Michelle Martinez

Volunteer of the Month: Michelle Martinez

July’s Volunteer of the Month is Michelle Martinez, a student at Delaware Law School who helps to bridge the civil justice gap by interpreting for our Spanish-speaking clients. Michelle says that her pro bono work has not only given her a sense of personal fulfilment – it has also shown her new directions for her career.

Michelle, who has a degree in forensic science, worked in pharmaceutical labs before enrolling in law school. “I have a very analytical mind, and I wanted to be in the lab,” she says. “At the same time, I am a people person, and I ultimately want to help people in my career.” That drive landed her in the legal field with the intention to pursue criminal law.

Michelle reached out to VIP at the end of her 1L year seeking volunteer opportunities. With supervision from a professor who is barred in Pennsylvania, she accepted an assignment to draft estate planning documents for a Spanish-speaking client.

“I asked my professor to supervise me and explained I had never done a will before,” Michelle recalls. “He said, ‘Neither have I.’ But we were able to use VIP’s templates and training to work through it. So, through my pro bono work, I’ve gotten mentorship, learned new skills, and been able to work with clients one-on-one.”

“My first client set the tone for me,” Michelle says. “He trusted me, and he helped me as I translated for him. If I used a word that didn’t make sense, he helped me find the right one. We counseled each other.”

After finishing her first case and accepting numerous interpretation assignments, Michelle has gained a new outlook on her future beyond law school. “This work has helped me decide,” she says. “I like working one-on-one with clients because I care about them. I want to be the person who gets them a positive result.”