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Spotlight On! Solo Practitioner Christina Alvarez
This is another installment of the series, Spotlight On! A series where we showcases Latina lawyers and learn about the early successes in their careers. Today we hear from Christina Alvarez, a solo practitioner in Florida! She paints a great picture of career progression through all the legal ranks–from paralegal to attorney/business owner (a path many Latinas opt to take before starting law school)! When did you start practicing? I started practicing law in September of 2014. I have also served as support staff in the roles of file clerk, receptionist, legal assistant, paralegal, and law clerk at various law firms in the Orlando area since 2007. What made you…
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What to Focus on in Your Job Search Post-Law School
The time post-bar is usually filled with such relief and happiness. For the most part, it’s pretty stress free; especially if you were fortunate enough to line up a job before graduation. But for those that weren’t able to find something, this time is crunch time to make sure you’re employed by the time loan officers start calling in November. I’ve been there! Graduating at the height of the recession, hardly any of my fellow students had offers—it was a completely different world from 2007 to 2009; it was like the world just changed overnight. I graduated without a job offer and very little prospects. But I hustled liked hell…
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Throwback–Posts You May Have Missed in Our First Year
For those new followers (or just for those that would like a refresher), here are some of the earlier posts from Latinas Uprising that are worth a revisit–especially as a new school year starts and many others will begin new jobs in the weeks to come! How would you/do you react when you’re mistaken (sometimes on purpose) as the interpreter? Different shoe options when working in conservative law offices (side note: wedges forever!) The best way to study in law school is to Study How You Study! The importance of being an active alumna, even if (or especially if) you didn’t feel very welcomed at your educational institution. How to…
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School Supplies for Law School
This week we’ve focused on pre-law work—and because so many are starting law school in a few weeks (!) we want to discuss some vital supplies to stock up on during the back to school sales. While almost all the work is digital, it’s still a paper-based industry in that you’ll be using real books, printing cases, and briefing cases. So what are somethings that will be super useful? Highlighters and tabs. If you’re not a highlighter person, you’ll likely become one so you may as well stock up now. Likewise, tabs are great for statutes so that you can find what you’re looking for immediately. I like the thicker…
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A Saga: Finding Professional Winter Shoes
I have always disliked the patronizing focus on what women wear to work. I think it’s weird. The grand majority of us know how to (and do) wear appropriate clothing. But there is still a weird standard set upon women, especially in the legal field, that is much higher and seems to question every little thing that we decide to wear. Google “peep-toe shoes and work” and you’ll see debate after debate on their appropriateness. Shoes. As if there are not more substantial, important things that we should worry about, but this is a great reminder that there are rules of professional etiquette that we do have to learn…
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Three Simple Ways to Reduce Stress
The posts this week have been a little stress-inducing, right? Law school debt and rejection–not exactly something that keeps you calm. So, let’s talk stress relief! Although I know some of us are in the midst of mid-terms, job applications, cases, LSAT prep, life in general, so things are hella hectic, and trying a new treatment might not be the best option right now. But I really like to emphasize the importance of healthy living because while many of us can handle heavy pressure, it’s very difficult to flourish under it. And I want to live a life where I thrive and grow–not just one that I can withstand. I…
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When Offensive Comments Happen
At some point most of us will encounter someone spewing out something ignorant about our ethnicity or our gender. You would think that once you reach the esteemed halls of law school that it would stop. Unfortunately, there are people seemingly so steeped in privilege that law school is one of the first times they are “forced” to interact with people of color. But for the rest of us, we have to often be the only or one of the few people of color or Latinas-period-in our section or class. By being so isolated we are given an added burden of being the voice for our people, and having to…
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Advancing Past the Good Old Boy Club
A few years ago, I was at a networking event for work. I’m usually not a fan of these things, but I was having a relatively good time, and having an easy conversation with a colleague (a guy named “Jacob”). Soon, another attorney (also a man, “Mark”) came up to us. We included Mark in our conversation, you know, because that’s what civil people do, right? After a few minutes, he turned to Jacob and started talking to him –and only him– about baseball. I was floored. I was floored that he would try to purposefully exclude me from the conversation; floored that he didn’t return the favor of inclusion; and floored…
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Balanced Diet: Tasty and Healthy Shrimp Tacos
One of my big pet peeves is the idea that food from Mexico and Central/South America is the height of unhealthiness. I have even read articles about doctors shaming patients when they make blanket statements that all that X ethnic-style food is bad. In reality, there’s so much fresh vegetables and fruits in “Latino” cuisines that you can make healthy dishes or just add a few alternatives and make favorite dishes a little healthier. This Friday series of a well-lived life is about eating healthy, while still getting to enjoy the comfort food many of us were raised on. Now, I’m by no means an extensive cook or an expert in clean-eating…
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Prepping for your First Week as a 1L
I remember the long train ride as I went to my first law school class. Property, with Professor Rose. I brought my laptop because even though I had never used a laptop to take notes in undergrad, I just knew that in law school note-taking on a computer was a must. Twenty minutes into the class, my computer’s battery ran out. Then I realized I had forgotten to bring my power cord… It was a whimper of a start for my legal career. Do you remember your first law course? I hope it was better than mine. Now, obviously that didn’t really predict what school would be like, and I…