The world could always use more people entering law, and that’s exactly what FLA prepares for the students at Parrish Community for. The club president Valentina Oviedo-Fajardo (So.) and co-president Kenzy Elserif (So.) created this club for others who want to go into law or are thinking about it.

The first club meeting will take place on Monday, September 21 from 2:30-3:30pm in room 6-203. Students interested in joining or learning more are encouraged to attend.

Oveido-Fajardo and Elserif were interviewed to share more information about the club:

President Valentina Oviedo-Fajardo

What made you want to start Future Lawyers of America?

I’ve always been interested in pursuing a career in law, and I wanted to take the initiative to create something where students could explore that interest while also developing skills that can help them in any career.

When did you first get the idea for the club?

I realized that our school didn’t really have a club focused on law, so I started thinking about creating one myself.

Why did you feel like our school needed a club like this?

I felt like students should have an opportunity to learn more about law and explore whether it’s something they want to pursue in the future. At the same time, I wanted the club to be a place where students could build fundamental skills like public speaking, confidence, communication, and leadership, even if they don’t plan on becoming lawyers.

What role did you play in getting the club started?

I came up with the idea for the club and brought it up to my co-founder, Kenzie, who is also interested in pursuing law. From there, we worked together to turn the idea into an actual club.

What will happen at the first meeting next Monday?

We’ll have a fun mock trial practice to give everyone an idea of what mock trials in the club could look like. We’ll also introduce the club, talk about what we’ll be doing throughout the year, and have donuts for everyone.

What kinds of activities or events do you plan to have throughout the school year?

We plan to have mock trials, guest speakers, and hopefully opportunities to visit courthouses and get a better idea of what working in the legal field is like in the real world. We also want activities that help members improve their public speaking, confidence, and communication skills.

What has been the biggest challenge of creating a club from scratch?

The biggest challenge has been that there’s a lot of work that goes into starting a club from scratch, but seeing everything come together and knowing that students will get something out of it makes it worth it.

What do you hope students get out of joining the club?

I hope students learn more about law if that’s something they’re interested in, but also develop skills like public speaking, confidence, communication, and leadership that they can use in school and beyond.

Where do you hope Future Lawyers of America will be by the end of the school year?

I hope we have a lot of students involved and that Future Lawyers of America becomes a well-known club at our school that people are excited to be a part of.

Co-president Kenzy Elserif

What made you want to start Future Lawyers of America? 

I became involved with starting FLA. when my co-president and friend valentine proposed the idea after realizing the lack of opportunities specific for students interested in the legal profession.

When did you first get the idea for the club?

I was immediately intrigued and excited to work on this club. I’ve always wanted to start something like this, so this was a great opportunity.

What does Future Lawyers of America mean to you personally?

FLA means creating a space where students can explore their interests, build confidence, master skills, and learn what it’s like to pursue a career in law.

What do you think makes this club different from other clubs at our school?

FLA is hands-on. instead of just learning about law, students will experience it through mock trials, debates, research, guest speakers, and many more opportunities. we want everyone to leave this club with skills that will set them up for life, lawyer or not.

What kind of activities, discussions, or events do you have planned for the club?

We will have a lot of debates. We will have a lot of mock trials. We will be researching past major Supreme Court cases and looking into what made them major. And honestly, it's just a really good opportunity to learn more about law.