in a system not built for people like me,” she recalls. “While my persistence in seeking justice led to a final resolution in that case, it gave me something way more valuable: a passion for law. That was when I promised myself I would become one of the top attorneys in whatever field of law I decided to pursue.”
Czaja learned English while preparing for court hearings and initiating legal claims.
“When I was first exposed to the American criminal justice system, I began watching criminal trials online and reading every criminal and civil law book I could find,” she says. “I taught myself how to draft motions, interrogatories, and later, demand letters. All of this happened before I even started law school.”
Pursuing a degree in criminal justice
In 2024, Czaja graduated summa cum laude from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in law.
“My studies have equipped me with a solid foundation for law school. I also build upon that knowledge by attending national prestigious symposia and conventions. In March this year, I participated in Clark Symposium on Constitutional Interpretation at Berkeley Law School, which featured Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Vanderbilt Law Professor Brian Fitzpatrick debating the merits of originalism. This November, I will also participate in Federalist Society’s 2025 National Lawyers Convention in Washington D.C.,” she says.
She also interned at the Pre-Law Institute and the Bronx Supreme Court, Civil Division, for Hon. Wilma Guzman, and she continues to work on a contract basis for Tebelekian Law Group, helping senior transactional and litigation attorneys with complex civil matters involving securities, employment, and contract disputes.
“Working for attorneys Nick Tebelekian and David Wysoki, as well as Justice Guzman, was an invaluable experience that brought me closer to my goal of pursuing law school. My judicial internship for Justice Guzman exposed me to a broader variety of civil legal issues,” Czaja says. “Occasionally, I also had an opportunity to watch cases presided over by other judges, including a three-judge appeals panel and mental hygiene cases. I especially appreciated how the court approached pro se litigants, giving them a real chance to present their stories instead of dismissing them outright due to the lack of formal legal training.”
Beginning her law school journey
After visiting dozens of law school campuses across the country, Czaja had narrowed her choices to Utah and Tennessee. On two separate site visits to Utah, she only heard positive things.
“While on campus, I found the many ‘U’ letters appearing across campus in different sizes especially intriguing, and, humorously, I saw it as the universe leading me to Utah Law. I also saw the signs that said ‘U Belong,'” she recalls. “Utah is one of my favorite U.S. states, and I hope to find it a place where I will ultimately settle down. Having already experienced life in both Manhattan and Hawaii, I wanted to go to a law school in a place that would be less overwhelming so I could focus solely on my law school experience and thrive.”
Utah Law was also a top choice because of the faculty and how their backgrounds aligned with Czaja’s previous projects and study areas.
“I was especially drawn to Professor RonNell Andersen Jones, who is nationally recognized for her expertise in the First Amendment. I am also very much aligned with victim advocacy, which is Professor Paul Cassell‘s area of specialization,” Czaja explains. “One of my final undergraduate papers was about Jeffrey Epstein, whom Professor Cassell cross-examined while representing victims in that case. Professor Cassell is also well known for his work on the Boeing 737 MAX crashes, which aligns with my ambition to hold large entities accountable for their wrongdoings. I approached this with a reasonable degree of hope for mentorship.”
Now halfway through her first semester, Czaja says she appreciates the College of Law’s accessibility and support.
“I am grateful that Utah Law prioritizes students’ well-being and offers the resources needed to achieve top performance without sacrificing balance. The admissions team was very helpful, and attending some of the orientation events was informative,” she says. “I’m enjoying Torts, which builds on my criminal justice knowledge and aligns with my background and interest in pursuing claims against large companies. Professor Brigham Daniels has been especially helpful in guiding me in this field. I also greatly value my membership in the Federalist Society. I had the opportunity to meet the Utah Attorney General and the president of the national Federalist Society, which was invaluable.”
Receiving the Arc to Justice fellowship—a scholarship supported by local law firms dedicated to supporting underrepresented students, including Kirton McConkie, Dentons Durham Jones & Pinegar, Parr Brown Gee & Loveless, and Parsons Behle & Latimer—has also made her first few weeks of law school rewarding.
“I am thankful for this recognition, as it helps relieve the financial burden of law school. To me, this fellowship represents acknowledgment of resilience as a first-generation, self-made immigrant navigating a system that can be challenging,” Czaja says. “I especially want to thank Assistant Dean of Admissions Jason Owen, Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner, and the Arc to Justice program partners.”
Planning for a future in civil litigation
Though she has several years of law school ahead, Czaja plans to focus her career on plaintiff-side civil litigation: individual, collective, and class actions.
“My goal is to use litigation skills, competence, and a strong sense of justice not only to win cases but also to push the boundaries of what is achievable in the legal world. I also plan to work toward major publications,” she says. “My mission is to combine creativity and passion for the law to develop accessible content and legal tools for people without formal legal training, making the law not a privilege for the few, but an empowering tool for everyone.”
Networking through conventions, conferences, and symposia energizes Czaja, who says she’s most passionate about advocating for groups of people and using law as a tool to address their everyday problems.
“Law is the only field that makes me feel simultaneously passionate, creative, and intellectually fulfilled. It is not just my passion—it is my skill, which I will use for large-scale legal negotiations as a future class-action attorney. My legal knowledge and background in criminal justice drive me to advocate for myself and others against those who exploit the legal system and take advantage of the vulnerable.”
Learn more about the Arc to Justice program.