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

Cindy Diaz

Current Mailing Address

1001 South State Street
Apt. 1403
Chicago, IL 60605
United States
Map It

Phone

(805) 680-0639

Connection to Illinois

Moved here to pursue my JD/MBA at the University of Chicago and stayed for my summer internship.

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

Chicago or NYC

Name of Law School

University of Chicago Law School

Class year

2nd year law student

Full Time or Part Time Student?

Full Time

Date you began attending THIS law school

09/24/2024

Anticipated Graduation Date

06/07/2027

Current GPA

N/A

Law School Class Rank (if known)

N/A

Law School Honors, Awards or Special Recognitions

I was a finalist considered for the Law School's Tony Patiño Award.

Name of Undergraduate Institution

University of California Berkeley

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

Undergraduate Graduation Date

05/10/2021

GPA

3.9

Undergraduate Honors, Awards, or Special Recognitions

Departmental Honors in Social Welfare; Honors to Date (Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2020, Spring 2021); Dean's List (Spring 2021); High Distinction in General Scholarship (equivalent to magna cum laude); The UC Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship (2020-2021)

Were you employed in 2025?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

I was employed as a summer associate for eight weeks at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP between June 2025 to August 2025. I was also working part-time as a personal trainer at F45 South Loop.

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?

38,000

Do you expect to be employed in 2026?

yes

If yes, please identify your employer(s).

I continue to work part-time at F45 South Loop. This summer, I will be employed as a summer associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York.

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

45,000

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

60,000

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

My parents own their home.

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

My parents rely on my mom's 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 $

83,316

Books Cost $

500

Fees Cost $

4179

Housing Cost $

12,000

Food Cost $

8,000

Other Costs $ (describe)

Transportation: 2670 , Pet care/insurance: 1200, Personal/Miscellaneous: 6,000

Total Expenses $ (add above entries)

117,979

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

Student Loans $

97,979

Scholarships and Grants $

10,000

Work Study, if any $

Personal Contribution (Savings/Employment) $

10,000

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

Other Sources $ (describe)

Total Funding $ (add above entries)

117,979

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

186,104.26

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)

The inequities my family members experienced in all sectors of society (law, education, medicine, etc.) is the reason I was drawn to support other members of my greater Hispanic community.

The Legal Resource Center, Santa Barbara County Courthouse (Summer 2016, 2017, Winter 2018-2019): Hispanics/Latinos make up nearly half of my county's population, and many are immigrants and Spanish speakers. When learned that our courthouse's free legal resource center did not provide language translation services, I immediately asked to volunteer. I spent my summers working alongside the only attorney that staffed the small upstairs office, interpreting community member's questions and her legal guidance. I also helped Spanish-speakers translate legal forms that were only available in English, so they knew what to fill in each section. This experience cemented my commitment to using my law degree to stay involved in supporting the immigrant community I was raised in. Whatever practice area I ultimately pursue, this will remain a priority.

Berkeley High School, RISE After-School Program (August 2017-May 2021): I am the oldest daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, who navigated the U.S. education system alone as my parents worked multiple jobs and my mom took city college evening classes. This experience taught me to rely on mentors, teachers, and any free resource so that I could attain a higher education -- I wanted to not only pass on my knowledge to my siblings, but other first-generation students. At UC Berkeley I tutored at-risk high school students in their academic subjects, and mentored them to think bigger than a high school diploma. Much of my work centered on relationship-building and trust, which allowed me to instill confidence and motivation I knew my students needed to excel. It was a full-circle experience, from helping my sophomore students with everything from their biology homework, to reviewing their college essays.

Dos Pueblos High School (DPHS), Mock Trial Coach (Summer 2022-2024): I joined the mock trial team at DPHS as a freshman, and it was the first time I met attorneys who became lifelong mentors. Mock trial was a formative experience for me. It instilled confidence and built strong public speaking skills that have been critical tools in my academic and career success. I wanted to pay this forward to other students because I know what a difference mock trial can make on a child's life. I help students dissect and analyze fictional cases, build strong theories, and draft materials that communicates persuasive arguments. I coach them to form solid objection arguments, craft bullet-proof examinations, and deliver compelling oral arguments through public speaking practice.

University of Chicago Laboratory School, Mock Trial Coach (October 2024 - Present): Once I moved to Chicago, I wanted to continue my involvement with mock trial and high school students. I am very grateful to be able to continue this work with Laboratory students in Hyde Park. After my classes, I cross the street twice a week to work with my students during their mock trial practices, and judge their scrimmages on the weekends.

