Fort Worth mom of 4 quit job to go to law school in her 30s. Her risk paid off
Married with four children, she and her husband Emeterio Vigil Jr., a Fort Worth fireman, agreed that she would quit work in her 30s and enter law school. They tightened the family's financial belt for the next three years, risking financial loss or gain. But she was a risk-taker most of her life.
Since her childhood, Vigil said, she had a calling to help the vulnerable, especially Latinos and Latinas who faced cultural and linguistic challenges to access services, to overcome racist practices, and to find justice in court. For example, she said, in a car accident, the monolingual, English-speaking police officer will more likely believe the English-speaking driver's account over the non-English-speaking driver's testimony.
Vigil received admission notices from several law schools in northern states and UT Austin. Wishing to stay closer to home rather than move north or to Austin, she contacted Southern Methodist University about her application. She secured a missing reference letter and soon gained admission. She withdrew her Social Security retirement to pay for the first year. The SMU dean awarded her scholarships for the next two years from anonymous alumni donors.
Rising at 3:00 a.m. every weekday, she briefed cases for class, prepared her children's lunches, and dropped them off at school and daycare. By 6:30 a.m., she was on the road to Dallas with a classmate who lived in Fort Worth, alternating weekly drive duties. In their 20s, most of her fellow students were about 10 years younger than she. Family responsibilities limited her participation in study groups on campus. Vigil rushed home at 4 p.m. to pick up her children, ensure they completed homework, prepare supper, and lay out their clothes for the next day. She studied between classes, at lunch, and in the early morning.
Dallas Attorney Adelfa Callejo (the first Latina to graduate from SMU Dedman School of Law in 1961) employed her in the last year of school to review immigration cases and acted as her role model. Callejo encouraged her to enter politics, but she demurred, preferring to work with clients and volunteer in community advocacy.
Vigil had experience in juggling mother and student roles. After a divorce from her first marriage, she entered Texas A&I University at Laredo (now Texas A&M International University) as the mother of a newborn and 3-year-old. Unable to afford a car, she rode a 10-speed bike to school and finished her baccalaureate in two and half years, majoring in Spanish and psychology. Raised in a family of 12 siblings, she came to Fort Worth when her parents moved with a sister to Duncanville, Texas. Her brothers and sisters encouraged her to persevere, and friends helped with babysitting and gas money.
She received her attorney license in May, 1989, and worked in Fort Worth attorney Jo Ann Reyes' office for three months, assisting with immigration cases. (Reyes is a former deputy chief judge in Municipal Court of Fort Worth.) Vigil rented office space from Reyes and opened her private practice and represented mostly Latino clients. She credited the Fort Worth Mexican American Bar Association with case preparation and guidance.
Vigil practiced mostly criminal law in Fort Worth and in surrounding counties for 35 years. She recalled in smaller cities such as Granbury, Denton, and Weatherford, male bailiffs sometimes restricted her access to judges and prosecutors. After she explained she was a bona fide attorney who wished to discuss cases with them, they allowed her to proceed.
Former Fort Worth school board member Rose Herrera worked in Reyes' office at the same time Vigil practiced there. She observed Vigil was a no-nonsense, bilingual attorney who gave her clients realistic options surrounding their cases. Some disgruntled clients left her, but soon returned to seek Vigil's legal representation.
Steve DeLeon, former Lockheed Martin engineer and co-founder of Pecos Country Energy, an oil and gas exploration company, admired Vigil's volunteer work with the Boys and Girls Club, Tejano statue project on Main and Center Streets, donations for Northside High band trips, and pro bono legal consultation.
Recognizing the importance of honoring unsung female heroes in Fort Worth, DeLeon, business leaders, and others started the Local Women of Courage Celebration project in 2023. Along with fellow Latino business owners, Save the Youth nonprofit, and Fort Worth Independent School District, they honored several outstanding women at annual celebrations. Vigil and other women will receive dolls created by students in Manuel Jara Elementary School David Orona's art class to represent the women's strengths on April 5 at the Northside Community Center.
Although Vigil retired as a practicing attorney in May, 2024, she continued to receive calls from former clients or residents seeking guidance through the legal labyrinth.
She enjoyed hearing from young people who stated her speech to their class or community event inspired them. A young man who worked at the Hyatt hotel in Houston approached Vigil, who was in the city for a conference. He recalled her story about how she progressed from riding a bike to driving a Porsche. When she asked him what he was doing in Houston, he answered: going to college to buy a Porsche someday.
Author Richard J. Gonzales writes and speaks about Fort Worth, national and international Latino history.
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