Sharp Queener comes to UChicago Law with a background spanning international human rights and grassroots advocacy. A Stanford graduate and former Fulbright Scholar in Nuremberg, Germany, Queener has worked as a tenant organizer and with a legal aid organization in his hometown of Santa Barbara, California. We spoke with him about his path to law school, his commitment to public interest work, and why UChicago Law’s rigorous academic environment and growing investment in public interest drew him to Chicago.

Tell us a little about your background and the path that led you to law school.

I am dedicated to critiquing systemic power and supporting those who experience its brokenness so clearly. Beginning with my early academic experiences in genocide studies and collective violence, I focused my undergraduate degree on human rights, international law, and transitional justice. After graduating, I continued these studies as a Fulbright Scholar in Nuremberg, Germany, exploring the high-level world and politics of international law. I then put my theory in practice at the grassroots level in my hometown, as a tenant organizer with the Santa Barbara Tenants Union, and eviction defense intern at the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County, before returning to Stanford for a master’s in public policy, focused on housing issues. From my experiences abroad and local, I’ve learned that my ideal role is to be a movement lawyer—someone who turns experiences of injustice into movements for inclusive & equitable communities.

What are one or two professional, academic, or personal experiences that have most shaped who you are, and why?

During the summer of 2020, I was a research assistant on a project exploring inter-disciplinary explanations for genocide. Reading through post-war German and European theory on institutional violence, while witnessing the massive police response to Black Lives Matter protests, changed my outlook on state power and drove me to consider public interest work that tries to support social movement.

Two years ago, my office at Legal Aid helped a group of tenants declare a rent strike in protest of a mass eviction threat and habitability issues in their building. It was great to see how one could use legal knowledge to uplift those fighting for well-needed change. 

What inspired you to pursue a legal education?

Although I had always found the idea of a legal education appealing, since the law is one way systems of power enshrine and express themselves, my time at Legal Aid really made me realize that direct legal services work could be both a fulfilling and effective way to change the status quo. Armed with our legal knowledge, while still centering the dreams and desires of our clients-turned advocates, we were able to empower my hometown’s tenant movement to flip city council seats, freeze the rent, and drive forward what could be one of the most expansive rent stabilization ordinances in California history. I see the promise of this work and want to continue it.

What areas of law or legal issues are you most interested in exploring?

Of course, I am drawn to the broad banner of public-interest law, but as for any specific area, I am still uncertain. I hope to explore a wide breath of possibilities for civil public interest law careers, including immigration law, administrative law, civil rights law, as well as continuing with my prior interests in human rights and property law. I hope to be able to find a field that both interests me, and which can effectively assist those most in need at this moment.

Why did you choose the University of Chicago Law School?

The easiest answer is: “I like school”—I was seriously drawn to the University of Chicago’s rigor, the prospect of diving deep into my areas of interest, and the belief that it will prepare me to be an effective litigator and advocate for the communities I hope to serve. Additionally, as a public interest student, I was seriously impressed by the University of Chicago’s expanded investment in its public interest programming, at a time when many peer institutions seem to be pulling out. I value close mentorship and support for my public interest goals, while still being within wider school ecosystem, and the new Public Interest Leadership Program seems perfect for that.

What impact do you hope to have with your legal education?

As a movement lawyer, I hope to be just one small part of broader social change, leveraging my privileged understanding and access to confront unjustifiable systems in court while also empowering social movements to think beyond it. By pursuing harm reduction or strategic litigation in court, I hope to try and force those in power to reason with the ills of their ways. And when they refuse, I hope to help clients and communities know when it’s time to look elsewhere to get justice, to fight for new institutions that surpass our current limits.

What are you most excited to experience as a UChicago Law student?

The City of Chicago! I can’t wait to begin to understand the city, its communities, and the shared history of struggle and promise it contains. I really look forward to living in Hyde Park, going to see White Sox games, and giving back through pro-bono hours and clinics.

What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of school and work?

I am a big fan of modernist literature as well as critical theory, specifically the works of Theodor W. Adorno, and am constantly trying to integrate more reading into my daily habits. I also love visiting cafes and exploring museums and local art & music scenes.

What are a few fun facts about you that your classmates might be surprised to learn?

I am an avid partaker in Hardcore Punk music (yes, the arm swingy and mosh-pit kind) and have been involved in DIY music scenes for a lot of my adult life, both in Germany and in my hometown in California. I am also quite into Americana fashion, and menswear and will sometimes unironically wear a cowboy hat.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with the UChicago Law community?

Congratulation to my peers, and I cannot wait for our discussions, friendships, and shared experience together.