When Maridel De Los Reyes was growing up, she wanted to be a doctor. “That was until sixth grade,” she reflects and smiles. “My middle school had a program where students from underserved areas visited law firms. I had never met a lawyer before. They were so eloquent and capable. At that moment, I decided I wanted to be an attorney.”
Taking that single experience with her into high school, Reyes co-founded the Yerba Buena High School mock trial team. She also became the president of the school’s debate team, earning both the Debater of the Year and Silicon Valley Urban Debate League Champion titles her senior year. However, attending a school in the San Jose region, where 99% of students are people of color and 55% are considered economically disadvantaged, along with her personal background meant that Reyes faced several challenges. She explains, “My mom immigrated from the Philippines. I am a first generation American. I am incredibly proud of my parents. They came to a new country and started life all over again. I feel so loved and supported, but it’s a lot to navigate. I am an only child and the first person in my family to go to college. It can be very intimidating to think about getting a higher education and where to start.”
Enter the California Legal Pathways Collaborative (CLPC) and its founder, attorney Ruthe Ashley. Originally established by Ashley through Department of Education legislation and the State Bar of California, CLPC partners with 25 high schools across California to bring its highly successful, three-year Law Academy programs and curriculum to disadvantaged classrooms. Students learn directly from legal professionals and explore law-related careers through classroom education, mentorship, events, and hands-on experiences. The goal is to provide a pathway from high school, into an undergraduate education, through to law school and a legal career. More than 3,100 students participate annually. The Collaborative is housed within California Lawyers Foundation (CLF), the student education and scholarship arm of California Lawyers Association (CLA), the largest volunteer bar association in the state.
Reyes received CLPC’s distinguished Ruthe Catolico Ashley Legal Pathways Scholarship in 2023 from among dozens of applicants. The financial award assists aspiring Law Academy students in their educational pursuits toward a legal career. “The scholarship ceremony was the first time that I was in a room with people who I looked up to,” recalls Reyes. “The Chief Justice of California was there. Law school deans were there. Attorney General Rob Bonta was there and told the story of living in a trailer in a grape field. It was a really big moment for me. It clicked for me that I could do it.”
Ashley established the annual scholarship to, “give students a leg up,” as she puts it. She acknowledges how expensive the cost of education has become and feels it is essential to recognize future legal leaders. “This scholarship is directed toward students who demonstrate a commitment to the community and exploring a career in law,” states Ashley. The students must be nominated by their teachers and are then asked to write a personal statement about their interest in the legal profession. Ashley describes the selection process as a difficult one. “The nominees are always outstanding students and they are all very deserving.”
In addition to education and scholarship, mentorship is a hugely important pathway component provided by both CLPC and CLF. Reyes was honored when she was selected to be a CLF intern. “Being engaged has exposed me to so many people. Having people believe in me tells me that I have to believe in me, too.”
Working with CLF Deputy Director Janett Cabanero, Reyes has helped manage CLPC Law Academy data, tracking where graduates attend college and performing comparative analyses against students who are not involved in a pathways program. She also reaches out to high schools in California about the potential to form new Law Academy partnerships. The goal is to have 30 academies by 2030.
“Opening the doors to interns is meaningful, not only for the students, but for CLF,” Cabanero shares. “We are largely a volunteer organization with incredible leaders who want to help the Foundation achieve continuous success and growth. To watch how student interns contribute to their own futures as legal professionals creates an interconnected environment.”
Alison Hwang, a sophomore at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) credits her high school experience in the CLPC Law Academy program with her interest in the law. “Honestly, I always knew that I wanted to interact with people and give back to the community, but I was a blank canvas,” she admits. “I had a lot of rosy ideas. CLPC led me to so many great opportunities. It introduced me to mock trial, gave me professional exposure, and allowed me to shadow attorneys and watch the legal field at work.”
In 2024, Hwang was chosen among numerous outstanding applicants statewide to receive the Ruthe Catolico Ashley Legal Pathways Scholarship. “It was such a huge surprise. My Law Academy teacher and CLPC gave me so many resources. I felt so grateful to earn the scholarship. It’s not cheap to go to college and having aide and knowing you have a support system is really nice.”
Like Reyes, Hwang had no one in her family who worked in the legal profession. “A lot of people have networks. I didn’t have any. My parents made many sacrifices for me to get here today, and it wasn’t easy. I think I use their circumstances as a motivator.” She thoughtfully continues, “My mom always taught me not to do something as a burden, but to find joy in it. I harp on that. I am the oldest in my family. I have a younger brother and sister. So I try to do everything to make them proud.”
