Jessica Arena

Jessica T. Arena’s civil rights practice includes immigration law, litigating immigration delays in federal court, and prisoners’ rights litigation.

Prior to starting her own firm in 2023, Jessica was an immigration attorney at Catholic Charities of the East Bay, primarily representing unaccompanied minors fleeing violence in Central America in their applications for asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. There, she also represented clients in family-based and U Visa cases. She also worked for the Law Offices of Robert B. Jobe, representing individuals in deportation and asylum proceedings. She has also had the privilege of working with Justice First, a public interest law firm dedicated to protecting fundamental human rights and liberties.

Jessica has dedicated her entire career to working in public interest law. She received her J.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Law in 2014. She was a member of the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic, assisting immigrant women mistreated at a chicken processing plant to apply for U-visas and asylum. Jessica advocated on behalf of women workers in free-trade-zone factories in Sri Lanka, and supported their development of unions. Jessica was the research assistant for Dean Kevin Johnson on issues of immigration, discrimination, constitutional law, and human rights. She was a contributing blogger for the UC Davis School of Law Journal for International Law and Policy.