The first known female law clerk in the United States was in 1944 at the United States Supreme Court. Lucile Lomen clerked for Justice William O. Douglas from 1944-1945. She graduated first in her class and was one of the three women in her male-dominated class at the University of Washington Law School.
Lucile managed to obtain her clerkship due to circumstances. The US was fighting in World War II which reduced the number of men in law school. Justice Douglas had four previous law clerks from UWLS and told the Dean he would accept a woman only if she was “first-rate”. Once hired, she provided the Judge with the fastest legal research he had ever seen and worked 16-hour days where she would sometimes sleep on her couch in her office to maximize her time at work. Upon her departure, it would take another 22 years before another female clerked at the United States Supreme Court level.
Watts Guerra has had many women in their clerkship program throughout the years. All have left the program to flourish in their prospective fields of study whether it be in litigation or something completely different. Each one of the clerks is held to the same standard and given the same opportunities regardless of gender. Our main goal is to prepare them for their journey ahead in life and also provide them with the largest amount of exposure possible to the Watts Guerra philosophy of trying and winning lawsuits.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we asked our female clerks, both past and present, questions about the legal industry, who their inspiration is for their career, the type of impact they wish to leave on the world, and if they believe women have advantages or disadvantages in their job roles. They all have different reasons for why they are drawn to the legal field, but ultimately, it is their passion that drives them to this career path.
What inspired you to want to pursue a career in the legal industry?
Sometimes seeing family members pursue their passion and make a difference in their field can really impact a person. For Grace Holland, a current law student at St. Mary’s University School of Law, and Katie Dehlinger, a clerk who recently graduated from the University of Texas in December 2020, it was their family members who ignited their interest. Katie’s grandfather was a federal judge whose excitement about the legal industry permeated through all generations in her family. Grace’s inspiration began with her dad, who is an attorney, and grew with her family. Her family has always taught her to be self-sufficient and continuously fuels her confidence to do whatever sparks her passion in life.
Other clerks received their inspiration while in school. Laura Ramirez, a graduate from Texas Tech University, Margaux Fox, a St. Mary’s University School of Law graduate, and Lauren Ottmers, a current student at Texas Tech School of Law, were attending a class when they decided the legal field was for them. Laura experienced inspiration in a philosophy class that focused on the origins of law while Margaux had hers strike in an immigration law class. Lauren was at a 3rd grade career day when a criminal prosecutor came and spoke about their career.
For other clerks, it was just the simple philosophy of wanting to make a difference. Amanda Reyes, a graduate of Texas A&M University, Shay McMullan, a graduate of Texas Tech University, and Kelsey Abbey, a current law student at the University of South Carolina School of Law, all intend on making a difference in their careers. Kelsey thought medical school was the career path for her until she realized that she wanted to go a different direction. Being a first-generation student, she stated her core desire is “to make a positive impact on as many people as possible as well as advocate and serve as a voice for those who need one”.
Who is your inspiration or someone you look to mirror your legal career after and why?
Having a mentor or someone you hope to mirror your career after can ensure that you stay on track with your goals. Some of our law clerks aspire to be like the women they see on the Supreme Court. Grace and Kelsey look to Sandra Day O’Connor citing how she always stood up for what she thought was right and how she did not let others deter her from accomplishing goals. “She is a picture of resilience and strength” according to Kelsey and “paved the way for women in the legal field by becoming the first female United States Supreme Court justice as well as inspired a nation of women to strive to work hard for their goals” according to Grace.
Amanda, Laura, and Katie find inspiration in their family. Laura’s aunt, Chief Justice Dori Contreras, served as Justice on Texas’s 13th District Court of Appeals from 2003 to 2018. She ran for Chief Justice of the court and became the first Hispanic female to hold the position. Career aside, Laura loved watching her campaigns due to “the support, respect, and influence she earned.”
Amanda and Katie draw their inspiration from their strong mothers in their life that never settle and constantly strive for more. Katie looks to mirror her life after her mom’s core ideal values of “integrity, respect for the rules and law, and desire to do what’s right – always”. Amanda grew up thinking (and still believes) that her mom is “supermom”. She serves as her inspiration for everything and continues to do so as she grows into adulthood. “It is the way that she takes so many different leadership roles in the community to not only better herself, but make an impact on the community around her”. That philosophy in itself provides the desire for Amanda to mirror her life after her mom.
Shay, Margaux, Illiana, and Lauren look to those around them for inspiration. Shay wants to follow her own path but watches those who treat others with respect as guidance to help make her a “better human”. Margaux has been inspired by Jean Brown at Jean Brown Law. “She is fierce while being polite and doesn’t let people run over her” she states. Illiana turns to Alicia O’Neill a partner at Watts Guerra as the person for which to mirror her career after. She says that she “could never repay or thank Alicia enough for the continuous support and encouragement she provides. Her mentorship has challenged me to strive to be the best at what I do, always to continue to find where I can improve, and make sure that I love every step of this journey.” Alicia even reminds her that this career path is “ruthless and exhausting but has the potential for the most rewarding moments”.
