Perfect path
by Samantha Mendoza
Latinas are drastically underrepresented in the legal profession. Although one in five women in the United States identifies as Latina, this demographic comprises only about 3% of all lawyers nationwide, according to the Hispanic National Bar Association.
Yuliana Gaytan Portillo, who will graduate on Saturday, May 17, with a J.D. from the St. Mary’s University School of Law, said she is committed to changing these statistics by breaking barriers for other Latina law students and professionals at St. Mary’s and beyond.
Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, Gaytan Portillo moved to Arizona with her family at age 4. It wasn’t long until personal tragedy ignited her passion for law.
“My dad was deported when I was 9 years old,” Gaytan Portillo said. “My stepdad was later deported as well. That’s why I wanted to go to law school and become an immigration lawyer: I want to help families remain together.”
As a first-generation college student who had earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona and a master’s degree in Legal Studies at Arizona State University, she had a dream of attending law school but had little access to mentorship. Gaytan Portillo recalled feeling “lost” while struggling to navigate law school applications and LSAT preparation.
Then, she found the inaugural and virtual Lawtina in Training 1L Bootcamp in the summer of 2021.
Founded by then-student Brianna Chapa (J.D. ’23), the boot camp evolved in 2022 into the in-person, on-campus Lawtina Network Summit — providing current and prospective Latina law students support, coaching, networking opportunities and speaking engagements with Latina law professionals representing a variety of career paths.
The opportunity provided Gaytan Portillo with guidance, and she found a personal mentor in Chapa, who encouraged her to apply to St. Mary’s Law. Chapa walked her through every step of the application process and offered support once Gaytan Portillo arrived on campus.
“I feel like I belong here,” Gaytan Portillo said. “There are so many other Hispanic women here, which you don’t get at other law schools. During my undergraduate studies, I didn’t make one friend. Here, I have an entire community.”
“I never thought I’d be in law school, period. But I’m here because of the Lawtina Network Summit.”
— Yuliana Gaytan Portillo, J.D. Class of 2025
In 2024, as a third-year J.D. student, Gaytan Portillo served as chair of the third annual Lawtina Network Summit in a full-circle moment that allowed her to pass the same support and encouragement she received at the summit on to the next generation of Latina law professionals. Under her tenure, the summit saw its highest attendance — with 231 registrants — in the program’s history.
The efforts of faculty, staff and students, like Gaytan Portillo and, previously, Chapa, have paid off on campus. St. Mary’s Law is among the most diverse law schools in the nation. In Fall 2024, 58% of incoming J.D. students identified as Hispanic and 55% identified as female.
“It’s a rare combination to find someone who can balance this role and law school,” said Amanda Rivas (J.D. ’09), Director of Externships and Professor of Practice of Law. “Yuliana recruited, organized and led a team of strong, capable women who rallied around a mission to support the future of Latinas in the legal profession.”
At St. Mary’s, Gaytan Portillo has been involved in various immigration-related initiatives, including educational trips to Monterrey, Mexico, to assist asylum-seekers. She currently works for De Mott, Curtright & Armendáriz, LLP., a San Antonio-based immigration law firm and plans to open her own practice. “I never thought I’d be in law school, period,” Gaytan Portillo said. “But I’m here because of the Lawtina Network Summit. I was a part of it from the very beginning, and it’s something that I always want to be a part of — to give back and inspire little girls who dream of going to law school.”
