Abigail Gonzalez Avila is a rising third-year law student at LMU Loyola Law School. Born in Mexico, she immigrated to the United States as a child. Growing up in the predominantly low-income neighborhood of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles shaped her commitment to advocacy and fueled her passion for social justice.

Abigail earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Analysis from Pomona College. As an immigrant and first-generation student, she has long been committed to serving and advocating alongside immigrant communities. Before law school, she worked with several immigration-focused nonprofit organizations, including Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project and the Immigration Resource Center of San Gabriel Valley. She is also a proud Legal Education Access Pipeline (LEAP) Fellow and Equal Justice America Fellow, programs that support first-generation law students pursuing careers in public interest law.

This year, Abigail was honored to receive the Mexican American Bar Foundation (MABF) Scholarship and the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA) Foundation Ruth Bader Ginsburg Scholarship in recognition of her academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to public interest.

Throughout law school, Abigail has been actively involved in student leadership. During her second year, she served as Co-Programming Chair for the Loyola Public Interest Law Foundation, helping organize events that promoted public interest careers and community engagement. During her third year, she will serve as President of the Loyola Immigration Law Society, President of Resilience at LLS, a student organization that supports immigration-impacted students, and Graduation Chair for the Loyola Latinx Law Students Association.

Abigail is also a clinical student in the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, where she provides direct legal services and advocates on behalf of immigrant clients. This summer, she is serving as a Law Clerk with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Upon graduation, Abigail hopes to become an immigration attorney dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights of immigrant communities.

Outside of law school, Abigail enjoys running, hiking, watching baseball, and exploring new restaurants.