Class of 2026: BA in Law Grad Jazlyn Ortega’s Drive to Build a Career Rooted in Justice

Jazlyn Ortega always knew she wanted to go to law school. What she didn’t know was what spending four years in the University of Arizona’s BA in Law program would do to that conviction.  

“It began as a passion ignited by my headstrong personality and strong urge to fight for what I believe to be right, but it has turned into much more,” says Ortega. “While my original inspiration maintains, it is now accompanied by a deep passion for justice and a profound curiosity in the legal framework that creates it.” 

The Alamogordo, New Mexico, native will graduate this spring with a BA in Law and BA in Political Science, leaving behind a student organization she helped establish for students interested in a future in law, and a plan to spend time working in policy in the nation’s capital before applying to law school.  

“The BA in Law program has reinforced the dream I've had since I was a little girl—to go to law school. As cliché as it sounds, it has uncovered a love I have for learning that has never been uncovered by another topic before,” says Ortega. “It has also exposed me to the many ways that the law is relevant and important, helping me to realize the plethora of ways that I can contribute to society by pursuing a career in law.” 

She credits her time in Professor Rob William’s contract law course as not only her most challenging, but ultimately the most formative class in her undergraduate career, helping her realize her ambition from childhood dream into an achievable reality.  

“I spent hours every week making sure I knew the content in the class, and even more in the days leading up to exams. The challenge is not what made it my favorite class, though. What made it my favorite is that through this course, I realized I could succeed in a class of this structure,” says Ortega. “I was able to prove to myself that my desire to study law was not just a fantasy, but a future for myself that was real and attainable.” 

Ortega’s proudest experience, and perhaps her most lasting contribution to the U of A community, wasn’t made in a classroom at all. During her sophomore year, she and a close friend co-founded the Pre-Law Society on campus. The organization was born from firsthand understanding of how inaccessible and foreign law school and the legal field can seem to students who don’t have a roadmap.  

“It has been such a surreal experience watching it grow, and my favorite part is having members come to me and tell me how a guest speaker or event helped them in their journey to law school or reinforced their decision to apply. That was my vision for the organization, and watching that come to fruition is so special to me,” she says.  

After graduation, Ortega plans to take a few years to work in policy — ideally in Washington, D.C. — before applying to law school.  

“University of Arizona Law has provided me with so many resources and opportunities both for myself and my peers,” she says. “The professional skills that the law program has helped me build are the reason I have been able to accomplish what I have during my undergraduate career, and I have no doubt that they will accompany my future career as well.” 

In the future, Ortega wants to lead a career rooted in justice through the fields of both law and policy by continuing to support and establish pathways for success.  

“Our laws are the backbone of our society. Beginning with the Constitution, nothing around us would function without the legal framework that has been built since. However, that system is everchanging and far from perfect. In my career, I hope to maintain the urge to fight for what is right that I have had since I was young.”