Hwang was “beyond happy” she says when she was offered the opportunity to be a CLF strategic planning intern. She now plays a key role in producing CLPC’s quarterly newsletter which features articles about Academy programs, events, and activities. The publication is shared with hundreds of Academy supporters, legal leaders, educators, advisors, and contributors.
Ashley speaks highly about both CLF student interns. “We found stars in both of them,” she declares. “They are such high achieving students, and it is a pleasure to work with them.”
Hwang is majoring in political science with a concentration in public law. “I have a passion for advocacy and serving the community, where I am striving to build a career in the legal field,” she says. Already, her resume is impressive. She is a member of UCSD’s moot court team and has acted as tournament director for the mock trial program, while also participating as a competitor. In addition to her full-time studies and position with CLF, Hwang works as an intern for the AmeriCorps Justice Corps Legal Access program and is getting hands-on experience and guidance in criminal defense with the Law Offices of Frances Prizzia. Founder Frances Prizza has a long and distinguished legal career and currently serves as CLPC Vice Chair.
A graduate of El Dorado High School in Orange County, Hwang was the captain of her mock trial team and an Orange County Mock Trial finalist. She was elected as the president of her school’s Key Club and held multiple student body roles, including working as a student counselor. She was honored with the California State Seal of Civic Engagement award for demonstrating her commitment to leadership and promoting initiatives focused on social responsibility and community involvement. She jokes that in her spare time, she played tennis.
Similar to Yerba Buena High School attended by Reyes, El Dorado High School has a socioeconomically disadvantaged population. “CLPC gave me a head start. I think it’s really important to do that at a young age,” Hwang articulates.
Reyes is now a junior at Columbia University in New York. She is double majoring in political science and philosophy, with a focus on political and moral theory and American politics. She is also pursuing a minor in visual arts. As if she weren’t busy enough with her studies, she hosts a weekly radio program, “Daybreak Express,” broadcast across the New York metropolitan area. She is the historian and alumni relations chair for the university’s La Liga Filipina Club, and she grades problem sets for the school’s philosophy department, the result of having achieved the highest grade in Columbia’s symbolic logic course her sophomore year.
“Oh yeah, I also volunteer for the New York Immigration Coalition, to make sure people feel safe and have the services they need. And this is random, but I’m getting certified to be a bartender,” she blurts out with a laugh. “Oh, I’m training to run the San Francisco marathon this summer. I can run in New York’s thirty-six degree weather. I hate the treadmill.”
The two university students agree that there needs to be even greater opportunities for high schoolers to showcase their passion and ability. “When you come from a high school like mine, things seem out of reach. We need more chances to show that we are smart and that we have the desire to do things,” Reyes notes. She believes that without connections like those provided by CLPC, she would not be on her current path.
Hwong has a similar message. “ I think programs like CLPC open up your eyes to different options and help to create a clear path. If I didn’t have the Academy behind me, I wouldn’t have had any direction. Having exposure gives you a head start.”
Reyes and Hwong emphasize how thankful they are for their CLF internships and Law Academy experiences. They talk about the fact that getting into college was a stressful experience made so much easier with the support of people like Ashley. They also recognize how important it is to have role models to look up to as they pursue their advanced education. “CLF and my culture have been a really big factor in seeing other people who look similar to me,” Hwang, who is Korean and Filipino, notes. Both women say they never really “saw people who looked like me” in professional roles.
“It’s really inspiring and gives me optimism and hope,” says Reyes enthusiastically. “I want more people to be able to do what I’m doing.”
Both women are looking toward law school. Reyes is studying for the LSAT and wants to pursue a career in either immigration or criminal justice. Hwang will begin studying before the school year ends. She wants to practice as a criminal defense attorney. It is important to both of them that they give back and assist those who are underrepresented.
When asked what law school they hope to attend, Reyes responds, “I feel like I should just apply and see what happens.” Alison says and laughs, “Everybody thinks I’m already a law student.” For now, both want to make certain they are keeping their GPAs up and valuing the relationships they have formed with people in the legal profession. They use words like “privileged,” “fortunate,” and “looking forward” when describing what lies ahead and they are both looking looking to what the future holds.
To learn more about CLPC and how to become involved, please visit: https://calawyersfoundation.org/our-work/youth-initiatives/
For information on CLF and opportunities to provide support, go to: https://calawyersfoundation.org/