Vega-Gonzalez finds her passion through serving others

In November of her 2L year, Gonzalez accepted a position as a law clerk at Chris Jacob Family Law.

“I wanted to get my foot in the door because you never really know until you try,” said Gonzalez. “I tried it, and I just fell in love with the work.”

The opportunity gave Gonzalez hands-on experience working with indigent people in need of an attorney. The opportunity to have a seat at the table was a valuable lesson, she said.

“She [Hannah Honeycutt] does an amazing job putting the meetings together,” said Vega-Gonzalez. “If you just watch her, it is very clear how passionate she is about the work. I admire her passion. I consider myself a very passionate person, and experiencing that was all worth it.”

Experiential Learning

Gonzalez said the experience of being part of a group of attorneys leading programs to bring services to those in need was eye-opening for her.

“I was not aware of how small South Carolina is in terms of the number of attorneys, especially in rural areas,” she said. “People in small towns also need attorneys.”

Vega-Gonzalez combined her passion for justice and her knowledge of the law to assist attorneys in drafting statewide guidelines.

Thoughtful, engaged, and reliable

“She was consistently thoughtful, engaged, and reliable,” said Honeycutt. “She approached access to justice issues with empathy and a clear awareness of the barriers low-income people face when navigating the legal system. She listened carefully, asked insightful questions, and contributed in a way that reflected both maturity and a sincere commitment to the Commission’s mission.”

Margaret M. Lawton, Vice Dean, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law, who serves on the Access to Justice Commission, agreed with Honeycutt’s observations of Vega-Gonzalez’s time on the Commission. “Ms. Vega-Gonzalez was also an excellent representative of the law school. Commission members were impressed with her understanding of the legal issues facing South Carolinians.”

It is the combination of those skills – empathy, awareness, maturity – that led Dylan O. Malagrinó, Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development and Professor of Law at the Law School, to nominate Vega-Gonzalez as the Charleston Law student liaison.

“Ms. Vega-Gonzalez is an outstanding campus leader at Charleston Law, with a strong work ethic and an extraordinary interest in public service, he said. “I am confident the work she has done as a law student advisor to the S.C. Access to Justice Commission will help ensure equal access to civil legal assistance for all South Carolinians.”

ABOUT CHARLESTON SCHOOL OF LAW

Charleston School of Law is an ABA-accredited 501(c)(3) law school nationally recognized for its student-centric culture. Our faculty and staff are committed to preparing you for success in both the classroom and the legal profession.

ABOUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA ACCESS TO JUSTICE

SCATJ brings together a broad range of legal system stakeholders—judges, court leaders, private lawyers, legal aid providers, policymakers, and funders—who work to address the significant civil justice gap in South Carolina by assessing essential civil legal needs, fostering collaboration, and identifying innovative solutions.