At an early age Maria Pierre had two responses when somebody asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said she either wanted to be an attorney or a probation officer. She really didn’t know where probation officer came from, but after she graduated from college that was the first path she followed.
That was until she realized she needed a back-up plan. Despite multiple rounds of interviews, she ultimately never landed a job as a probation officer.
Law school popped into her mind briefly, but the idea of going back to school right then seemed overwhelming.
“I was tired and felt like I'd been in school for too long,” shared Pierre. “What I really wanted to do at the time was to move out of my mom's house, jump into the workforce, and start life.”
So that's what she ended up doing — but that didn't work either.
“I hated my job,” recalled Pierre. “I wondered why I got a college degree only to work at a job that made me unhappy. I thought, there must be more to life than this."
One day she found herself venting to her mom, and her mother reminded her daughter of her dream of being a lawyer. She told Pierre that she should revisit that conversation with herself.
So she did. She decided, rather than jumping in headfirst she would dip her toes into the legal field by attending a paralegal program at the University of San Diego in 2013.
“An accelerated program should go by quickly,” thought Pierre. “I figured it would be a good thing to keep myself busy because I was newly married and my husband was deployed overseas. I wanted to fill my days and be as productive as possible while he was away.”
Pierre finished the paralegal program in August 2013, then quickly landed an externship with the public defender’s office. About a year later, in September 2014, an immigration law firm reached out directly to her about a job, and she happily accepted the position.
“It sounded so interesting to me, especially because my husband immigrated from Haiti and my sister's husband immigrated from Nigeria.”
After being in the immigration field since 2013, Pierre was no stranger to the inner workings of the process and how to navigate the system. She loved the work, but wanted to do more to support her client community. And the best way to do that was by getting a law degree.
“I remember talking to immigration clients at the firm over the years, trying to speak my mind, giving them options and advice, only to be told that I can’t give legal advice because I wasn’t an attorney. I felt like my hands were tied. I knew I wasn’t giving bad advice; In fact, I was giving good advice."
Pierre originally planned to get a job in the immigration field when she and her family moved to Texas, but when everything shut down in 2020, Pierre knew it was time to go to law school, so she started studying for the LSAT and researching law schools that offered part-time and weekend programs.
“I was leaning more towards enrolling in a weekend program because of my family commitments during the week. Cooley Law School was one of the few, if only, law schools to offer a weekend program. I decided to apply and was accepted. Now I am a mega commuter from Texas to Michigan when I need to be on campus,” smiled Pierre. “I feel so fortunate that Cooley has offered all the resources needed, even as a weekend student, which has been instrumental in my success.”
Pierre notes that she has never felt alone in her law school journey at Cooley, despite the challenges. She has found support at every step. Everyone in the Academic Resource Center and the professors helped answer all her questions.
“Your first year is hard,” declared Pierre. “You need to retrain your brain entirely. Everything you thought you knew before needs to be thrown out the window. You need to learn the material as if it's the first time you’ve heard it.”
For Pierre, immigration is personal.
“I am 100 percent passionate about learning everything I can about immigration," said Pierre. "My husband and his family immigrated here when he was only 10 years old. I truly want to be a resource to families like ours who are also trying to navigate through a complicated immigration system."
But it hasn't been easy for Pierre.
“During the week, Monday through Thursday, I am focused on the girls’ schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. My time is entirely blocked off taking care of my family and working. Thank goodness I can work from home because the office is based in Las Vegas. I leave for Cooley on Fridays and return on Sundays. Thankfully, my husband, Olgens, is able to work from home as a project manager. My brother-in-law, Stanley, has also been a huge support to our family when I am away at law school.”
Pierre has been in full-fledged school mode ever since she arrived in Michigan. With no room for procrastinating, she has been preparing for classes, reading her assignments, and making sure she keeps up in all her classes.
“It's hard, but I have really enjoyed law school,” said Pierre. “It’s hard to believe that this December will be my last semester; it's very exciting to know I am getting to the finish line.”
As a student who discovered law school later in life, and someone who has lived life, Pierre has a different perspective than typical law students.
“Don't compete with anybody else, only compete with yourself. Grades aren't everything. Do what is right for you, and don’t be the person holding yourself back.”
She is a firm believer that each person is responsible for their own success.
“I make sure that I have the right mindset of positivity,” said Pierre. “Do what you need to do to be successful. Make sure you understand the material. If you have questions, try to find a solution before asking for answers. Others will respect that you tried.”