A Chance Meeting, Yet Such An Important One

By Juan Villaseñor, Mentor
Assistant United States Attorney, District of Colorado

I met a lawyer for the first time when I was 19 years old. Of all places, it was in traffic school, in San Francisco, California, where we both were trying to keep points off our license for a minor traffic violation! A chance meeting, yet such an important one because he became my friend and mentor, and the reason I went to law school.

It was thus natural for me that to become a mentor for LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede. One of things I enjoyed most with my first lawyer-friend and mentor was that he invited me to his office and to lawyer dinners and other events. This is how I learned about what lawyers do and about their social circles. It helped me understand his professional universe. 

With that in mind, I recently invited Jasmine, my fellow, to my office. I gave her a mini-tour and explained how the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office works, the many types of cases we handle, and how cases are assigned. I know we gave Jasmine a lot of information to process! She had no idea about some of the things my office does, and was very interested in the matters we handle. Afterward, we headed to Judge Arguello's courtroom to see a short hearing in a civil case. And we then stayed to visit with her.  

Experiences like this make an impression upon and provide valuable information to the LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede fellows. It is good to demystify what a career and a job may look like. My own similar experiences certainly did and allowed me to picture myself as one day holding a career in the law. I hope Jasmine had a similar experience.

Why Should Becoming A Lawyer Be Up To Luck?

By Franz Hardy, Mentor
Partner, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhni, LLP

I feel privileged to serve as a mentor for LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede.  Growing up, I did not know of any resource like this and, despite this, feel very lucky to have finished college, law school, and to go on to be a practicing lawyer.  However, why should becoming a lawyer or a professional be up to luck?  Judge Arguello has focused on a period of time for young students where they need guidance and are mature enough to begin accepting career advice.  Her program provides real resources and information should a student want to pursue a career in the law.  I am fortunate to be matched with a student who seems eager and dedicated to reaching her dreams despite humble beginnings.  Recently, she came to my office and we toured the various nearby courthouses and met with Judge Arguello.  The student was awed and inspired by this experience.  She realizes that this is all available to her if she takes the right steps starting now.  LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede can show her the path.  LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede is a program that I just wish I could have been involved in as a young student, but at least I can give back through it now.  Thank you, Judge Arguello.

If Only I Knew Then, The Things I Know Now.

By Antonio Gallegos, Mentor
Of Counsel, Greenberg Traurig

As a young student, there was a quite bit I didn’t know about pursuing an undergraduate degree, a law degree and a legal career.  LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede is the perfect vehicle for me to help today’s students learn some of the things I struggled with along the way and after becoming a lawyer.

I come from a working class family. No one on my mom’s side had ever graduated from college.  My father was the first in his family to do it.  But he took a non-traditional path, joining the military, then taking a civil service job through a program that paid for his night school tuition.  Neither my mother nor father had any personal experience from which they could draw to help guide me through college course selection and finding part-time jobs that would strengthen my law school application and resume. 

Both my mother and father were extremely helpful and supportive and I am eternally grateful to them.  But there were things I simply did not know in the same way as other students whose parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents had gone through college, law school, or graduate school.  In fact, the idea of continuing my education beyond a Bachelor’s degree did not occur to me until 2-3 years after starting college. 

I always thought working hard and getting good grades was all I needed to succeed.  Maybe that’s 95% of the battle, but it’s not always enough to get your foot in the door at law school or the job you really want. 

As an undergraduate looking for part time work during the school year and full time work during the summer, I did not appreciate how the quality of my work experience really matters.  I was focused on how much I would be paid and shunned the idea of unpaid internships or jobs that paid only a small stipend.  Having talked to other lawyers about the paths that led them to where they are, I now realize that I could have taken unpaid or modestly paid positions, worked part time and still would have been able to pay rent, buy food, and have a little fun and free time.  Not only would I have gained valuable experience to help set me part from others, I would have started making the type of networking contacts that I did not start making until my first couple of years as a lawyer. 

Fifteen years into my legal career, I see how I could have done things a little differently to help myself advance more quickly.  I look forward to sharing these insights with young students from similar and less fortunate backgrounds.  I don’t claim to have figured everything out.  I welcome the opportunity to continue learning as I continue my legal career and from my LAW SCHOOL … Sí Se Puede Fellow.