IS US

PRECIOUS LEWIS ’20 Assistant General Counsel Safe Horizon

Safe Horizon is the largest victim services nonprofit in the United States, serving over 250,000 children and adults annually. Operating throughout New York City, it supports, prevents violence against, and promotes justice for victims of crime and abuse and for their families and communities. It’s a mission that resonates for Precious Lewis, who serves as the organization’s Assistant General Counsel.

“I’m very community oriented,” she says. “In my position, I advocate strongly for people who feel voiceless, scared, and marginalized on an institutional level. I love that I’m assisting an organization that feels strongly about promoting justice for survivors of crime. The work is especially important to me as a survivor of intimate relationship violence. That personal experience ultimately led me to become an attorney. I wanted to help people who were in a similar position.”

At St. John’s Law, planning on being a litigator, Lewis took several skills-based courses. “I learned how to listen and connect with clients, negotiate based on objective facts and research, and meet deadlines,” she says. “I also enjoyed speaking to my professors. Their mentorship and advice have been instrumental in shaping my career choices.” Lewis engaged the skills she gained in law school as she started her career in employment law and then switched to matrimonial law practice.

“Now that I’m in house, I still lean on what I learned at St. John’s,” she shares. “I meet with a lot of people, so I try to listen carefully, prioritize their goals, and help guide them through possible options. Domestic violence is a complex issue, and working with survivors takes a lot of empathy, humility, and respect for how others choose to live their lives. Safe Horizon places an emphasis on being client-centered and anti-racist in our practices. There is a racial disparity in domestic violence, and it’s important to be mindful of that when advocating for clients.”

While she didn’t expect to go in house so early in her career, Lewis is happy with her decision. “I like working on contracts and advising staff members on commercial real estate, insurance, employment, and benefits-related issues,” she says. “I also love working with the Safe Horizon staff. Everyone is hardworking, smart, and passionate about helping survivors of crime and domestic violence. Being flexible and ambitious has helped me to transition into a position that I really enjoy.”

KIERA LOBREGLIO ’05 Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark

When Kiera LoBreglio was a law student, she participated in the full-year Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic, which St. John’s runs in partnership with Catholic Charities of New York. “It was the best part of law school for me,” she says, “and it set me on a path to a career in immigration.” After she earned her J.D., that path took LoBreglio from an Immigration Law Clerk post at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit through years of private practice and into her current role as Director, Immigrant & Refugee Services at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark.

At Catholic Charities, LoBreglio oversees a team of lawyers and legal and social service professionals working with immigrants and refugees, from when they arrive until they become citizens and beyond. “The Immigrant & Refugee Services division consists of 16 separate programs, so I supervise the program managers and staff, liaise with funders, collaborate with community partners, write grants, and participate in local and national advocacy efforts on behalf of the clients we serve,” she explains.

LoBreglio enjoys being in a dynamic field of law, where there is always an opportunity to try something new—whether it’s a new type of case, a novel strategy, or a chance to build a program to serve a different demographic or address a rising challenge. “It’s also great to work with colleagues and clients who teach me something new every day,” she says. “I’m constantly in contact and conversation with people who have vastly different experiences and perspectives from mine.”

Outside of work, LoBreglio enjoys family time with her husband, David Eskew ’04, and their children, especially in the mountains and on the baseball field. She has also shared her knowledge and skills with St. John’s Law students as an adjunct professor, and pursued interests in foreign languages and travel. Considering her life in the law, LoBreglio follows the same advice she would dispense to students: “There is no single ‘right’ way to build a legal career, so find a thread that connects as many of your interests as possible, and don’t be afraid to see where it leads you!”