SHJ is pleased to welcome our first class of project assistants, Angie Vertti and Sina Shahnizadeh, to the firm.

About the Project Assistant Initiative

SHJ’s project assistant initiative is part of an ongoing effort to better serve clients’ needs by optimizing our internal processes. Over the course of a one- or two-year term, project assistants gain hands-on, real-world law firm experience as they assist lawyers with fact research, data analysis, and trial preparation. According to recruiting partner Adam Dinnell, “our goal was to identify candidates with an interest in law school and litigation who recently graduated from some of the country’s top undergraduate schools. We plan on bringing in a new slate of project assistants each year, with efforts already underway at schools such as Columbia, Georgetown, Northwestern, Rice, and Stanford.”

Meet Angie

Angie Vertti, who graduated from Rice University in May with a degree in Sociology and Policy Studies, brings a global perspective and strong language abilities to her work for SHJ. Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, she is fluent in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. In college, Angie studied abroad at China’s Nanjing University and worked for a migrant and refugee rights NGO in Guadalajara, Mexico. Her legal experience includes a legal assistant position at a Houston-based immigration law firm and a judicial internship under Federal Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Angie said: “I’m looking forward to working with a driven, energetic team that delivers exceptional results for our clients. SHJ is a well-respected firm in the Houston area, which is where I plan on practicing after I graduate from law school. This position will allow me to foster connections that will help me in the future as a Texas-based lawyer.”

Meet Sina

Sina Shahnizadeh, who recently graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Philosophy and Anthropology, is also multilingual, with fluency in Farsi and a working proficiency in German. During his time at UNC, he was an active participant in local politics, including tenures as a training captain and as a communications director. Previously, Sina interned at the Office of Congressman Robert Pittenger, the representative for North Carolina’s 9th congressional district.

Sina said: “I look forward to adding my diverse perspective and creative thinking skills to SHJ’s team. I’m also excited to gain firsthand exposure to trial law, an area I plan to pursue in law school. This experience will undoubtedly set me apart from my law school peers.”