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

Simon Hernandez

Current Mailing Address

942 W 35th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60609
United States
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Phone

(312) 439-8386

Connection to Illinois

I was born and raised in Chicago, IL.

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

I plan to remain and practice in Chicago, IL upon graduation.

Name of Law School

DePaul College of Law

Class year

3rd year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/15/2023

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/24/2026

Current GPA

3.28

Law School Honors, Awards or Special Recognitions

1) PRBA Foundation Scholarship (2025)
2) HLAI Bar Preparation Scholarship (2025)
3) Leaders & Achievers Diversity Scholarship (2025)
4) DePaul Law- Dean's Scholarship (2023-2026)
5) LAGBAC Foundation Scholarship/Summer Intern Stipend (2024)
6) William H. Stanley Endowed Scholarship (2024)

Name of Undergraduate Institution

Purdue University

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

BA in Liberal Arts- Law & Society + Spanish

Undergraduate Graduation Date

05/14/2022

GPA

3.72

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

1) Purdue University- Dean's Honor Roll
2) Purdue University- Semester Honor Roll
3) Jose Vela Memorial Scholarship
4) Wilson Usedo Si Se Puede Award
5) Purdue University- Presidential Scholarship
6) Purdue University- Dean's Scholarship

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Yes, in 2025, I was and still am employed by Levin & Perconti, which is a personal injury law firm in downtown Chicago.

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?

I am independent and currently not married. My income was $14,200 for 2025

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Yes, in 2026, I am still employed by Levin & Perconti, which is a personal injury law firm in downtown Chicago. I will likely be unemployed by June due to bar exam prep & will become employed in Aug.

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

I am independent and currently not married. My income will likely be $12,000 for 2026 due to my expected unemployment from June to August of this year.

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

My mother average annual household income is around ~$85,000

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

My mother owns her home with an outstanding loan for $80,000 dollars.

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

I am no longer on my mother's health insurance. She is now retired and on public health insurance. Currently I am uninsured and paying for medical expenses out of pocket

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

Total Tuition Cost $

$54,000

Books Cost $

$1,000

Fees Cost $

0.00

Housing Cost $

$7,200.00

Food Cost $

$2,400

Other Costs $ (describe)

Medical costs (medicine & med visits)- $2,000

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$66,600

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

Student Loans $

0.00

Scholarships and Grants $

$28,500

Work Study, if any $

0.00

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

$14,200

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

Personal Loan from Family Member- $18,000

Other Sources $ (describe)

Credit Cards & Current Debt- $5,900

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$66,600

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

~$23,900

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)

1) DePaul Law Student DEI Committee (Jan. 2024- Present)- Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the DePaul Law community.

2) Latino Law Student Association- Vice President (Aug. 2025- Present)- Lead organizational planning and support the executive board to promote mentorship, networking, and cultural programming for Latino law students at DePaul Law.

3) Illinois Law Student Association Forum Fundraising (October 2025- November 2025)- Lead fundraising initiatives for the 2026 ILSA Forum. Fundraising efforts reached an all-time high and broke all previous records.

4) Pokémon Card Care Package Donation/Delivery (May 2025- August 2025)- Assemble and donate Pokémon card care packages for local children and children in need, giving them a fun and engaging activity to enjoy.

5) LLSA Hispanic Heritage Month Reception (Oct. 2023, 2024, 2025)- volunteered at LLSA’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month Reception with decorating, guest check-in, and event clean-up.

6) HLAI Annual Gala (Oct. 2024)- Assisted with guest check-in, accommodated attendee needs throughout the evening, and supported event clean-up.

7) LLSA Hispanic Heritage Month Reception (Oct. 2023)- volunteered at LLSA’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month Reception with decorating, guest check-in, and event clean-up.

8) Tiempo Para Cambio Initiative (Sept. 2020-April 2022)- Developed sexual assault awareness programs addressing toxic masculinity/behavior in Greek life and Latino culture. Organized fundraisers for Men Can Stop Rape & RAINN Foundation and collaborated with Purdue CARES and YWCA Greater Lafayette for prevention and intervention workshops.

9) MLK Day of Giving (Jan. 2019-Jan. 2022)- Partnered with local food pantries in Lafayette, Indiana to prepare over 200+ nutrition care packages for the local homeless shelter.

10) Special Olympics Volunteer (Summer 2016-2018)- Helped referee various sporting activities, distributed medals, and was a part of the "cheer squad" giving positive motivation to participants during the 2016-2018 Special Olympics.

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)

I am a first-generation law student from Chicago's South Side. Growing up, I learned early that access to opportunity is never fairly distributed and that for many families, stability depends on navigating a system not designed with us in mind. I watched my family work tirelessly to get by, often without proper guidance, which shaped how I understand the law today.

As a Latino, gay, first-generation student, I have consistently felt a deep responsibility towards the communities that influenced me. This became especially evident at Purdue University when the administration threatened to cut funding for cultural centers vital to minority students. During that crucial period, I worked closely with fellow student leaders to defend these centers. This experience showed me that institutional change can be slow and encounter significant resistance, but with persistent advocacy, impactful change can be achieved and is essential for supporting marginalized groups.

Upon arriving at DePaul College of Law, I knew I wanted to pursue this work. Through the Latino Law Student Association, I have served as a 1L Representative, Treasurer, and, currently, Vice President. My efforts have focused on mentorship and on creating pathways that make a legal career seem achievable for students who rarely see themselves represented in the field. This is especially true in my work with DePaul’s annual ILLSA forum, which introduces young Hispanic students to the legal profession and demonstrates that a legal career is within their reach. This work reminded me that access to the law often begins well before law school, and that representation matters at every stage.

My internship with the Legal Council for Health Justice's AIDS Legal Council division strengthened this understanding and deepened my interest in law as a service-oriented profession deepened. I assisted clients living with HIV and AIDS as they navigated public benefits, often dealing with housing instability, serious health issues, and discrimination. Many had limited family support and faced challenges advocating for themselves in systems that required thorough documentation and strict compliance. I assisted by gathering records, explaining requirements, and monitoring deadlines, aware that the outcome of a single application or appeal could determine their access to medical care or housing. Witnessing the severity of these systems confirmed what I had learned from student advocacy, and that is, without strong legal support, people are left to handle life-changing processes on their own.

I draw strength from my ancestors, the sacrifices my family made to create opportunities they never had, and from the communities that supported me. My goal is to pursue a legal career specializing in plaintiff-side health law and advocating for those harmed by institutional neglect and systemic issues. I aspire to be an attorney who is grounded, approachable, and deeply connected to the communities I serve. My identity is shaped by service, perseverance, and a sense of collective responsibility, and I aim to embody these values in my future legal practice.

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

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Hernandez.Simon_.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*