Lauren values Capital Partner, Frank Guerra, at Watts Guerra. “He has held onto his morals and kept his family and faith a priority while still becoming one of the most talented attorneys in the field.” It is not just his personal accolades that Lauren looks to as inspiration but how he helps others as well, “he pushes those around him to constantly do better and helps them achieve their goals in any way he can.”
What impact do you wish to leave on the legal industry and do you hope to help a certain type of client or help be a proponent for change in a certain area?
For all the female law clerks, they hope to help propel change and impact the world for good in their careers. They want to be the voice for those who are downtrodden and for those who feel as though they are not being heard. Shay hopes to serve her community by creating a non-profit for Veterans in need of legal assistance. She wants to give back by serving our country’s military men, women, and their families in the courtroom with the ultimate philosophy of “serving and protecting those that think of others before themselves.”
They all wish to help those who have been wronged. Laura’s focus is on taking down large corporations. “I hate that corporations get so much power that it takes away simple civil rights. I want to contribute to the fight against it” she explained. Kelsey quotes Sandra Day O’Connor when she looks to help others in stating that “it’s the individual who can and does make the difference”. Margaux just took her first pro bono case, Lauren wants to help those who have dedicated their livelihoods to their land, crops, and livestock so they have someone fighting in their corner, and Amanda says that her desire is just to help others in whatever capacity she can do so.
Illiana wants to be the inspiration for others who wish to join the legal industry. She wants to help others develop their aspirations and provide mentorship along the way. But to sum everyone’s wishes up, Grace puts it perfectly when she states that her ultimate goal is simple, “to leave the world a better place than when I entered it”.
At this point in your legal career do you perceive any additional challenges you will face, or conversely any advantages you will have in the legal field?
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry can be tough. Grace chooses to not let her gender dictate her success. “I think success comes from hard work and determination regardless of gender” she explained. Katie believes that each person provides a unique perspective and you must leverage the qualities everyone brings to a scenario in order to be successful.
Even though the clerks know that there are a lot of strong women who paved the way for them to be where they are, they know that there will still be struggles along the way. Illiana has experienced first-hand bullying and racism and hopes that will lessen as the community learns more about it. She is a proud Hispanic female and, regardless of the challenges, she hopes to stand out and show the world how proud she is of her family heritage so she can inspire others.
Laura believes that there are laws that still discriminate against women, so biases will still be prevalent in all areas of law, including in its practice. She also has been told that “as a woman, you can easily earn the negative title of being a ‘b*itch’ in the courtroom for doing things that you see male attorneys do on a daily basis and are praised for.” She hopes to combat that bias and help stomp out the stereotypes.
Amanda is concerned about gender discrimination as well but states she also worries about other females. “Most women are there to guide and empower others”, she explains, “however, there are others so busy worrying about trying to outdo the other females around them that they end up being ruthless.” She realizes that this is like any other career regardless of the industry and wants to deter that so she can see other women succeed, especially in a career field that has been generally dominated by men.
Amanda also went on to talk about how growing up in a Hispanic household she saw stereotypes that others might not see. She saw the fight between the stereotype of “women should stay home and take care of the kids” versus holding a successful career outside the home. Amanda is grateful that her father did not follow that stereotype. Her mother is a successful businesswoman and her father fully supports that decision. However, she has witnessed how others had to deal with “masculine pride” in their households. Her goal is to eliminate those biases by forcing others to see she is different by being the best at what she does while striving to be excellent. Ultimately, she is not breaking this stereotype for the criticizers and doubters, but rather for herself.
Do you think that being a law clerk at Watts Guerra has given and prepared you for what to expect as an attorney?
When we asked the clerks this question, they all replied with a resounding “yes”. Those enrolled in law school appreciate the values that Mikal and Frank place on having school come first before work. When it comes to working experience, they love being involved in every step in the litigation process, the exposure to depositions, mediations, hearings, and trials, and the mentorship that is provided by working with highly experienced attorneys. “It is a program like no other” according to Kelsey.
The female clerks at Watts Guerra have big dreams they are working to achieve. They are not letting the biases of the world deter them from accomplishing their goals and intend on challenging the status quo every chance they can get. Fortunately for them, they have strong females to look up to in their life whether it be family, friends, or even the female trial attorneys here at the firm. They all hope to aspire to be as well-spoken, courageous, and driven as those that have come before them while paving the way for those that follow.
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