NATALIA AKOPIAN (SHE/HER)

DCALF FELLOW

Natalia Akopian joined DC Affordable Law Firm in August 2025. Natalia is a summa cum laude graduate of UDC David A. Clarke School of Law and the 2024 Mark Herzog Public Interest Scholarship Recipient. An Armenian immigrant who came to the U.S. from Russia at age six, Natalia’s upbringing as the daughter of a refugee and single mother shaped her deep commitment to serving immigrant and low-income communities.

During law school, she focused on advancing social justice through coursework and clinical work. As a student attorney in UDC Law’s Immigration and Human Rights Clinic, she represented clients in complex immigration cases and co-led a continuing education course for Virginia public defenders on post-conviction relief options for noncitizens.

Before law school, Natalia worked as a Policy Associate at the World Resources Institute and interned at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. She brings a strong background in advocacy for environmental and transportation equity.

Natalia is joining DCALF as a Fellow and Georgetown Law LL.M. student, continuing her commitment to expanding access to justice for underserved DC residents.

*Not admitted to practice in the District of Columbia or any jurisdiction in the United States. Practicing in affiliation with DC Affordable Law Firm, a specifically authorized court program under D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49(c)(10), and working under the supervision of Lauren Birzon Harriman, DC Bar No. 1000223.