I hope to earn the JD Degree at the XXXX School of Law at XXXX University because of my deep admiration for your curriculum's comprehensive and creative nature. A Mexican American man who has lived in Chicago his entire life, I believe that I would perform best as a law student on my home turf - with the support of my family and social networks. Thus, I am also attracted to your location.
I have visited Mexico a half dozen times and read a lot about our country of origin, especially in the context of social justice issues and concerns. I am horrified by the violence, instability, and lack of respect for human rights plaguing the border between the two countries. I look forward to participating in discussions of these issues as a citizen and as a legal professional concerned with social justice issues and the many vulnerable members of our society that immigrate primarily across our southern border with my land of origin.
My interest in social justice issues led me to complete my internship with the Justice Corps as an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I fit well with the BA Program in Criminology, Law, and Justice. I was motivated to study in this area by my central desire to help people, particularly those who are victims of injustice, either individually or as members of a social or ethnic class that has historically been victimized and exploited.
I minored in Psychology as an undergraduate because I thought advanced study in this area is helpful for members of the legal profession to understand and respond to social justice issues more fully. I am proud of my heritage as a Mexican man and most pleased that I am fully fluent in Spanish, learning it early on from my family. I even took two courses to improve my writing skills in Spanish at UIC. Spanish speakers, recent immigrants, and young people of color from minority groups are central to why I hope to earn the JD in Law to help young people from at-risk homes understand their challenges and make wise decisions, especially concerning the justice system. I hope to do this as a volunteer and earn a living as an attorney. Chicago has a large Latino community. There is a large Mexican American population that I feel called to serve, particularly as both a volunteer and a professional dedicated to public service.
I want to focus on helping at-risk Hispanic teens, providing as many as possible with a second chance as an attorney working for a law firm that passionately and effectively fights to protect minorities from wrongful/unjust convictions. I look forward to working alongside organizations that promote proactive solutions for troubled teens. In this way, I hope to contribute to the fight against systematic criminal justice disparities.
I want to help Latino youth at risk of entering the justice system because of foolish indiscretions, lousy company, and unwise decisions. I want to work to provide a way out, a second chance, for young people and their families. Ten years from now, I see myself living happily with my family in Chicago, working for a distinguished law firm that puts more emphasis on principle than profit, giving my all, providing a broad range of legal services but focused on winning cases for teens who are wrongly accused and are facing the complete ruin of their lives.
In addition to criminal justice, I am especially interested in immigration law, due to being Mexican American. Much of my family is undocumented, and I’ve seen the hardships they face up close due to not having legal documentation to work in the U.S. I have witnessed first-hand the uphill battle facing undocumented immigrants.
Undocumented teens, for example, are left with no option but to end their education after high school since they are ineligible for financial aid. There are many good reasons why young people in this disadvantaged category need exceptional support from the community. As a lawyer, I want to support more investment in childcare and support for our young people instead of jail care for life at taxpayer expense. I look forward to many decades to come struggling every day to help provide Latino young people with a fighting chance at justice and survival through solidarity.
Thank you for considering my application to the JD Program at the XXXX School of Law.
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