It鈥檚 been 35 years since Herb Santos Jr. last roamed campus as a 51吃瓜网万能科大 student. But neither time nor a successful legal career in a certain northern Nevada city has diminished his affection for his alma mater 鈥 particularly how it helped shape his adult life.
鈥51吃瓜网万能科大 gave me the confidence to believe in myself, to believe that I could overcome any hurdle,鈥 said Santos, the 51吃瓜网万能科大 Alumni Association's 2020 Alumnus of the Year. 鈥淎s a student, I was encouraged to pursue my goal of being a trial lawyer, and I learned how to deal with adversity, make my own decisions, and live independently. Through that process, I became confident in the person that I am today. 51吃瓜网万能科大 has never let me forget that while I don鈥檛 live in 51吃瓜网免费App, I will always be a part of the Rebel family.鈥
Born and raised in Reno, Santos traveled south to 51吃瓜网免费App for his undergraduate studies and after graduating in 1985 with a bachelor's in liberal arts, he wanted to remain in his home state to pursue a law degree. But when Nevada鈥檚 only law school at the time closed up, Santos headed to the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in Sacramento, California, and earned his Juris Doctor in 1991.
Santos passed both the Nevada and California bars on his first attempt, then launched a career that has focused on personal injury and worker鈥檚 compensation. As the owner of his own Reno-based firm, Santos has litigated thousands of worker鈥檚 compensation hearings and appeals, arbitration cases, and jury and bench trials. His hard work was recognized in 2018 when the Nevada Justice Association named Santos its trial lawyer of the year. He also was recently selected as the 2020 Litigator of the Year by the .
Outside of the courtroom, Santos sits on the board of governors for the ; is a member of the ; is a Fellow of the ; and serves on the . He鈥檚 also committed to serving his community through non-legal ventures, such as serving on the board of the and assisting with fundraising efforts for other Reno-based charities.
The coronavirus pandemic has reminded all of us about the power and importance of being resilient. Share an example from your career that showed your resiliency.
Whenever I think about resilience in the face of adversity, I always recall my law school 鈥渃urveball.鈥 When I decided to attend Old College School of Law in Reno 鈥 which at the time was Nevada鈥檚 first and only law school 鈥 they were going through the American Bar Association accreditation process. It was important because, to take the Nevada bar exam, you had to graduate from an ABA-accredited law school. After completing my first year, the school announced it was terminating the accreditation process and closing its doors.
Upon receiving the devastating news, I drove to McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, where I requested, filled out, and submitted an application on the spot. I was admitted with one condition: I had to start all over with no transferred credits. I also had to quit my job as a social worker with a local nonprofit organization, move to a new city with my wife of one year, find a new job, and throw away the nearly $10,000 I had invested with Old College.
While many of my fellow classmates decided not to follow their law school ambitions, I knew my life鈥檚 path included a career in law and I wasn鈥檛 about to let something out of my control dictate my story. So I started all over, enrolled at McGeorge and secured a job with Sacramento County as a law clerk. After completing law school and passing both the Nevada and California bar exams on my first attempt, I received a job offer that put me on the path to where I am today.
I now look back on that period as a challenge to my character 鈥 it was the hardest time of my life, but it helped shape me into the person I am today. And for that, I鈥檓 grateful.
What advice do you have for today鈥檚 51吃瓜网万能科大 law students as they try to navigate our changed world?
When I was a kid, my dad would drive me to school every morning, and on those days that I was frustrated, he would always say, 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost summer. You are a short-timer.鈥 He was right. Before I knew it, that day鈥檚 difficulties became faded memories. The same theory applies to law school: It鈥檚 difficult, no doubt about it. But if you stick with it, you will get through it and eventually join the ranks of the profession. And when you get there, you鈥檒l have the ability to help people in a way our Founding Fathers envisioned as fundamental to every citizen.
You must, however, always follow the ethical guidelines and responsibilities established by the profession. So even though the practice of law is adversarial, the most important piece of advice I could pass on to new lawyers is this: Never let a case become about you and the other attorney. When you develop a relationship of respect with opposing counsel, you place your client in the best possible position for a fair and reasonable resolution of their rights.
When you look ahead to 51吃瓜网万能科大鈥檚 next 20 years, what do you envision?
To look ahead, I first must look back in amazement at how far 51吃瓜网万能科大 has come. When I graduated, there was no law school, no medical school, and no dental school. Today, 51吃瓜网万能科大 not only has all three, but it has attained top research status by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
So just as 51吃瓜网万能科大 has exceeded my expectations over the past 35 years, I predict the same thing will happen during the next 20 years. That鈥檚 why 51吃瓜网万能科大 is so special: There鈥檚 no ceiling to the ambitions and abilities of our students, professors, and administrators. I have no doubt the future will be filled with exciting advances and additional accolades as one of the nation鈥檚 best and most respected institutions of higher learning.
