Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Perez.
Jamie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My path has been determined by a mix of the opportunities that were before me and my willingness to do whatever I had to do to move on to the next step. What it was not determined by was a clear, intentional plan.
My dad co-owned a tractor sales business and I got my start there as a child, putting stamps on envelopes, helping with inventory, and dusting the showroom. Eventually, I worked, at separate times, as a “buffet person” (that was my actual title) at Eat n’ Park restaurant, lawn mower, greenhouse worker, grocery store checkout person and, later, customer service associate, Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet sales associate, assembly line factory worker, snack bar server and cashier, and college rec center employee, among others. I think this list, while reflecting my complete lack of direction, also reflects a great deal of genuine, honest, hard work.
I went to college at Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, a/k/a Matt Lauer’s alma mater, and majored in public relations. After participating in an internship with the Cleveland Crunch Professional Soccer Team (which is no longer in existence), working at Ohio University’s Ping Recreation Center, interning with OU’s golf and tennis center, and interning with OU’s Baseball Team, I ended up building myself somewhat of a “sports PR” resume. I had absolutely NO idea where this would lead me, but figured that was my angle.
While interning with the baseball team, I was tasked with preparing OU Hall of Fame nominations by the coach, during which the coach mentioned that a former player had his own sports marketing company in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta had always sounded exotic to me, though I’m pretty sure that’s because I only ever glanced in that direction on a map and probably assumed it was near a beach. I asked if I could have the former player’s contact information and the coach gladly obliged. Upon graduation, I sent my resume to the sports marketing company. Six months later, I received a phone call from LEJ Sports Group, who wanted to interview me over the phone. A couple of days later, they called to offer me a paid internship – starting in one week. I requested an extra week or so to come down and check everything out, but was told there wasn’t time because they needed someone to start immediately. While wondering what kind of labor trafficking ring I was getting myself into and whether I was walking into a sketchy warehouse or an actual office, I began packing my belongings. (Turns out it was an absolutely adorable office inside a cottage-like office building, but also had a warehouse component where I mastered my packing tape, shrink wrap, and box building skills.) One of my future coworkers had a neighbor who was looking for a roommate, so after the 12-hour drive, I appeared on her doorstep and after a quick introduction, moved on in.
My job in sports marketing was absolutely amazing. My first day on the job, my boss asked me if I wanted to go to Los Angeles to help them work the NBA All-Star Game festivities. Eventually, I was offered a full-time position and I had four of the very best years of my life working with people who became incredibly great friends to me (one of whom became my husband), and taught me a lot. In the midst of it all, I traveled all over the United States and ran events at various Major League Baseball parks and NBA arenas. I was crazy to leave, right? Unfortunately, I ran into a growth issue. As much as I wish that I could be complacent and just “be,” I was ready for my next challenge.
After nearly four years in sports marketing, off I went to the University of Georgia School of Law. Law school was incredibly humbling (hello, everyone else in the world who was at the top of their high school and college classes). I matured more than I would have ever known possible. I became friends with a wider variety of people than I’d ever had the opportunity to connect with before, gained a lot of perspective, and grew as a human being.
After graduating law school, I received an offer to work for a family law firm (an anecdote on the importance of connections: my former boss at the sports marketing company was married to an attorney whose brother knew an Atlanta recruiter from when she previously worked at his “big law” firm; I connected with the recruiter who did not work with entry-level attorneys, but gave me great advice and mentioned she had a cousin who did not practice family law, but his law partners were leaving to start their own family law practice; a month or so later I was interviewing with them and was eventually offered the job).
As it happens, before I was to start my job, my future employers asked me to intern with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s Safe Families Office for approximately one month, assisting and representing survivors of intimate partner violence. I obliged and fell in love with AVLF. While working in private practice, I volunteered as a Guardian ad Litem, maintained the friendships I’d built during my one month internship, and encouraged the organizers of an annual family law fundraiser to name AVLF as the beneficiary.
