Edith Garcia
Hometown:
Whittier, CA
Professional Interests:
Criminal Law; Family Law
Student Organizations:
Latinx Law Students Association; Public Interest Law Fund; Student Bar Association Social Committee
Extracurricular:
Moot Court; Community Assistant UCI Housing
UCI Law Clinic:
Criminal Justice Clinic (Spring 2024)
Pro Bono:
Domestic Violence Declarations; Family Law Access
Housing:
UCI Graduate Housing (Ask me about living on campus!)
Meet Edith:
I didn't always know that I wanted to go to law school. The career path became a possibility for me when I discovered that being a lawyer could encompass all the experiences that I loved as a human. When I was younger, I had two passions - helping people and performing. I received so much fulfillment when mentoring, but also loved the adrenaline rush I experienced performing in front of an audience. I combined these two passions by becoming the captain of my Color Guard where my experiences, failures, and successes helped guide my teammates and development as a spinner and young adult. From this experience, it became clear that I need to find similar fulfillment in my professional career.
In college, I took a trial advocacy class where we were taught to write and present opening statements, cross examinations, and closing statements. When I performed my closing statement, I experienced the same feeling of adrenaline that I did when I performed and then it clicked. As a litigator, I could continue to be a storyteller, and move audiences to bring justice to victims and their families for the harm that others inflicted onto them. To learn more about litigation and being a Criminal Prosecutor, I interned at the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office. After working in the Major Crimes Division, I knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I saw the good, which included victims thanking the lawyers for helping them begin to heal from their traumatic experiences, but I also saw the bad, which included second-hand trauma that many advocates experience. It convinced me to pursue law school with a duty to use my education to help others who are at their most vulnerable. That experience motivated me to take the LSAT and apply to law school. I completed my 1L year and while difficult at times, my passion for public service made the hard days easier.
The biggest advice I can offer to prospective law students is to find your passion, hold onto it, and think about it every day. You will not work a day in your life if you are doing something that you love.