3L Monica Rodriguez-Cobian

1. Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico until I was ten-years-old and then moved to San Antonio, Texas. At that young age, I was inspired to go to law school because Sonia Sotomayor was nominated and confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and I identified with her story. I graduated from SMU with a BBA in Management with a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance and minors in Law and Legal Reasoning and Philosophy. At SMU Law, I am currently the Women in Law President and the Administrative Managing Editor of The International Law Review Association.

2. Why did you decide to come to SMU Law?

SMU Law was my top choice among the law schools that I applied to because of my understanding of its academic excellence, commitment to community involvement, and strategic connection to the Dallas business community. When I was at SMU undergrad, I was a Pre-Law Scholar and a student employee at the SMU Law Dean’s Suite and Development Office, which allowed me to have plenty of interactions with SMU Law faculty, students, and alumni early on. As a result, I knew that SMU was the type of environment conducive to my personal and academic growth. I was lucky enough to feel the consistent unity and spirit within the SMU Law community before becoming part of it. Additionally, by interacting with alumni, I realized that a JD from SMU Law is capable of opening doors of opportunity worldwide. Now that I am in my last year, I can confirm that SMU Law has exceeded all of these expectations. Deciding to attend SMU Law was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.

3. What has been your favorite class and why?

My favorite class at SMU Law was ‘Employment Law: Addressing Social Change in the Work Place’ taught by Adjunct Professor Daniel Syed. In this class, I learned and examined different strategies that lawyers use to effectuate social change in the workplace through the advancement of employment law. Additionally, we critically assessed contemporary workplace issues such as sexual harassment, parental leave, and outdated minimum wages and how best to address them. It felt like this class bridged the gap between my employment discrimination and labor law classes and the workplace issues we see in the news today. It also opened my eyes to how being a Labor and Employment lawyer can positively impact my community’s social problems.

4. When you are not in school or studying, what do you do for fun?

When I am not studying, I like to spend time with my friends and family primarily. I also love to kick box, watch The Voice, and travel abroad.

5. What extracurricular activities have you enjoyed most and why? (SBA, moot court, etc.)

I have enjoyed actively being part of Women in Law (WIL) since my first year at SMU Law. I have been passionate about women empowerment for as long as I can remember. This organization, along with its members’ and alumni’s support, has propelled me to become a confident Latina ready to shine in the legal industry. Furthermore, being President of Women in Law has polished my leadership skills through pressing me to innovate and collaborate with the rest of the Executive Board to keep members and alumni engaged with WIL in the midst of a pandemic.

6. How has law school challenged you most?

The most challenging aspect of law school has been the development of my mental toughness. Law school has taught me that, to be successful in school, in your future career, and in life, you need balance. Mental toughness does not come from studying 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It comes when there is a balance of working hard towards your personal goals and scheduling time to rest and restore energy through fun plans with your friends and family. This balance gives you mental toughness for times of uncertainty, like when I lost my grandfather my first semester of law school or when the coronavirus pandemic began. It gives me confidence in the face of change. While this balance was challenging to understand and achieve during law school, I am now mindful of it and work towards building my mental toughness every day.

7. What has been your most memorable law school moment so far?

One of my most memorable law school experiences was my Squire Patton Boggs Public Policy Fellowship in my home island of Puerto Rico during the summer between my 1L and 2L year. During this fellowship, I conducted legal research regarding issues arising from the distribution and use of HUD’s CDBG-DR funds in Puerto Rico for the aftermath of Hurricane María. I also drafted policy briefs presented to the government of Puerto Rico and its local Department of Housing. Finally, I organized and managed educational workshops that empowered low-income communities in Puerto Rico to assert their rights in their recovery from Hurricane María. It was so rewarding and inspiring to apply the skills that I acquired at SMU Law to help aid my Puerto Rican community after they survived the most devastating disaster they ever lived through.

8. What do you plan to do post-graduation?

After graduation, I will be joining the Dallas office of Fox Rothschild LLP.

9. Have you had any important mentors during law school? If so, who?

Several mentors have been instrumental to how I got to where I am today:

• The SMU Law Assistant Dean for Administration, Becca Henley, has mentored me every year and has been there for me every step of the way.
• The Assistant Dean of Career Services, Karen Sargent, supported me before and after my Puerto Rico fellowship program.
• The Dean of Students, Steve Yeager, has been there for me through the death of my grandfather during my first semester of law school and through other times of uncertainty throughout law school.
• My mentor, Sean Hicks, met with me through the SMU Law Career Services Mock Interview Match program before my on-campus interviews and coached me to have impactful interviews that undoubtedly opened doors to amazing firms in the Dallas community.
• My mentor and SMU alum, Meyling Ly Ortiz, has supported me and guided me several times since we met over the DWLA Leadership Class this past summer.
• My Fox Rothschild mentors and SMU alumni, Jamie-Lee Denton and Ryan Musser, supported me throughout my virtual clerkship with the firm this past summer.

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 and 10 years?

First, I see myself being a leader in my community and empowering Latinas and women in the legal industry by serving in organizations like the Dallas Women Lawyers Association and the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association. Second, I see myself participating in organizations that combat systemic issues within Dallas like hunger, homelessness, or education access. Finally, I see myself excelling professionally as a Labor and Employment lawyer in Dallas.