Panel speaks about law

By Seth Brown     10/22/09 7:00pm

Last Monday, Rice hosted a seven-member panel of lawyers who spoke to an audience of approximately 60 students in the Humanities Building on a variety of topics, including their daily work and the process of entering into and succeeding in law school. The speakers represented a wide variety of legal professions and were invited to speak by alumnus Rudy Ramirez (Lovett '01), who teaches LOVE 237: Introduction to Law each fall and works as an assistant to the Fort Bend district attorney. This is the fourth such panel Ramirez has organized.

"The panel brings to Rice something I didn't always get and gives more legal opportunities to students," Ramirez said.

The panel's speakers, who were connections Ramirez has made throughout his education and career, included South Texas College of Law Professor Francesca Ortiz; Lauren Doughty (Will Rice '03), an associate at Locke, Lord, Bissell and Liddell; Robert Riddle, an associate at Baker Botts; Rachal Rojas, an associate at Matthews and Associates; Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Costa; Christian Capitaine, a partner at Capitaine, Shellist, Warren and McAllister; and bankruptcy Judge Jeffrey Bohm.

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Ramirez asked each member of the panel to tell the students about how they decided to become lawyers, and what each of their professions entailed.

While Costa said he had known since age 10 that he wanted to be a lawyer, others said they were unsure about a law career even as they approached the end of their undergraduate studies.

"I sort of stumbled into law," Doughty said. "I didn't realize until later on that I wanted to become a lawyer."

When asked why they became lawyers, the panel gave a variety of responses.

"I became a defense attorney in order to ensure that the rights of the accused are preserved," Capitaine said.

He noted that he left his job as a prosecutor to found his own firm with his friends.

Several panel members offered advice beyond success in law school.

Costa, who participated in Teach for America, said his experience gave him many of the tools necessary to be successful in his vocation.

"When you go into a courtroom, your job is to educate the people in the court," he said.

Costa said many students work for accounting firms or as consultants before taking on another career path.

The students in attendance seemed satisfied with the panel's presentation.

"I wanted to hear a lot about the process and the careers, and my expectations were definitely fulfilled," Brown College freshman Alfredo Villarreal Jr. said.

Jones College senior Desmond Fournier, who said he wants to attend law school, was interested in the application process and hearing from lawyers about their experiences.

"Today I got the backgrounds of these people and that gives me an idea of what to expect," Fournier said.

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