Scholar Entries - Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund of Illinois

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Are you a past recipient of an Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund award?

Name

Angel Ramirez

Current Mailing Address

5055 S Dorchester Ave
Apt. 308
Chicago, Illinois 60615
United States
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Phone

(385) 482-6001

Connection to Illinois

I live in Chicago and currently attend Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.

In what city do you intend to practice law upon graduation?

Chicago

Name of Law School

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Class year

2nd year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/25/2025

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/21/2027

Current GPA

Due to transferring law schools, my prior GPA did not transfer, and I do not yet have a GPA at my current institution. My GPA prior to transferring was 3.403

Law School Class Rank (if known)

N/A

Law School Honors, Awards or Special Recognitions

Dean's List - Fall 2024

Name of Undergraduate Institution

Brigham Young University

Degree (BA, BSE, etc.) and Concentration/Major

BS - Economics; Minor - Spanish; Minor - Communications

Undergraduate Graduation Date

04/23/2022

GPA

3.13

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

Merit Scholarships: Brigham Young ($1,405); James B. McDonald Economics ($1,000); Multicultural Scholarship: Multicultural Student Services (MSS) Scholarship ($6,120)

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Crowe LLP (until May 2025)

What was your immediate family’s (including you and your spouse or domestic partner, if applicable) estimated income from all sources for the 2025 Tax Year?

$63,000

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

McDermott Will & Schulte (summer internship)

Please estimate your immediate family’s (including you and your spouse or domestic partner, if applicable) income from all sources for the 2026 Tax year

$87,960

Please estimate your parent's average annual household income over the last five years

$26,000

Do your parents own or rent their home? Please describe, if necessary

My mom owns her home.

Describe your parents' health insurance situation. Do they have employer-sponsored health insurance, health insurance through the exchange, or no health insurance?

Employer-sponsored health insurance

LIST below your total EXPENSES for attending law school for ONE YEAR (Please refer to example in FAQs)

Total Tuition Cost $

$79,772

Books Cost $

$1,776

Fees Cost $

$2,404

Housing Cost $

$27,900

Food Cost $

$3,000

Other Costs $ (describe)

$1,548 (transportation)

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$116,400

LIST below your total FUNDING sources you plan to use to pay for these expenses (Please refer to example in FAQs)

Student Loans $

89,500.00

Scholarships and Grants $

$0.00

Work Study, if any $

$0.00

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

$0.00

Family Contribution $ (include parents, spouse, partner, etc.)

$26,900

Other Sources $ (describe)

$0.00

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$116,400

For 2Ls and 3Ls, what is your current TOTAL loan debt from the previous law school years?

$99,034.96

Please list any community service activities with which you have been involved in the last ten years, paying particular attention to activities in support of the Hispanic community. For each activity, please include the dates of your participation, a short description of the organization and the community they serve, and a description of the activity you performed to help them. (Please read FAQs before completing)

NOMAS Pro-Bono Immigration Legal Clinic: Volunteer Representative (Ogden, UT) May 2020 - May 2021
● Performed client intakes for low-income Hispanic immigrants, including initial interviews, document collection, and preparation of immigration forms to facilitate access to free legal services.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Ward Assistant Executive Secretary (Chicago, IL) Sep 2024 - Aug 2025
● Supported individuals facing financial difficulties by assisting with attendance matters and coordinating meetings with congregation leaders to connect members with resources and assistance.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Elder’s Quorum Secretary (Orem, UT) Jun 2023 - Aug 2024
● Coordinated and led weekly outreach visits to support empty nesters, recent immigrants, newly relocated individuals, single parents, and community members facing economic hardship.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Elder’s Quorum President (Orem, UT) May 2020 - May 2021
● Led a community-based subgroup of 100+ Hispanic young adults (ages 18–30), many of whom had recently arrived in the United States, fostering support and belonging through instruction on spiritual and practical matters and by organizing and presiding over meetings and community activities.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Full-time Missionary (Seville, SPAIN) Dec 2015 - Nov 2017
● Served the local Hispanic, Muslim, and African community through hands-on service, helping individuals and families regardless of faith by moving furniture, painting homes, carrying groceries, and meeting everyday needs while building trust, solidarity, and a sense of belonging among recent immigrants and underserved neighbors.

