Paulina Leyva Hernandez and Salimah Khoja ’24 Win Prestigious Burton Award for Student Legal Writing
CUNY Law Review article analyzing Texas’ Operation Lone Star and S.B. 4 earns evening program students national recognition for legal writing
Salimah Khoja ’24
CUNY School of Law proudly announces that Paulina Leyva Hernandez ’24 and Salimah Khoja ’24 have been selected as recipients of the 2025 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award, presented by the Burton Awards. Their article, “Between a River and a Wall: An Impossible Choice for Migrants Living Under Operation Lone Star and S.B. 4,” originally published in the CUNY Law Review, was one of only 15 law student articles nationwide to receive this prestigious honor.
The Burton Awards—held in association with the Library of Congress and co-sponsored by the American Bar Association and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP—represent one of the highest distinctions in legal writing. Winners are selected by a panel of esteemed legal scholars, practitioners, and judges, including faculty from UC Berkeley School of Law, Harvard Law School, and Georgetown Law.
Paulina Leyva Hernandez ’24
Scholarship Rooted in Advocacy
“Paulina and Salimah’s exceptional scholarship exemplifies what makes CUNY Law distinct—engaged legal writing that not only deepens our understanding of the law but also advances justice,” said Dean Sudha Setty. “Their work stands as a testament to the power of critical legal analysis paired with a deep commitment to public service.”
Leyva Hernandez and Khoja’s award-winning article provides a critical analysis of Texas’ Operation Lone Star and S.B. 4, policies that have significantly expanded state-led immigration enforcement, bypassing federal authority and increasing risks for migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Their work examines these policies within a broader legal and human rights framework, addressing implications for due process, federalism, and international law.
Their recognition highlights CUNY Law’s emphasis on legal writing as a tool for advocacy and systemic change. Professor Andrea McArdle, a faculty member who has helped develop the Law School’s legal writing curriculum and served as a long-time faculty advisor to the CUNY Law Review, underscored the impact of this achievement. “The Law School is so proud of Paulina and Salimah’s work, which reflects the importance we place on preparing accomplished lawyer-writers to call attention to legal problems and frame compelling arguments in the service of human need,” she said.
While at CUNY Law, both Leyva Hernandez and Khoja were students in the evening program part-time study and the Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic (INRC), one of the nation’s first immigration law clinics, renowned for its litigation, advocacy, and cutting-edge legal strategies that challenge the widening divide between citizens and non-citizens in the U.S.
“I am honored to have this piece recognized by the Burton Awards, especially at a time when immigration policy remains as dynamic and uncertain as ever, creating profound challenges, perpetuating harm, and deepening systemic barriers for immigrant communities. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to these critical conversations and remain committed to using my writing and legal advocacy to highlight the urgency of this work and the importance of advancing fair, humane, and just outcomes, while centering the experiences of those most affected,” stated Leyva Hernandez.
Leyva Hernandez was also a clinic in the Emerging Needs Clinic, a pilot program created in response to the city’s need for legal support for the growing migrant community in New York City. She was also a student leader in CUNY’s chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project, was named to multiple fellowships as a two-time Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice Fellow as well as a Public Interest Law Association Fellow, and was a student delegate to the FIRE/El Paso and Mississippi Project. In her final year, she also participated in the Emerging Needs Clinic.
“Immigration advocacy matters because the right to seek safety, opportunity, and a better life is fundamental to human dignity. In a world shaped by movement, no one should be denied a future because of where they were born. Justice means fighting for policies that recognize immigration as a right, not a privilege. This fight is important now more than ever and I am grateful to CUNY Law professors for their guidance and encouragement during the writing process and for the judges panel for selecting this article at a pivotal time in our country’s history,” shared Khoja.
During her time at CUNY Law, Khoja served as co-editor-in-chief of the CUNY Law Review and as a member of the executive board of CUNY’s South Asian Law Students Association. She also participated in Moot Court and won Best Brief during the summer competition. In addition, Khoja was a recipient of the Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice Fellowship, a Public Interest Summer Grant, and served as a Children’s Legal Intern at the International Rescue Committee. She also served on the Evening Program curricular Review Sub-Committee, and Student Government.
Leyva Hernandez and Khoja’s recognition at the Burton Awards highlights CUNY Law’s national reputation for excellence in legal writing, clinical education, and public interest lawyering. Their achievement joins a growing legacy of CUNY Law scholarship pushing legal discourse forward and influencing policy debates on the most pressing issues of our time.
The 2025 Burton Awards Ceremony will take place on May 19 at the Library of Congress, where Leyva Hernandez and Khoja will be honored alongside the nation’s top legal writers.