1980_11 The Daily Collegian November 1980

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LAVtttOCAZTLAN
RAZA
lets get
better
acquainted
First Annual
La Raza National Lawyer's Association
Fresno County Chapter
Awards Banquet
Featured Speaker
Cruz Reynoso
Honorable Associate
Justice Third District Court of Appeal
FRIDAY. DECEMBER 12,1980
FOR   MORE   INFORMATION    CALL
JESSE A VILA 233-WT
PHILLIP SILVA 4*6-4070
DEL WERB OFFICE BLOC BALLROOM ,
2220TUL ARE STREET
6:00-7:0n PM COCKTAILS
AND ENTERTAINMENT
7:00-8:00 PM DINNER .   -
8:00-9:3(1 AWARDS/SPEAKER    .
9:30-    DANCE      -
Letter to El Ed(rtor)    .
Q-voRaza.
Last week many new Chicano students
were seen on campus. These students
belong tn the High School Equivalency
Program (H.E.P). These students
are here for one important pupose-
to recieve a high school diploma. The
best thina is that these students are
exposed to our campus.
So Raza. let's welcome our younger
brothers and sisters to our campus,
and talk to them about the importance
of an education.
Y siouiera, invite them to one of your
classes.    Quien sabe?     You  might
see some of these students enrolled
next semester.   Que sique la lucha Y
'sisepuede.'
Alrato
Daveed Torres
CHO Runs Logo Contest
The Chicano Health Organization
(CHO) is currently conducting a logo
contest. The contest is open to everyone.
The winner will receive recognition at an
upcoming CHO meeting and also In La
Vox de Aztlan. For more information on
rules and deadline, contact: Patricia Ter¬
renes (226-7852) or 01 i via Ludo.
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
ro.«t-r)i»net
a*dafc*t*CUat: Uaird Aparfclo
Mi
nCaSSd.
Vila.
ftodacttn.  IImiiii      Dm l.  Ian
AllllllaalliC. Haaagaji   Aha Soman)
Ha<tor«oo>.ro
Altist: Harold Porrma
Suit lapertan: Sndn Oobwjm,
Yoaud. Onuutfaa, ramando Qotoiaro.
fat. aUmirai. Ooaai. Sols, YoUnd.
Soto, BoaaJra VillaajM
U Voi Da Ankn ofllo. la kxataO to
to. Kaata Campua BdOdkal on taW
C8UTcampsu.
Leoara to lh« aditor ajawakxmaxl.
U Vo. D» AitUn iniina ta> rlgfcl to
Mitt aattan.
gaastsaass aaafcaafcaa.
LA VO*** AZTLAN
Analyzes Bakke Case
One of California's best attorney's, Bob Perez,
discusses successful career and law profession
by Edward Apark*.
*l personally do not think the Bakke
decision was the end of the world,*
suted Robert Perez, one of the state's
more prominent personal injury at¬
torneys and associate professor of
criminology at CSUF. 'It could have
been worse."
"The ontv thing it strikes down is quo¬
tas. I'm not so sure that even without
Bakke we wouldn't be going through
the same thing, that is, the door some¬
what closing,* Perez remarked. "I
think it is incumbent for us to push
for affirmative action.* •».
Born in Los Angeles and raised in
Orosl, In Tulare County, Perez grad¬
uated from Orosl High School and from
the CoHete of the Sequoias In Vlsalla.
Upon completion at COS, he trans¬
ferred to California Sute University
atChko.
While at CSUC, Perez' main goal
was to become a professor at the
university level. 'Primarily my Inten¬
tions were to become a teacher. I
wanted to teach criminology. That
was   my   objective,'   Perez   claimed.
Perez hadn't really thought about law
school until he took a couple of courses
In business law from an Instructor
who was a lawyer. "I was fascinated.
I became very, very interested,* Perez
recalled.
Perez' first feelings were what marry
students go through In their initial
academic vear. *l went In very scared.
Many of the students coming In were
from Berkeley, Stanford and other name
schools.' Perez said. 'And there I
was...a kid from Chico State, a kid from '
the Vallev I was really scared "
'In looking back at it now,  I'm
glad I was scared because I worked at
it very hard." Perez exclaimed.