Northwestern Law: Member of Latine Law Students Association (LLSA) Aug 2025 - Present
● Attended meetings to discuss and come up with solutions regarding the legal, political, and social issues affecting the Hispanic community in Chicago, and in the U.S.

Northwestern Law: Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) Director of Programming Aug 2025 - Present
● Participated in school events promoting the ethical treatment of animals by educating attendees; participated in activities like providing vegan ice cream to encourage compassionate and sustainable choices.

Please provide a statement describing your background and focus your statement on your reasons for pursuing a legal career and your legal career goals. This statement is important. Please give it appropriate attention. (min. 1000 characters) (Please read FAQs before completing)

My story began in Tijuana, Mexico, where I was born into a financially struggling family. My parents separated when I was young, and my mother became my primary caretaker. Education was a distant dream for many in my family: my grandparents never progressed beyond primary school, and my mother earned her GED while I was in middle school. Rather than seeing these circumstances as setbacks, I embraced them as integral to my journey. While many of my classmates seemed to have advantages, like parents who were college professors, I focused on working hard with the resources life had given me. As I pursued my undergraduate degree, I worked full-time while maintaining a full-time course load. This wasn’t just to support myself financially but also to help my family in Mexico and my mother as she worked tirelessly to make ends meet. These experiences taught me that grit is more than a habit—it’s a core value that guides my actions and decisions.

Another crucial life experience that instilled in me the value of remaining disciplined unfolded when I served a two-year mission in Spain for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I faced rejection, mockery, and ridicule due to my religious beliefs. Nevertheless, those tribulations allowed me to learn to remain disciplined in my principles: compassion, empathy, and integrity. As a missionary, I offered to carry groceries for the people who teased me. I volunteered to help individuals move—the same people who had rejected the religious message I was sharing. I found joy in remaining disciplined in my beliefs and witnessed first-hand the transformative power of remaining steadfast and loyal to my core principles, regardless of external factors. I realized I could do hard things.

My experience in law school thus far has been challenging and transformative, pushing me to grow in crucial ways for my development. During my first year of law school I balanced a rigorous full-time, academic workload with a consistent 25-hour workweek. I managed to earn some of the highest grades in my class. This accomplishment was a testament to the discipline and determination instilled in me through years of navigating adversity.

I am particularly passionate about helping Hispanic and underserved communities. I want to dedicate a portion of my career to giving back. What excites me about pro bono work is the opportunity to truly be there for someone who needs help. It feels personal and impactful, and I see it as a way to act as an advocate for individuals who often lack access to justice. Additionally, I believe that by achieving financial security, I will be in a position to help others economically. Even if I cannot provide direct assistance, I can use my network to connect others with resources and people who are dedicated to seeking justice and problem-solving on their behalf. My religious beliefs have reinforced the importance of donating to those who need it most, and I try to live that out by carrying dollar bills to give to the homeless and those in need. While it may seem small, I believe it is a step in the right direction toward living out the principle of public service. By engaging in public service and pro bono work, I hope to not only contribute to meaningful causes but also grow as a compassionate and well-rounded attorney. My experiences have instilled in me a desire to continue helping those in need and, in doing so, ensure that everyone has access to justice and the opportunity to navigate the legal system with confidence.

Furthermore, I am interested in business and corporate law and my legal education coupled with my understanding of macro and microeconomics, economic indicators across markets, and business cycles, is preparing me to have a fruitful career in corporate law. My law school experience is equipping me with invaluable experience in navigating business transactions while also further developing a business-oriented perspective, both of which are necessary for industry-leading attorneys. The skills I acquire through a career in corporate law will enable me to leverage both my training and diverse background to pro bono and volunteer work, settings I deeply connect with due to my unique experiences.

The further I advance in my legal education, the clearer my vision for my future career becomes. I aim to have a career in corporate law, while participating in pro bono and volunteer opportunities in other areas of the law. I bring a voice that understands the importance of representation and the power of individual stories. More importantly, I bring a history of success that showcases how determination, grit, and hard work can turn challenges into opportunities. I will work to inspire others to take control of their own stories to create lives they are proud of.

Please upload a copy of your financial award letter labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.FinAwardLtr*

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Ramirez.Angel_.FinAwardLtr.pdf

Please upload a copy of your resume labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.Resume*

Please upload a copy of your law school transcript labeled as follows: LastName.FirstName.LSTranscript*