The first client with whom I ever worked was Mexican. He was in the United States illegally and had been accused of theft in Texas. I was shadowing his defense attorney. The trial was about to begin before an all-white jury, and the attorney advised the client to leave his snakeskin belt and cowboy boots at home and try to dress less "Mexican." In a county notorious for anti-immigrant sentiment, the lawyer said he didn’t want to give the jury any more reason to convict.
The incident took me back in time. One of the reasons I entered the law was to join a profession that functions above racism and discrimination. Surely, educated people understand the importance of equality. I was convinced that all lawyers fight for equality. Because that’s what people with a law degree do, right?
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