I worked for one of the best private family law firms in Atlanta for nearly five years. I was encouraged to network and be engaged in the community. I received extremely high quality training and mentoring from my employers. But I was feeling unfulfilled. Everyone who goes to law school thinks they will make a difference in the world. What that “difference” looks like varies for every lawyer, but I hit a point where I felt I’d strayed from my original vision.
When the Safe & Stable Families Project Director position opened up at AVLF, I jumped at the opportunity. This was a way for me to utilize all of these wonderful and well-honed skills I’d spent the past five years building, while working specifically with survivors of domestic violence and training attorneys to volunteer their time for this work. I knew I’d enjoy my AVLF clients, coworkers, and partner organizations. What I did not see coming was that my heart and mind would continue to grow exponentially by working within this organization. I have seen women with absolutely nothing but the clothes on their back and their children at their side summon up unbelievable courage to do what is best for themselves and their children in leaving an abuser. I have worked with women and men who work 2-3 different jobs and still need public benefits because 2-3 jobs is still not enough to pay the most basic necessities for themselves and their families. And my colleagues, both within AVLF and in the for-profit and non-profit communities, are absolutely brilliant, show me kindness, mentor me, and open my eyes, heart, and mind on a daily basis to the issues our clients face. My path here has not been straight, but I’m finally feeling fulfilled in my career, as I work with both colleagues and clients who fight for real justice for those who need it most.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, and while my obstacles are my obstacles, they are obstacles of the privileged and are nothing compared to what I see our clients face throughout their lives. However, the obstacles I faced were as a result of living a pretty sheltered, lower middle class life in a small town without much access to big city people and ideas. Getting practical experience was difficult, because internships were all but nonexistent in my hometown, and I did not have the resources to live somewhere else for an internship. I could only apply for paid internships (which, at the time, in public relations, were few and far between) because I had to pay for my gas. With the nearest public relations internships typically being 45 minutes to an hour away, transportation was expensive. Finding time to both earn gas money at a retail job and still have time for internships was untenable. Since the Cleveland Crunch internship was extremely flexible and involved evening games, I was able to make that work along with a retail job. I was also able to work in unpaid internships at OU because I simultaneously worked at the rec center.
Growing up where I did, I couldn’t fathom this – my job, my geographical location, my outlook – is where I would end up because it wasn’t something I ever saw outside of the movies. My parents always encouraged me and told me I could be anything I wanted to be – and they set great examples by working hard, believing in education, and supporting me along the way – but I couldn’t really envision what I was capable of doing or becoming or that it would really, actually, happen.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation – what should we know?
The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation strives to be the best legal representation money can’t buy. AVLF is the largest provider of pro bono legal services in greater Atlanta – we directly serve 3,500 people each year and reach hundreds more through community outreach and workshops. Since 1979, we have promoted access to justice by inspiring attorneys to provide high-quality education, advocacy, and representation at no charge to low-income families with basic civil legal needs (for issues such as domestic violence, family law, bankruptcy, eviction defense, and landlord-tenant). AVLF’s staff trains, mentors, and supports pro bono attorneys to assist low-income people at critical times in their lives. Our staff and our programs make it as easy as possible for lawyers to engage in meaningful pro bono work.
Personally, I am proudest of the quality of staff at AVLF, including their prompt and diligent communication with volunteers and clients, and the high standards to which we hold ourselves. I’d like to say what sets us apart is something inherent in AVLF – and while certainly, I think we have an amazing team, an atmosphere that encourages idea-generation and support for everyone’s efforts – it is in large part Atlanta’s incredibly generous legal community.
Since coming to AVLF, I have heard from non-profit legal organizations in other cities and states and it has become increasingly clear that we are incredibly lucky to work in this area, where lawyers give so freely of their time to allow low income individuals the same access to justice as high income individuals. It’s truly inspiring and humbling.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
As an organization, meaningful relationships with our attorney community, and meaningful support for their efforts we’ve asked and encouraged them to undertake.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.avlf.org
- Phone: 404-521-0790
- Email: contactus@avlf.org
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