Sarina Hegli is a Senior Legal Assistant in the San Diego office of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight, a national law firm with offices in the District of Columbia, New York, California, and Tennessee. Sarina graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, where she attained the highest standing in her department and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Sarina was also recognized as a Rhodes Scholar Finalist in 2024.

At Princeton, Sarina studied Political Theory, East Asian Studies (with an emphasis on Chinese language), and Diplomacy. Her senior thesis, entitled “Kings Without Subjects: Normative Considerations for the Recognition of the Governments-in-Exile of Tibet, East Turkistan, and Taiwan,” combined theories of international law, diplomatic recognition, and human rights. Outside the classroom, Sarina served as a leader of the International Relations Council, a peer mentor, and a faculty research assistant.

Sarina has served as an Intern with the California-based Conservatorship Reform Project, the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking, New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, and the New Jersey Governor’s Office of Constituent Relations. In these capacities, she learned a great deal about the intersection of law and politics, working directly with impacted persons to shape compassionate and effective policy.

Sarina is passionate about human rights and hopes to attend law school in the future.