Benji Martinez ’23

Photo of Law Student Benji Matinez, J.D. '23
Benji Matinez, J.D. ’23

“As practitioners of law, attorneys serve the public.  We have a duty to use our skills to give back to our local communities and seek justice for all.  I do pro bono work to help others and to make my community a better place.  Plus, I have a lot of fun and meet cool people doing it.  Pro bono work matters!

I’m one of the student directors of the Name and Gender Change Workshop. Having identification that correctly matches your identity is a basic necessity for our everyday lives. I joined NGCW to help people get through the legal hurdles to correct their IDs so they can have peace of mind the next time they need their ID.  At NGCW, I’m in charge of organizing our monthly workshops to help transgender and gender diverse folks get name and/or gender marker changes to their legal documents that match their identities. As a Spanish speaker, I get to work one-on-one with our Spanish speaking clients. I love my work!
 
Get involved with pro bono work as soon as you can!  Not only is it a great way to learn basic legal and client advocacy skills, its also a way to give back to your community.  Find a cause you care about and start volunteering!”

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