Hyde Park Legal Clinic (October 2025 - Present): This past fall, I was introduced to the Hyde Park Legal Clinic, which serves immigrants on the South Side. I felt compelled to get involved given the scrutiny and attacks my community members face from the current administration. I supported the attorney to review case materials, follow up with Spanish speaking clients to update information and ensure accuracy. I was fortunate to volunteer alongside my peers from the Latine Law Student Association (LLSA).

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)

From the moment I became an older sister, I wanted to be a doctor. My younger sister, Nicole, was born with disabilities: cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and later diagnosed with autism. As the oldest of four siblings in an immigrant Latino household, I carry the responsibility of providing and caring for my family. I have felt that immense weight on my shoulders since I was a little girl—constantly worrying about my family, especially Nicole’s needs. As a child, I interacted with doctors as I accompanied my parents to all of Nicole's neurologist appointments. With a notebook in hand, I was eager to learn new medical terms as I translated for my parents. On weekends, I hosted physical therapy sessions, determined to help her walk. I always wanted Nicole to have the best quality of life possible. So I thought: what better way than a career in medicine? My future seemed set in stone, but that all changed in high school.

At 15 years old, I became the principal advocate for my family regarding Nicole’s special education, as her school began to completely ignore her most basic needs. The neglect was evident. She had often gone without lunch and even fell off a changing table while left unattended. Nicole’s classroom was failing her entirely, and my parents’ concerns were met with immediate disregard. I was only a teenager, but I understood the situation very clearly. The school decided my family did not warrant the consideration because we were among the minority of low-income Mexican immigrants in a community that served predominately white and affluent families. I was horrified by the blatant discrimination, but I could not afford to dwell on it. Instead, I channeled my anger into swift action. So on behalf of my primarily Spanish-speaking parents, I drafted countless emails and appeals to different members of the school administration. When that did not work, I petitioned the Goleta Union School District and the California Department of Education to advocate for my sister.

Through numerous attempts, and often failed endeavors to make a difference in the world of special education, I soon recognized that the solutions to its shortcomings were deeply ingrained in our legal system. I faced a stark reality: the legal and special education systems disenfranchise low-income and marginalized communities that lack the know-how and resources to navigate their complexities. My family was no exception.

Three years later, my hard work in what seemed like a losing battle finally paid off. We found an attorney who would help us navigate the complex intersection of special education and law, join us in the rooms we were previously excluded from, and fiercely advocate on our behalf. I felt immediate relief knowing I was no longer leading this fight alone. During a meeting between my mother and the Tri-Counties Special Education attorney, I saw an expression on her face that I had not seen in ages: hope. For the first time, the entire compliance-complaint process was explained in Spanish, our native tongue. I cried as my mother heard the attorney walk us through this convoluted process in a way that made sense to her and allowed our family to finally succeed in a legal capacity. The school is now required to ensure Nicole gets one-on-one care from a nurse throughout the entire school day. She is better attended to in her classroom and precautions are taken in case of a seizure. That lawyer saved my sister’s life.

I cannot express enough gratitude to the attorney who took the time to meet my family at a place of understanding, rather than disenfranchisement. However, most Latino families are not as lucky. Language and cultural barriers are still very prevalent, and they perpetuate a system that continues to leave many families in the most horrible, desperate situations. I plan to pursue my career intellectual property at a big law firm where I can have the resources to continue to serve my community through pro bono and be the person who breaks down those barriers—the one who builds linguistic and cultural bridges rather than putting up more walls. And with Latinos making up only six percent of attorneys in the U.S., earning my J.D. is not a question, it is a necessity.

While I no longer have the urge to throw myself in the ring of medicine, I know from firsthand experience that my skills as a lawyer will help people prosper in an equally important way. While working as a legal assistant at Legal Aid DC, my regular client meetings were a striking parallel to the position I was once in with my mother. This time, I found myself on the other end of the table, building bridges where I could. I recognized the all too familiar look of anxiety on my clients’ faces as they walked through our doors hoping to resolve issues around their immigration, domestic violence, and custody cases. But as I greeted them in Spanish, I saw the worry melt away on their faces. Once I stepped in to translate as the attorney broke down legal proceedings, step by step, I saw newfound confidence in my clients. I know my presence in those rooms mattered as a legal assistant, and I have no doubt that my work as an attorney will be even more profound.

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

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Diaz.Cindy_.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*