Introducing the 2025 WLI Fellows

Collage of the eleven WLI Fellows for 2025.

Now in its 20th year, the Washington Leadership Institute (WLI) is a collaborative leadership program created by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Board of Governors with a mission to recruit, train and develop traditionally underrepresented attorneys for future leadership positions in the WSBA and legal community.

The program strives to recruit fellows for each class who reflect the full diversity of our state. Sessions include topics such as the “nuts and bolts” of law practice, leadership styles, the judiciary and the legislative process.

WLI alumni, Advisory Board members and friends of the WLI are invited to a kickoff reception on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender in Seattle. An RSVP is requested by January 27.

The reception, which will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., will celebrate the beginning of the WLI year and welcome the incoming 2025 fellows into the program.


Alexandra Rawlings

Alexandra Rawlings

Alexandra Rawlings is a staff attorney at Northwest Justice Project (NJP), a statewide nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal assistance and representation in cases affecting basic human needs such as family safety and security, housing preservation, protection of income, and access to health care and education. Rawlings’ work at NJP focuses on serving the Tribal communities in Whatcom, Skagit and Island counties. Before joining NJP, Rawlings was the Directing Attorney of the Indian Law Project and Workers’ Rights Project at Nevada Legal Services.


Alex Bejarán Estévez

Alex Bejarán Estévez

Alex Bejarán Estévez works as a staff attorney at the Sexual Violence Law Center (SVLC), a statewide nonprofit organization that provides free, holistic legal services to survivors of gender-based violence in Washington. Through his work, Estévez has had the opportunity to work with and represent survivors across the state of Washington in Superior, District, and Tribal Courts, as well as the Court of Appeals. In addition to his legal work, Bejarán Estévez serves as policy director of the 36th District Democrats and as an advisory committee member to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Habitat Acquisition Advisory Committee. He also served on the Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Committee until December 2024.

Prior to moving to Washington and joining SVLC, Estévez was an Access to Justice Fellow at the Volunteer Lawyers Project in Syracuse, NY, where he assisted low-income individuals in their housing, immigration and family law cases. Estévez pursued a legal career after interning with the House Budget Committee Democrats as part of the highly selective Washington Center’s Hill Internship Program and working on a congressional primary in New Hampshire, where he worked first as a finance fellow, and then as a policy assistant to the campaign. While in law school, Estévez served as secretary and then president of the Latin American Law Student Association and interned at the Council on American Islamic Relations. Estévez received his J.D. degree from Syracuse University College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus.


Bianca Connell-Flint

Bianca Connell-Flint

Bianca Connell-Flint was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She earned her B.A. in accounting from Seattle University and graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 2015. She is a former assistant city attorney for the Seattle City Attorney’s Office and former deputy prosecutor for the King County Prosecutor's Office. Her practice consisted of litigating gross misdemeanors and felonies. She is currently an associate at Connell Law Office, PLLC, where her practice focuses on probate, personal injury and real estate. Connell-Flint has served as secretary for the Loren Miller Bar Association (LMBA) and was previously recognized for her commitment to service with the Loren Miller Bar Association Young Lawyer Award. She also volunteered for The LMBA Bar Prep Program for several years post law school.


Cloie Chapman

Cloie Chapman

Cloie Chapman is a staff attorney in the Housing Stability Program at Eastside Legal Assistance Program. She previously worked as a family law attorney and was a judicial clerk for Washington State Supreme Court Justice Mary I. Yu. Chapman enjoys connecting with potential law students to show them that there are many different paths to the legal field. During her time at Seattle University School of Law, she served on the boards of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association, Public Interest Law Foundation and American Indian Law Journal.


Jordan Berger

Jordan Berger

Jordan Berger is an associate at Terrell Marshall Law Group PLLC. Before joining Terrell Marshall, Berger was a Skadden Fellow at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and a judicial law clerk for the Western District of Washington. She is dedicated to making the legal profession more accessible to individuals with disabilities, having co-founded both the National Disabled Law Students Association and the National Disabled Legal Professionals Association.


