Meet Dawn Saenz, Attorney-at-Law
Dawn Saenz had a dream. She wanted to become a lawyer.
While no one came out and said she couldn’t do it, at least to her face, she knew there were plenty of people who didn’t believe in her dream, who didn’t think that a single mother with an undergraduate degree and a full-time job would be able to become a lawyer.
Those naysayers obviously didn’t know her as well as they thought they did.
While continuing to work full-time at the University of California, Riverside and raising her daughter, Saenz took night classes to complete her undergraduate degree in English, graduating with honors. She then entered California Southern Law School.
While attending California Southern, Saenz had a perfect attendance record, both in the classroom and at her daughter’s school activities, watching her compete in mock trial as well as water polo. In fact, Saenz helped coach the mock trial team to a Riverside County Championship and a fourth-place finish at the state competition. She continues to volunteer as a scoring attorney for the Riverside County Mock Trial Competition and for the California State Competition when it is held in Riverside County.
A natural leader, Saenz formed a study group and led the sessions with seven other first-year law students. That year, six of the seven students passed the California Junior Bar Examination on the first attempt.
After moving on to the second year program, several first-year students approached her and asked if she would tutor them as well. That was the start of what has become an extensive tutoring practice in which she has worked with many students from six different schools.
After graduating from California Southern, Saenz worked as a law clerk. She passed the California Bar and was admitted to practice shortly thereafter.
Saenz’s story is one of perseverance and dogged determination. She is a woman who was committed to a cause and would not be denied. She now takes these very same qualities with her into the courtroom as she fights for her clients.
“It’s been a long road, but looking back I have to say that there isn’t anything I would do differently,” she said. “I am proud of what I accomplished, grateful for the love and support of my family, my friends, and my church.”
While no one came out and said she couldn’t do it, at least to her face, she knew there were plenty of people who didn’t believe in her dream, who didn’t think that a single mother with an undergraduate degree and a full-time job would be able to become a lawyer.
Those naysayers obviously didn’t know her as well as they thought they did.
While continuing to work full-time at the University of California, Riverside and raising her daughter, Saenz took night classes to complete her undergraduate degree in English, graduating with honors. She then entered California Southern Law School.
While attending California Southern, Saenz had a perfect attendance record, both in the classroom and at her daughter’s school activities, watching her compete in mock trial as well as water polo. In fact, Saenz helped coach the mock trial team to a Riverside County Championship and a fourth-place finish at the state competition. She continues to volunteer as a scoring attorney for the Riverside County Mock Trial Competition and for the California State Competition when it is held in Riverside County.
A natural leader, Saenz formed a study group and led the sessions with seven other first-year law students. That year, six of the seven students passed the California Junior Bar Examination on the first attempt.
After moving on to the second year program, several first-year students approached her and asked if she would tutor them as well. That was the start of what has become an extensive tutoring practice in which she has worked with many students from six different schools.
After graduating from California Southern, Saenz worked as a law clerk. She passed the California Bar and was admitted to practice shortly thereafter.
Saenz’s story is one of perseverance and dogged determination. She is a woman who was committed to a cause and would not be denied. She now takes these very same qualities with her into the courtroom as she fights for her clients.
“It’s been a long road, but looking back I have to say that there isn’t anything I would do differently,” she said. “I am proud of what I accomplished, grateful for the love and support of my family, my friends, and my church.”