About Prerna
Prerna Lal built her path to law through a sequence of academic steps that took her from California to Washington, D.C. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University, East Bay in 2004, followed by a Master of Arts in International Relations from San Francisco State University in 2007. She completed her J.D. at The George Washington University Law School in 2013.
Her early legal work began in private practice and public interest settings. In 2012 she served as a law clerk and then an associate at Benach Ragland LLP, where she gained front-line litigation and research experience. She moved into policy and advocacy in 2014 as a staff lawyer at Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC. That role exposed her to issues affecting immigrant communities and to federal policy work.
In 2015 Lal joined the East Bay Community Law Center as a staff lawyer and clinical instructor. There she worked on cases and supervised law students in client-facing clinics. The mix of client advocacy and teaching led to a subsequent academic appointment. In 2018 she served as a Lecturer-in-Law at UC Berkeley, teaching and mentoring students on practical lawyering skills.
Lal's professional associations trace a long-term engagement with both immigration law and broader legal movements. She has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 2011. Her participation in the National Lawyers Guild dates back to 2008, and she holds membership in the Federal Bar Association since 2015. These affiliations reflect steady ties to practitioner communities and continuing legal education.
She now leads Lal Legal, A Professional Law Corporation as its managing lawyer. The firm handles matters that draw on her public interest background and immigration practice experience. Her work trajectory shows sustained involvement in cases and clinics that serve immigrant populations, as well as classroom and supervisory roles that train newer lawyers.
Colleagues and former students describe Lal as someone who balances casework and instruction. She has moved between advocacy organizations, an academic setting, and private practice, carrying practical courtroom and clinic experience into each role. She is licensed to practice in the District of Columbia and maintains memberships in national and specialty bar groups.
Lal currently manages Lal Legal, A Professional Law Corporation, where she handles immigration matters and related client advocacy.