Kelly Oshiro

Kelly Oshiro

Kelly Oshiro is an assistant attorney general with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (AGO), where she serves on the Employment team in the University of Washington Division. Oshiro advises the University on various employment issues and represents the University in labor litigation. In a previous role at the AGO, Oshiro represented numerous state agencies and higher education clients in employment and labor matters. Kelly also practiced juvenile litigation law. Oshiro currently serves as vice chair of the Washington State Board of Health. She also serves on various committees within the AGO, including Attorney and Law Clerk Recruitment and Attorney Training Committee. Oshiro is from Oahu, Hawaii, but now calls Washington home. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and a J.D. from the University of Oregon.


Marissa John

Marissa John

Marissa John is a sports and entertainment law attorney and currently serves as the director of legal affairs for the Seattle Seahawks and Lumen Field. She counsels clients on a variety of transactions and is a trusted strategic advisor to her internal business clients and senior leadership. Prior to joining the Seahawks, John was associate corporate counsel at Amazon, Inc. in their National Operations & Real Estate Group. In addition to her work at Amazon, John has worked for large corporate law firms where she represented private and public clients throughout the country in connection with the acquisition, financing, leasing, sale and operation of commercial retail, industrial, office and hotel properties. She also counseled professional sports teams, leagues, ownership groups and related governing bodies in various matters associated with the acquisition, development and operation of sports facilities. John received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Central Florida, her J.D. from Emory University School of Law and her LL.M. in Sports Law from the University of Miami. John is the founding member and vice president of the National Society of Black Sports Professionals- Seattle Chapter, a board member for Uplift Northwest LLC, and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.


Mehera Nori

Mehera Nori

Mehera Nori is an attorney and artist. She is currently the owner of Pride Law PLLC, a small law practice focused on supporting the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) community throughout the state with general civil legal services. Nori finds great joy in being a community-driven attorney and has worked extensively in public sector and direct client service work. Prior to Pride Law, Nori worked in nonprofit healthcare compliance, civil legal aid and in small civil law firms. Mehera volunteers regularly with the King County Community Court in Redmond and with QLaw Foundation of Washington. Nori is also a visual artist and primarily works in comics and sequential art. Her pieces have been published in literary magazines and comics anthologies. As an artist and illustrator, she has collaborated and worked with organizations such as Desi Rainbow Parents & Allies, The Church Council of Greater Seattle, Lavender Phoenix, Blue Heart Action and Surge Reproductive Justice. Nori received her J.D. in 2016 from University of California, College of Law – San Francisco. She received her B.A. from Whitman College in 2012. She is a lifelong resident of the West Coast and currently lives in Seattle.


Oscar Aguirre

Oscar Aguirre

Oscar Aguirre is the staff attorney for the King County Bar Association (KCBA) Records Project. In his role, Aguirre manages a pro bono program that assists low-income individuals with clearing their criminal record. Aguirre also engages in policy advocacy on systemic issues related to criminal records and legal financial obligations. Before joining KCBA, Aguirre was a public defender in Skagit County and a law clerk for a U.S. District Court judge in Texas.


Sarah L. Freedman

Sarah L. Freedman

Sarah L. Freedman is a graduate of the Seattle University School of Law, where she focused on experiential learning. She steered her on-campus experiences towards criminal and constitutional law, and when out of the classroom, tried 11 jury trials before graduation. She began her legal career as a prosecutor before hanging her own shingle in February of 2018. As a solo practitioner, Freedman runs a trial heavy practice with an emphasis on domestic violence cases and mental health issues. Having experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney gives her perspective that enhances her ability to advocate for her clients. Freedman is not afraid of a fight but has the experience to know the difference between a case that needs a firmer hand or a lighter touch.


Yohana Valdez

Yohana Valdez

Yohana Valdez is a managing attorney in the Seattle office of Kids in Need of Defense, an organization that provides pro bono and direct legal representation to unaccompanied children. Valdez is motivated by a deep and personal interest in the migratory experience and her beliefs in the human right to migration and the dignity of all people. Valdez received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and holds an M.A. in Francophone Studies with a concentration in North African immigration from UCLA.