Courageous comeback
by Samantha Mendoza
When Lauren Cortez first walked into the Ceremonial Courtroom at the St. Mary’s University School of Law, her face lit up. She turned to her grandfather and said with certainty, “I can see myself here.”
What she didn’t know then was just how much that courtroom would come to mean to her — or how much it would one day motivate her as she lay in a hospital bed, determined to overcome one of the most difficult experiences of her life.
Growing up in Victoria, Cortez didn’t see many lawyers who looked like she does. Although enthralled by cinematic portrayals of courtroom advocates like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (her favorite book and movie as a child), she assumed she would follow in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps by becoming an educator. She was on track to complete her undergraduate degree and jump straight into the classroom when she realized she owed it to herself to give law a shot.
“My grandfather pretty much came from nothing, but he pushed me to not feel limited by where I come from or the fact that I’m Hispanic,” Cortez said. “I didn’t have lawyers to look up to. But I want to be that person for other girls like me.”
After that fateful campus visit with her grandfather, Cortez began her law school journey. Driven by a deep sense of responsibility to her community and a desire to make her family proud, Cortez dove headfirst into campus activities. She joined the National Trial Team, became treasurer for the Board of Advocates and a senator for the Student Bar Association, and joined multiple volunteer and mentorship organizations.
She also registered for a study abroad program and was preparing to travel to Innsbruck, Austria, when tragedy struck.
While on her way to one of her final classes of the Spring 2024 semester, a car wreck changed everything. As she lay waiting for an ambulance — and even as she lay in a hospital bed preparing for surgery — her mind was on one thing: Passing her finals and studying abroad as planned.
“My surgeons and doctors told me it was not going to happen,” Cortez reflected. “But I pushed really hard in physical therapy, and I passed my tests. I went to Europe with a cane, and I never missed a day of class. I look back on the experience with so much admiration and pride, because I could have very easily just given up. But I didn’t.”
Cortez credits the support and encouragement she received from the St. Mary’s community for playing a role in her recovery. In particular, she is grateful for the support she received from her mentor, A.J. Bellido de Luna, J.D., who is also Assistant Dean for Advocacy and Conflict Resolution Programs and the Hardy Law professor.
“My accident taught me that life can change in an instant. I went from a wheelchair to a walker to crutches to a cane very quickly because I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I’m ready to leave my mark on the school and community that have given so much to me.”
— Lauren Cortez, third-year J.D. student
“Lauren is precisely the kind of leader, advocate and servant-scholar our profession needs,” Bellido de Luna said. “She returned from her accident stronger, excelling academically while leading with grace, compassion and courage. She embodies the mission of St. Mary’s and is poised to become a lawyer whose career will be defined by championing the vulnerable, challenging injustice and shaping a more humane legal system.”
Now a third-year J.D. student, Cortez is more determined than ever to give back. She has since become captain of the Trial Team and president of the Student Bar Association. And in a full-circle moment, she even spent a summer interning at the office of the city attorney in her hometown of Victoria.
“My accident taught me that life can change in an instant,” Cortez said. “I went from a wheelchair to a walker to crutches to a cane very quickly because I’m so grateful for this opportunity. I’m ready to leave my mark on the school and community that have given so much to me.”
