Adriana Palomares ’09 Publishes Book on Empowerment for First-Gen Lawyers

Adriana Palomares ’09 has published her first novel, Brava: A Latina Lawyer’s Path to Empowerment, inspiring first-generation Latinx lawyers everywhere to strive for their dreams. Brava is her first published novel, inspired by her experience as a first-generation Latina lawyer. “I want to thank my alma mater Lewis & Clark Law School for the opportunity to study law there,” said Palomares of her time in law school. “My years there were some of the most significant of my life.”

Brava is a fictional story following protagonist Lucia Inocencio Granados in her journey to search for happiness and realize her dreams after migrating from México to the United States. It explores themes of grief, love, success, and healing through the lens of a first-generation Latina lawyer. Through her book, Palomares hopes to not only empower first-generation Latinx students in their goals to become lawyers, but to revitalize their connection with their ancestry, too. “I hope my book inspires more people of color to pursue a career in law and to fight for their dreams,” said Palomares. “New challenges emerge when we become first-generation professionals, and we must learn to navigate through them without a blueprint. My hope is to encourage readers to think of that adversity as fuel to transform and create the life they yearn for.”

After graduating from law school in 2009, Palomares has worked in the workers’ compensation domain, where she has both represented injured workers and defended businesses and corporations. Outside of law, Palomares is a fierce and enthusiastic advocate for higher education within Latinx and other underrepresented communities, and she frequently shares her experiences as a conference panelist and motivational speaker at educational conferences.

To first generation students pursuing a career in law, Palomares urges that they stay true to themselves and stay committed to their dreams. “Be courageous enough to make the changes that will unleash the passion that has been flickering in your heart,” said Palomares. “Gather everything life has thrown at you and use it to build a solid platform to create the life you are worthy of having, a life that you love.”