1 L.A. PUB. INT. L.J. 333

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LETTER TO A YOUNG PUBLIC INTEREST ATTORNEY*
Hernán D. Vera

          Welcome to a community of advocates! I commend you for choosing to answer the call of the marginalized and oppressed, and for stepping up during a period of such intense need.

          Because I know most of you have thought deeply about the many structural and political reasons why civil rights work is so needed, I do not presume to lecture you about why you should pursue a career in the public interest. But, given my background in both the private sector and public interest, I believe I can offer some insights and practical advice on how these two sectors interact.

          I began my career as a business litigator at O’Melveny & Myers in 1994. Like so many colleagues committed to public interest, I joined a firm with the intention of obtaining valuable litigation experience – skills that I knew I would later need in representing the poor. My many years at O’Melveny & Myers provided me with an intensive and world-class education into complex litigation at all levels. The mentors I had during that period were among the best attorneys I have worked with, and showed me in very personal terms what people of conscience can accomplish in a business environment.

* For complete letter, please download the PDF.