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

Gerardo Chavez

Current Mailing Address

6525 S. Kilbourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60629
United States
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Permanent Address (only if different from Current Mailing Address)

9600 S. Kildare Ave.
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
United States
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Phone

(773) 964-2199

Connection to Illinois

I was born in Chicago, Illinois and have since resided in Illinois.

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

I will practice law in Chicago, Illinois.

Name of Law School

University of Illinois Chicago School of Law

Class year

1st year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

08/12/2024

Anticipated Graduation Date

05/08/2027

Current GPA

2.91

Name of Undergraduate Institution

DePaul University

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

BA in Political Science - Law & Theory

Undergraduate Graduation Date

06/11/2023

GPA

3.3

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

University Honors Program; Beeson Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Jesus Perez & Associates, Attorneys at Law

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?

$21,000

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

Jesus Perez & Associates, Attorneys at Law

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

$21,000

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

$175,000

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

My surviving father owns a 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 $

$33,600.00

Books Cost $

$1,400.00

Fees Cost $

$6,040.00

Housing Cost $

$13,200

Food Cost $

$4,350

Other Costs $ (describe)

$1,526.00 (Transportation); $4,500.00 (Personal Expenses)

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

$64,616.00

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

Student Loans $

$64,616.00

Scholarships and Grants $

Work Study, if any $

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

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

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

$64,616.00

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

$44,000.00

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)

Boy Scouts of America - 2009 - 2019
I actively participated in Boy Scouts of America since 2009 until I achieved my Eagle Scout Rank in 2019. My troop was located in West Lawn, a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. The Boy Scouts of America is a youth-based organization for boys that teaches essential values such as community service, leadership, safety, and personal responsibility. Throughout my time as a Scout, I took part in community service projects nearly every month, ranging from preparing care packages for U.S. Army soldiers overseas to local initiatives like shoveling snow for the neighborhood and cleaning the parish grounds.

Eagle Scout Project: Partnered with Ronald McDonald House - May 17, 2019
For my Eagle Scout community service project, I partnered with the Ronald McDonald House near Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. The Ronald McDonald House provides housing for families of children receiving critical medical care, allowing them to stay near the hospital and be with their children. For my project, I donated trees and mulch, and led Scouts in planting tree saplings and fresh mulch around the property. I also organized a donation drive to collect essential items needed by the Ronald McDonald House.

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)

Two months before I began law school, my mother passed away. She had fought Stage Four breast and colon cancer for over a year, facing each day with unwavering strength and a smile that lit up the room. Throughout her illness, she taught me the true meaning of resilience and the importance of never giving up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. My mother, who immigrated to the United States from the small town of Huandacareo in Michoacan, Mexico, raised me with the belief that I could achieve the higher education she never had the opportunity to pursue.
After her passing, I was overwhelmed with grief and unsure how I could ever continue this path without her. Notwithstanding my grief, I committed myself to honoring my mother by excelling academically and pursuing my goal of becoming a lawyer. Her bravery and resilience are my source of inspiration, and they motivate me to persevere through challenges and pursue a legal career that honors her legacy.
During my first semester, I earned B’s in all of my classes. My second semester, however, proved to be more challenging, and my grades reflected the difficulty I faced in balancing grief and rigorous coursework. I used this experience to adjust my approach and strengthen my resolve. By my third semester, my performance improved significantly, demonstrating my ability to adapt, grow and overcome obstacles – qualities that continue to guide me in my pursuit of a legal career.
Looking back on these experiences, I recognize that they have not only tested my perseverance but also shaped the kind of lawyer I aspire to be. I am committed to using my legal career to give back to the Hispanic community by advocating for those who lack access to justice and by supporting future generations of attorneys who come from a similar background.

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

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Chavez.Gerardo.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*