Student Spotlight: Alberto Wray, L’25
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re sharing how some of Richmond Law Spiders are impacted and empowered by their identities. Students like Alberto Wray, L’25, from Quito, Ecuador, whose understanding of Hispanic culture and its nuances will help him become a more effective advocate.
Why did you decide to attend the University of Richmond School of Law?
I decided to attend the University of Richmond because of the school’s academic environment paired with a community that cares about each other. I remember going to admissions and noticing how personable everyone was, and it continued as I started to meet more of the law school community.
What aspect of your law school experience has surprised you the most?
How many close friends I have made. I have met so many amazing people that I wonder why I was nervous before school started. I am surprised with how many kind people I’ve been fortunate to meet.
What does being a Hispanic or Latinx lawyer mean to you?
To me, it means continually recognizing where you come from, not just in the geographical sense but also in a communal and cultural sense. Helping others runs deep in our culture, and that notion is at the heart of the kind of lawyer I intend to be. In addition, it is important to be an attorney who can understand the Hispanic community and its nuances to be a more effective advocate.
What impact do you hope to make on the legal system after graduation?
I want to be able to support others while using the law to solve problems in their day-to-day lives. As a special education advocate, I intend to treat students and their families with compassion and ensure that students are in a position to achieve their goals.
What are your post-graduate plans and what interests you most about the field you plan to pursue?
I don’t know the exact contours, but I hope to be in the education law space. I am particularly interested in special education law and the ways disability law intersects with education law. Special education law is interesting because it directly impacts students who may be struggling in school and whose school experiences could be quickly turned around with the right solution facilitated and implemented with the help of a lawyer. While I recognize that this is a best-case scenario, and often, the right solution may take years, it should always be the goal.
What specific class or professor helped you hone in on your interests within the law?
This is tough because there are so many! I enjoyed Legal Writing with Professor Samuel-Seigel. I enjoyed the class because it felt like I was doing what lawyers do- read, analyze, and write. I also saw how my writing improved as the class progressed, which was a unique experience in law school, especially considering that exams are the only thing we submit in other classes.