Meet Lourdes Zavaleta, 2L, and learn more about her story at South Texas Law in this Student Spotlight by the Career Resource Center.
Q: Name and class year?
A: My name is Lourdes Zavaleta, and I am currently a 2L.
Q: Why did you choose to attend STCL Houston?
A: My decision to attend South Texas Law was easy because I had heard so many great things from alumni about the school and the school’s reputation. Those remarks were confirmed to me when I came here for the first time on a campus visit, and I immediately felt welcomed and supported. Also, while I was applying to law schools, an attorney friend told me she wished she had attended school closer to her support system. I knew Houston was the place for me because all my friends and family are here, and I knew I would need them with me.
Q: Where are you working next summer?
A: I will be working at Bracewell LLP’s Houston office next summer.
Q: How did you secure that employment opportunity?
A: I participated in South Texas Law’s 2023 Fall OCI Early Session.
Q: How did the Career Resource Center (CRC) help you successfully navigate the recruitment process?
A: The law school’s Career Resource Center — and especially my career counselor Marie — have been with me through every step of the recruitment process. In addition to keeping me informed me about job opportunities, Marie helped me polish my application materials, prepare for interviews, and offered me guidance on accepting my position. I am incredibly grateful for the CRC and Marie’s commitment to helping students like me succeed.
Q: What are your career goals for the future?
A: I am keeping an open mind about my future career, but I am leaning toward transactional work. I’m also very interested in public finance and corporate law.
Q: What piece of advice would you share with the future generation of STCL Houston students going through recruitment?
A: South Texas Law offers incredible resources during recruitment (and year-round), so be sure to utilize them. Check your email and Symplicity for job opportunities, work with the CRC to perfect your application materials, and do mock interviews.
Additionally, stay positive during recruitment and try not to compare yourself to others because everyone is on their own path. The process can be mentally and emotionally challenging but know that the right opportunity will find you. I feel like I needed to remind myself of that the whole time. Everybody is doing the same thing and competing for the same jobs, but at the end of the day, the one that is going to work for you will happen.
Q: Which professors have influenced you or your career path the most?
A: All my professors have influenced my career path, but my Legal Research and Writing I professor, Associate Dean Maxine Goodman, has been especially influential.
In addition to helping me strengthen my legal research and writing skills in class, Dean Goodman became a mentor to me during her office hours. When I began looking for jobs for my 1L summer, I was set on a specific practice area. Dean Goodman encouraged me to keep an open mind about the various types of legal practices. This mindset helped me land an amazing summer clerkship doing mainly transactional work, a type of law I had no idea how much I would enjoy.
Q: What student organizations have you been involved with?
A: I am a member of the South Texas Law Review, a brief writer for the South Texas Law Moot Court Team, and the secretary of AMICUS, South Texas Law’s LGBTQ+ organization.
Q: Beyond CRC, how has the STCL Houston community supported your growth?
A: The STCL Houston community has been so supportive. As a second-career student, I wasn’t sure exactly how I would navigate law school, but everyone at South Texas Law helped make this a seamless transition for me. It’s not just the faculty members who empower students; other students help also ensure their colleagues succeed.
