Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandra Avila Ramirez.
Hi Sandra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am first generation American on my mom’s side and 3rd generation on my dad’s. My mom was from Mexico, and my dad’s grandfather was from Germany. I was a migrant farm worker as a child, so I went to many different schools and had to make friends quickly, but I graduated from Weslaco High School in South Texas. I became a volunteer firefighter and EMS first responder at 20 years old, which is when my love for public service began.
I moved to Austin in 1993 and graduated from St. Edward’s University in 1996 with some college credits from UT Pan-Am (Edinburg, TX) and ACC. I went to law school on a full scholarship, got my law degree in 1999, and moved to Chicago, IL, for my first job as a prosecutor at the State’s Attorney’s Office. I always wanted to be a lawyer and wanted to hold people accountable for hurting others (childhood trauma and experiences ingrained this in me).
I then worked for Legal Aid for about 5 years, spent 16 years as a felony prosecutor at the DA’s Office in Travis County, and now do juvenile and adult criminal defense with a caseload comprised mostly of court-appointed Spanish-speaking clients. There’s so much need and so few Spanish speakers that I have plenty of work, sadly, with these cases.
I know what sparked my interest in public service was seeing my mom struggle as a single parent and encounter so much hardship, yet seeing compassionate and kind people help her/us along the way. It made me realize not everyone was bad, and we all just needed to help when and where we could so that others wouldn’t go through what we went through. Paying it forward is a mantra I live by and that my husband and I are passing down to our son.
I was running for juvenile court judge, and I think I spent my whole career preparing for it. Because I remained unopposed through the filing deadline, I am now judge-elect and will take the bench for the 98th District Court (Juvenile Court) in January 2025.
The criminal justice system, in general, makes you realize how many people have unaddressed trauma and how cycles of generational trauma are repeated because these issues aren’t addressed. We want to be compassionate and understanding, but what happens when you hurt others because you never dealt with your pain? I think this is why I’m so interested in juvenile law. You hear these kids’ stories and understand why they’re going through the system. You try to provide them with tools that guide them or teach them accountability while validating their experiences and showing compassion. And who handles these cases matters because if you get prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and judges that look at them or treat them like underaged defendants, then we’re doing them a disservice.
I have a strong work ethic but, unfortunately, always put work first. Then I lost my mom in early 2020, just before the pandemic, and had so much regret about being too busy to give her or my husband and son the time they deserved. I am still busy, but I give myself more time to regroup, take care of my needs, our sons’, etc., and not just worry about work 24-7. Maybe it’s just me getting older, but I feel better equipped to deal with life in general when I take the time to regroup and focus. And I am very excited about this next chapter in my life!
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Most of us encounter at least a few obstacles, but the resilience and optimism I learned from my mother helped me get past those struggles. The reality is that as a Latina in the legal profession, it is easy to get dismissed or relegated to a stereotype (angry Latina in my case because I am assertive), so you may not always have the same opportunities others do. Another area for improvement, at least for me, was not learning the importance of networking and exploring opportunities within the legal community. Working a second job (acting projects) while raising our son (my husband is a middle school teacher) and taking care of a sick parent certainly made this less of a priority, but it would have been beneficial to do so. I hadn’t thought of that as a struggle, but now, running for office, there’s an expectation that there is a certain path to follow to “do it the right way.” As a first-generation attorney, I didn’t have anyone teaching me the ropes and always felt that I was very “rough around the edges” when I started in this profession and sometimes had to learn the hard way (look the part, play the part). Feeling like you didn’t belong in those spaces or maybe someone didn’t want you there made it more challenging to be in them, especially when there isn’t much diversity or representation. And while diversity, equity, and inclusion are desirable outcomes for a more inclusive and prosperous workplace, there is still much work to be done to get us there. I believe that is an obstacle in more traditional and conservative institutions, such as the legal profession.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about the Law Office of Sandra Avila Ramirez, PLLC?
I have been a solo practitioner for a little over 2 years now, specializing in court-appointed bilingual criminal and juvenile representation. As a former felony prosecutor for 16 years, I can use my experience to benefit those indigent clients who might not otherwise get experienced representation because they can’t afford it. But this is especially true in the juvenile world, where you must have specialized knowledge to handle those cases. I have practiced juvenile law as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and represented minors in civil matters. While the juvenile defense is considered quasi-criminal, you must know criminal law and CPS, family, and other civil matters affecting/impacting children. I take pride in providing Spanish-speaking clients with quality representation in a language they can understand. I also regularly consult with immigration attorneys (it is a free service for court-appointed clients and attorneys who represent them) so that I can advise clients on how these cases can potentially impact their immigration status so that they can make informed decisions (collateral consequences are very real, unfortunately).
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My biggest supporters, hands down, would have to be my husband and son. They have had to handle additional responsibilities as I campaign and attend so many events that sometimes football games or social activities are missed. I’ve also been fortunate in life that I’ve had wonderful mentors who have encouraged and supported me through failures and triumphs and made me realize that relationships should be nurtured as much as work and intellectual growth. Work colleagues who turned into friends were always ready to listen or help staff a case, resolve a dilemma, give me input on complex cases, etc. I learned that it was okay to depend on others and trust that they genuinely wanted to help without expecting anything in return. My mother was my biggest cheerleader until her passing, but my sister is also one of my biggest cheerleaders, and she has undoubtedly taken over that role. It feels lovely to have someone who believes in you so entirely that they make you strive to improve. And, of course, my extended family and the friendships I’ve forged through the years have all contributed to my well-being and success. I cannot say enough about my support system because they can bring a smile to my face or let me process and vent in a safe space, and we all must have safe spaces to be ourselves so that we can grow and become better people.
Contact Info:
- Website: sandra4judge.com
- Instagram: @sandraforjudge
- Facebook: Sandra for Judge
- Linkedin: Sandra Avila Ramirez
Image Credits
arlenjphoto.com
