Mentorships + Internship Lead Barbara Czaja ’24 to Law School
Degree: B.S. in Criminal Justice
Minor: Law
Mentors: Bernadette Ford, Elizabeth Broccoli, Joseph Maldonado, David Cshua
Program: Pre-Law Institute (PLI)
Internship: Judge Wilma Guzman ’78, Bronx Supreme Court
Hometown: Kielce, Poland; New York, NY
Career Aspiration: Plaintiff-side Civil Litigation lawyer
Law School: University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law
What was life like before John Jay?
I was born and raised in Poland and lived there for 18 years. My family is very career-oriented; we have medical doctors in the family, including my uncle and his wife. Because of that, my family really wanted me to be a doctor. In high school, my focus was on biology and chemistry, but I realized science wasn’t really my thing. I wanted time to discover what I genuinely loved, and I always dreamt of coming to the United States, specifically New York City.
Growing up, I watched American movies like Home Alone. I was fascinated by the yellow cabs, skyscrapers, and how busy and alive the city appeared. It felt like a perfect fit for me. When I learned about an au pair program in the U.S., which offers stipends for education and placements with host families to help take care of their kids, I applied.
What was it like coming to the U.S.?
Coming to New York City was the first time I traveled abroad. When I got here, there was a language barrier, even though I took English classes in Poland. It took about eight months for me to feel comfortable speaking English and not get frustrated if someone corrected me. As an au pair, I was placed with a family in Long Island with two children. I worked with them Monday through Friday, and I had the weekends to myself. I was coming into Manhattan every weekend and taking English classes. Every night, I would take my books and find English words I didn’t know, write them down in my notebook, look them up in the dictionary, and learn their meaning and how to pronounce them.
Why John Jay?
I had a friend who had attended John Jay and suggested I consider the college. At the time, I knew I wanted to become an attorney. Once I learned it was one of the top colleges for criminal justice and law—and for getting students into law school—I knew it was where I belonged.
What sparked your passion for law?
A year after I arrived in the United States, I was assaulted by someone I had briefly dated. He tried to scare me into not reporting him by saying he would have me deported. I decided that no matter what, I would go to the police and report the assault, which is what I did. As the victim in the case, I didn’t have access to a lawyer or anyone who could give me advice on how to fight for my rights in court. Knowing I had no legal knowledge but would have to navigate the justice system on my own, I took it upon myself to find books on civil and criminal law. I read whatever was accessible to me and watched court trials online. Doing this helped me not only learn English and advocate for myself in the court system, but it also made me want to become a lawyer. I was able to file cases in both family and civil court, draft motions, obtain a permanent restraining order, and secure a settlement in the case. I took something horrific and made something good come out of it. I empowered myself.
Since then, I’ve taught myself how to draft demand letters, which has proven to be an effective tool for me. I’ve served demand letters on several big companies, including a major airline and a medical company, and have had a 100 percent success rate, recovering almost $30,000 in monetary damages through settlements.
How did your John Jay mentors put you on the path to success?
Every mentor I had at John Jay contributed so much to my professional life. When I joined the Pre-Law Institute, I asked Ms. Broccoli if there were any work opportunities available with the office. She said there was a summer volunteer position, so I took it. The Pre-Law Institute was vital to my admission to law school. They helped me with the entire application process, reviewing my materials and offering guidance every step of the way.
I learned so much from Professor Ford and her seminar on the Fourth Amendment. She’s a former prosecutor with years of experience working in criminal law. I admired her so much and appreciated the depth of insight she provided, as well as her mentorship and advice on law school and my future career. Being mentored by her affirmed my deep desire to pursue a career in law and work on the plaintiff side.
Professor Maldonado taught a leadership skills course that inspired me to launch the DonorHound Club on campus. He was the faculty mentor for the club. Through the club, we organized four bone marrow drives to raise awareness and potentially save lives. Over 500 people registered for the drives. My goal was to make saving lives a reality through action and to provide hope for people living with cancer and other diseases.
How did your judicial internship positively impact your legal aspirations?
Interning with Judge Guzman was an exciting and invaluable experience. Knowing I was sitting in the courtroom of a John Jay alumna, learning from her and gaining insight into what it’s like to be a judge was a transformative learning opportunity. During the internship, I was exposed to a broad range of legal cases, from medical malpractice to labor law to motor vehicle cases. I also had the chance to watch cases that were being presided over by other judges, including a three-judge appeals panel. I really appreciated how the court approached pro se litigants, giving them a real chance to present their stories rather than dismissing them outright because of a lack of formal legal training. I believe that is what justice is about, serving the people rather than only those who can afford an attorney.
Why did you choose your law school and how did John Jay help prepare you for the program?
One of the reasons I wanted to come to S.J. Quinney College of Law was that, similar to John Jay, many of its professors have valuable field experience. I was excited to learn from them. In the future, I’d like to work in plaintiff-side litigation. At S.J. Quinney College of Law, I have the opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty members who are experts in plaintiff litigation and victims' rights. Attending S.J. Quinney College of Law feels like the perfect opportunity to build on the solid foundation I developed at John Jay. My experiences at John Jay, such as learning from practitioners like Professor Ford and completing a judicial internship with Judge Guzman, prepared me well for law school. John Jay truly gave me a head start and a leg up in my legal education.
How do you see yourself moving the needle forward on justice issues?
I really want to focus on helping underrepresented groups gain access to an attorney and the resources they need to pursue legal action successfully. I want to be part of a movement that empowers people who are mistreated, especially by large corporations, to achieve justice. My goal is to hold bad actors accountable and to get my clients the justice they deserve.
Finish this sentence: Because of John Jay…
Because of John Jay, I am in law school, living the life I’ve always dreamt of living. John Jay College of Criminal Justice provided me with knowledge, mentorships, and opportunities that I would not have found anywhere else. I’ll be forever grateful to the College and all my mentors and professors.
