TYLA Project

I Was the First. You Can Be a Lawyer Too!
By: Sara Anne Giddings

I grew up surrounded by educators and salesmen, not a lawyer in sight. However, at a young age, I began honing my skills as a lawyer by drafting a behavior contract with conditions for both myself and my parents. The older I got, the more I realized that I wanted to be a lawyer and saw my dream come to fruition by graduating law school in 2007. I am proud to say that I am a first-generation lawyer.

TYLA President Sam Houston’s experience as a first-generation lawyer inspired him to develop the “I Was the First. You Can Be a Lawyer Too!” project. As a first-generation lawyer, it is an honor to work on this project, which highlights first-generation lawyers who have made significant contributions to Texas and the nation. The project will highlight both living and deceased individuals on a website with videos that discuss their achievements and contributions to society.

The website will feature individuals such as Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female justice of the Supreme Court who paved the way for many women; John Adams, the second president of the United States and the first lawyer to become president; Barbara Jordan, the first African American woman in the Texas Senate and a leader of the civil rights movement elected to the United States House of Representatives; Alexander Hamilton, a founding father who founded the nation’s financial system, the Federalist Party, and the United States Coast Guard; Marilyn Aboussie, the first statewide female justice; and Henry B. Gonzales, the first Hispanic representative from Texas. 

We hope that viewing the videos and reading about these first-generation lawyers will inspire students, first generation and otherwise, to become lawyers. Stay tuned to the Texas Young Lawyers Association Facebook page to see when this project goes online.

Sara Anne Giddings is an attorney with the law firm of Smith Rose Finley, PC, where she practices estate planning, tax, and business law. She serves as the District 15 director for the Texas Young Lawyers Association. She can be reached at sgiddings@smithrose.com.