Perez' continual struggle paid off
after the first year as he was number
one, academically, in his class. "I was
really   surprised,"    Perez   exclaimed.
McCeorae, rewarded Perez wth a
scholarshiD which he viewed as a
blessing from the sky. 'At the time I
was married and financially it was very
difficult. The scholarship pretty well
took care of tuition. All I had to worry
about was eating and sleeping,* said
Perez. 'I was fortunate to have various
little Jobs. We may not have had very
much, but we made it. *
Perez' 'little Jobs' consisted of
running the minority students tutorial
center at McCeorge, working for the
Sacramento public defender's office,
and teaching in the Chicano Studies
Department at Sacramento State Un¬
iversity.
7 really enjoyed law school..the pressure
...That type of competition, especially when
you combine it with fear, provided an
atmosphere which enabled me to grow.
Reflecting back on both careers,
Perez has always felt a conflict between
teaching and practicing law. 'It Is very
difficult not to want to engage In the pro¬
fession. Not that I don't enjoy teaching.
Icertainlvdo. I've always had a conflict
between 'teacher and lawyer' and at
different times In my life one prevails
over the other.*
After graduating from Chico State
in 1967 with honors, Perez sat out a year
and worked. During the course of the
year, Perez and a couple of other
individuals started a program, 'Project
Proteus.* to be funded by the federal
government to aid migrants and farm¬
workers. At the time It was a 'very
small* orogram. The budget consisted
of $250000 'It's presently a $10
million orogram,* Perez commented.
In 1968. Perez was admitted to the
University of Pacific School of Law,
McCeorge on a  "conditional   basis.*
'I was  admitted  into McCeorge
prior to mvLSAT (Law School Admission
Test) on the condition that I must do
well in order to meet the provision,"
Perez recalled.
Upon receiving his LSAT score,
Perez was immediately troubled as he
had received a low score. *l was really
worried they might disavow it (admis¬
sion) since I did not meet the condition,
but thev did not,* Perez stated.
. Perez, Fresno's Best elaborates on career.
Despite the fact that Perez had to work
at various lobs during law school, Perez
looks back at it now and Is amused by
the experience.
"I realty enjoyed law school...the
pressure. Most people look upon
law school as sort of like people who
have been in the service look at boot
camp,* Perez stated. 'For some reason
it was the type of thing I thrived on.
In essence. I've found myself to be a
very comoetlti ve person. *
That tvpe of competition, especially
when you combine it with fear, provided
an atmosohere which enabled me to
grow,* Perez said.
Perez graduated from McCeorge
with honors In 1972 and immediately
began teaching  In the criminology
department at CSUF.     Along with
teaching   Perez began practicing law
with Armando Rodriguez as  an  as¬
sociate.
Once Rodriguez was appointed In the
bench, Perez expanded his law practice
and concentrated on personal  Injury.
Thus entering the field of personal in¬
jury, this enabled Perez to scale new
heights.     Rapidly  building  up  his
reputation as an attorney who 'gets
the Job done*  Perez has  amazingly
built up a rather successful law career
In a short Deriodof time.
Within the last two years, Perez
has been on the winning side of three
major lawsuits.
Although having won lawsuits of
M 7 million and S4.I million, Perez Is
most proud of a lawsuit whose end
result was lust over $1 million.
That case gives me the roost good
feeling. The case involved an undoc¬
umented alien, who was a parapalegic.'
Perez exnlained.
With oolitics being the name of the
game, Perez is disturbed by widespread
Chicano apathy and lack of voting
participation.
"Something Chicanos should start
becoming aware of is that the system
can be made to work for you...let's
take it over.'Perez exclaimed.
"We have enough of us who are
eligible to vote to win any election,*
Pern commented.
"Something Chicanos should start becoming
aware of is thai the system can be made to
work for you...tet's take it over*
While still teaching part-time at CSUF
Perez eyes a political career in the
future. *l would like to one day be the
first Chicano federal district court
lodge. Although, I am talking about
a long wav down the line...I'm having
too much fun right now.*
Perez felt there was many reasons
why Chicanos do not vote, but cited
a traditional overtone that underlies
most of these problems. 'MostChJcanos
feel 'the less government, the better,'
Is a carryover from our grandparents
whom fled Mexico during the revolu¬
tion," Perez said.
See *M> Perez page 6