Chloe Kangarlu '26: Finding Community While Staying True to Herself

After completing the bar exam and beginning her legal career as a judicial law clerk in New Jersey, Chloe Kangarlu '26 is reflecting on the journey that brought her to this moment, a journey shaped by family, culture, advocacy, and the community she found and helped create at Albany Law School.

As an Iranian American and the first lawyer in her family, Kangarlu understands the importance of representation. Her Iranian heritage has always been central to her identity and was one of the earliest influences on her decision to pursue a career in law.

Growing up in an Iranian family, Kangarlu learned the importance of advocacy at an early age. Helping her parents understand and navigate complex legal documents showed her how intimidating the legal system can feel to those unfamiliar with it and how meaningful it can be to have someone willing to help.

Those early experiences helped shape her decision to pursue a legal career where she could help others navigate complex and consequential moments in their own lives. 

“I love my culture. I don't know who I'd be without it, to be very honest,” Kangarlu said.

When Kangarlu arrived at Albany Law, she hoped to connect with others who shared similar cultural experiences. While she did not meet another Iranian student, she quickly found that connection and belonging could take many forms.

Through those friendships, Kangarlu found that sharing her culture often became a way of bringing people closer together. Classmates took a genuine interest in learning about her Iranian heritage, and sharing her culture became a way to form meaningful connections while also learning about the experiences and traditions of others.

That experience also inspired Kangarlu to help create community for others.

Wanting incoming students to have an easier way to meet their future classmates and begin forming connections, Kangarlu created the Albany Law Class of 2026 social media page. What began as a way to help classmates find one another became another example of something Kangarlu came to value throughout law school: if the community or connection you are looking for does not already exist, sometimes you can help create it.

Her time at Albany Law also brought significant personal and professional growth.

Over the course of law school, Kangarlu became increasingly confident in forming professional relationships, embracing unfamiliar opportunities, and allowing herself to explore where she fit within the legal profession.

“I learned to put myself out there more and became much more confident in who I am,” Kangarlu said.

That openness to new experiences ultimately helped Kangarlu find not only her confidence, but also a clearer sense of where she belonged within the legal profession.

Through experiences including the Immigration Law Clinic and the Veterans Pro Bono Project, Kangarlu had opportunities to work with different populations and see firsthand the many ways lawyers can make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Those experiences broadened her perspective on the legal profession and helped shape the kind of lawyer she hopes to become—one who approaches her work with purpose, sound judgment, and an understanding of the people behind every legal issue.

For Kangarlu, the law offered something particularly meaningful: the opportunity to use her legal education to navigate issues that can have a lasting impact on people's lives and futures.

Following graduation and completion of the bar exam, Kangarlu began her legal career as a judicial law clerk in the Civil Part of the New Jersey Superior Court, where she is gaining firsthand experience with a broad range of civil matters. 

The clerkship marks both the beginning of her legal career and the culmination of a law school experience that helped her better understand the kind of attorney she hopes to become.

Looking back on her time at Albany Law, Kangarlu hopes future students, particularly those who enter law school without seeing many people who share their background, will resist the feeling that they need to change or minimize parts of themselves in order to belong.

“Always talk about your culture and your cultural values,” Kangarlu said. “The right people will embrace it, learn about it, and appreciate you for who you are.”

For Kangarlu, being an Iranian American and a first-generation lawyer carries with it a responsibility to make the path feel a little more visible for those who may follow her. And for a future student who might be searching for the representation she once searched for herself, Kangarlu has one final message:

“If there's a young Iranian woman reading this who doesn't see anyone like her in the legal profession, I'd tell her to keep persevering. There is a place for you here. Don't be afraid to be proud of where you come from, and I hope you always know that I will have your back.”