What It Means to Be a Legal Visionary
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In this moment – when so many of our communities are facing heightened fear, uncertainty and injustice – those of us in the legal profession are being called to do more than just practice law. We’re being called to use it as a tool for empowerment. For protection. For hope.
When Business by LA Times Studios Magazine asked me to reflect on what it means to be a legal visionary, I hesitated. The word “visionary” can sound lofty or self-important. But to me, it simply means doing what so many of us already do every day: standing with people who are afraid, advocating for dignity in spaces where it’s often denied and refusing to let power go unchecked.
Every day, attorneys across California are stepping up to represent families living in substandard housing, immigrants whose rights are trampled by policy and power, and workers whose labor is exploited and undervalued. It’s not glamorous. It rarely makes the news. But it is essential. And it is visionary, not because it’s flashy or new, but because it sees justice not as an ideal but as something we can help make real.
To me, the fight is also deeply personal. I came to the United States from Colombia when I was six years old. Like so many immigrant families, we came in search of safety, opportunity and a better life. We didn’t have much, but we had hope. And we believed in the promise of America. It’s not lost on me that I could easily be on the other side of the table. There go I, but for the grace of God.
From a young age, I was captivated by the idea that in this country, the law wasn’t just for the highest bidder. It could be a tool for fairness. For justice. I still believe in that possibility. And I see so many of you making it real every day.
When I think about what it means to be a legal visionary, what rises to the top is gratitude. And deep inspiration. I’m inspired every single day by the attorneys doing this work with courage, heart and grit – the ones who keep showing up even when it’s hard, even when it’s thankless, even when the bad feels like a wave on the brink of engulfing us entirely.
This work isn’t easy. The victories can be few and far between. And lately, they can feel even more rare. We know what it’s like to carry a caseload full of pain, to feel the emotional weight of a broken system, to wonder whether what we’re doing is enough.
But we’ve all seen the moments that make it worth it – the clients who transform our lives in their pursuit of justice and the hero stories we have the honor of facilitating. The impact of a moment of justice, of dignity restored, the pride of watching empowerment bloom – those moments fuel us. They remind us why we do this. And when they feel farther apart than usual, that’s when we need each other the most – for inspiration, for support and for realness.
Being a legal visionary doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means believing in people before they believe in themselves. It means recognizing quiet courage and helping it grow. It means making space for stories that deserve to be heard – for people who have been overlooked, silenced or hurt.
If you are a lawyer who shows up with empathy, who takes time to prepare a nervous client for court, who believes in a case others overlooked, you are doing visionary work.
If you are the reason someone found the courage to speak their truth, you are changing lives.
If you’re still showing up, even when you’re tired, discouraged or overwhelmed, you are not alone.
This work demands so much from us – mentally, emotionally and physically. And part of sustaining it is making sure we don’t go it alone. That might mean dragging each other away from our desks and into a dance class. It might mean scheduling a group rage room session to scream it out or just being honest about how hard this can be and giving others permission to do the same.
Whatever way you can connect, do it. Call on your colleagues. Call your mentors. Call me. Seriously. Whether you want to strategize, process a tough hearing or just swap some war stories, I’m here. I’m grateful for every battle being fought, and you can count me in as part of your army.
We need safe spaces to vent, to laugh, to cry, to move our bodies and to remind each other that what we do matters. We don’t have to be martyrs to be effective. And we don’t have to be alone to be strong.
None of us can do this alone. But together, we can keep going. We can take care of our clients and each other. We can keep the flame lit, even when the wind blows hard against it.
That’s what being a legal visionary means to me. And I truly believe the best of what’s ahead will come from all of us – doing this work, taking care of each other and holding onto hope.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s lift each other up. Let’s dance – scream if we have to – and lean on each other every step of the way.
