Santiago Duarte
Duarte Law Group
Santa Ana, CA USA
"Focus on what the endpoint will be. Whatever else they will throw at you in the middle, just get through it."
Career Roadmap
Santiago's work combines: Law, Business, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I suffered from the same imposter syndrome that a lot of immigrants have. I didn't think I could ever be successful. I had it in my head that law school was only for the "other smart guys" out there and not me. It took me some time to realize that my insecurities were felt by a lot of people and that I wasn't alone.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
International Business/Trade/Commerce
Loyola Marymount University
Doctorate
Law
Whittier Law School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was born and raised in Ecuador—immigrated to the U.S. when I was 10 years old without knowing any English.
2.
Started out taking ESL (English as a Second Language) classes in school, but I wanted to become more proficient in English, so I quit and started taking the regular classes instead.
3.
Attended a community college for over seven years, balancing taking classes when I could and working full-time.
4.
Eventually, I was able to transfer to Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where I received my bachelor’s degree in international business.
5.
While at LMU, I was involved in a lot of minority student associations, and was one of the founding fathers and the first vice president of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity for minority students.
6.
Worked as a corporate recruiter for Verizon Wireless for over seven years.
7.
Decided to pursue my interest in becoming a lawyer and attended Whittier Law School, where I received my Juris Doctor degree in law in 2010.
8.
In 2013, I opened my own practice, Duarte Law Group, where I focus the majority of my casework on immigration and criminal defense.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I can't do this. I can't be a lawyer.
How I responded:
I suffered from the same imposter syndrome that a lot of immigrants have. I didn't think I could ever be successful. I had it in my head that law school was only for the "other smart guys" out there and not me. It took me some time to realize that my insecurities were felt by a lot of people and that I wasn't alone.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was born and raised in Ecuador and immigrated to the U.S. when I was 10 years old.
When I first came to the U.S., I didn't know any English. I started taking ESL classes in school in order to learn, but I didn't want to get stuck in ESL and never gain a higher level of proficiency in English, so I left.
There wasn't any outright discrimination, but there was a lack of representation at LMU when I attended. Minority students didn't really have a community so we had fight for change and create our own.
I had a lot of insecurities about becoming a lawyer. I doubted that I was smart enough, that I knew enough English, etc. These are the same insecurities that a lot of immigrants feel.
I went to a community college for over 7 years and got stuck in that cycle of taking classes when I could and working full-time. Eventually, I realized I had to buckle down, focus, and finish so I could transfer and get my bachelor's degree.
I had to take out a lot of loans to pay for school because my family had no money. I had a few issues with financing and registering for classes, etc.