For years, Brownsville native Elvia Sanchez dreamed of attending law school. But when she graduated from the University of Houston in 2020, the uncertainty of the pandemic led her to put that dream on hold and earn real-world experience instead.
The first-generation college graduate with a degree in business and communications became a legal assistant at Zavala Law Firm PLLC, gaining practical knowledge for three years before beginning her legal education at South Texas College of Law Houston.
Her legal experience was invaluable to her studies, helping her understand how legal issues affect real people and demonstrating the importance of communicating legal concepts in clear, accessible language.
When selecting a law school, Sanchez was committed to staying in Houston, a city she considered her new home. She was drawn to South Texas Law after visiting campus and experiencing its warm, welcoming environment and close-knit academic culture. From the start, the law school provided an atmosphere where she felt supported by both faculty and peers.
“I went to Hispanic night for interested students, and the fact that they even had a Hispanic night blew me away,” Sanchez said. “That effort to integrate different communities and cultures really made me gravitate toward South Texas Law.”
Sanchez’s time in law school has been marked by involvement and exploration of learning opportunities outside the classroom. She credits her participation in the Dispute Resolution Teams and international programs to Prague and Scotland with challenging her adaptability, exposing her to new legal perspectives, and building stronger bonds with professors like Director of International Programs and Professor of Law Katerina Lewinbuk, for whom she now works as a teaching and research assistant.
Sanchez has served as a law clerk at Mann Phillips PLLC and Reddy Neumann Brown PC, as well as a judicial intern under the Hon. Andrew Edison of the Southern District of Texas. The varied experiences helped her find her true passions, and she urges her fellow students to be brave and explore unfamiliar areas of law.
“It helps you weed out what you don’t like, and solidify what you do,” Sanchez said. “Working in litigation is what reaffirmed my love for transactional law. Always take the time to consider your options.”
Leadership has been a throughline of Sanchez’s law school journey, one that shines through in her role as president of the STCL Houston Cougar Law Society, the University of Houston’s alumni organization on campus. Early in law school, Sanchez noticed that while alumni organizations from other universities were thriving, the Cougar Law Society’s presence was still rebuilding after the pandemic.
Inspired to continue efforts to attract new members, Sanchez stepped up to lead the organization. She continues growing and enhancing the organization for the next generation of students.
“I want this to be a source of social unity among our members and a networking resource,” Sanchez said. “There’s a sense of shared history there. I want that camaraderie to connect all our members, past and present.”
That drive to facilitate connection also motivates her work as a student ambassador for the Admissions Office. Sanchez takes pride in returning to the Rio Grande Valley to assist with recruiting events at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Brownsville and Edinburgh campuses, where she speaks directly to students who see themselves in her story.
She offers applicants advice on personal statements and preparation, but more importantly, provides proof of what a first-generation student from a small town can achieve.
“Getting to where I am now is a journey I’ll always want to encourage in others,” Sanchez said. “I want to show them it is possible and there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.”
