In Episode 219 of The Practice Podcast, Jeff Bast and Brett Amron welcome Bast Amron Attorney Amanda Vasquez to discuss her path to the legal profession, her experience as a bankruptcy clerk, and the lessons she learned while transitioning from a judicial clerkship to private practice.
Amanda shares how an early interest in advocacy helped shape her decision to pursue law. Growing up, she often helped communicate for her mother, who was learning English, and her younger brother, who is deaf. When her mother filed for personal bankruptcy, Amanda accompanied her to meetings with her attorney and saw firsthand the challenges of navigating an unfamiliar legal system. Those experiences helped spark her interest in the law and the importance of understanding and advocating for others.
After attending Florida State University College of Law, Amanda pursued a judicial clerkship, applying to more than 90 positions before joining the Honorable Joshua Searcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas. She reflects on the persistence that led to that opportunity and the lessons she carried from chambers into private practice. Now approaching one year at Bast Amron, Amanda discusses adjusting from neutrality to advocacy and navigating client needs, deadlines, competing priorities, and the communication required across different professional relationships.
Amanda also shares advice for law students and young lawyers: pursue opportunities even when the path is unfamiliar and do not count yourself out before trying. Looking ahead, she hopes to continue building her skills and experience, earn greater autonomy in her practice, and work toward independently handling responsibilities such as hearings and depositions.
Key Topics:
- Amanda Vasquez’s path to the legal profession
- Early experiences with communication and advocacy
- How bankruptcy first became personal to her
- Pursuing a judicial clerkship
- Lessons from clerking in the Eastern District of Texas
- Transitioning from neutrality to advocacy
- Managing the demands of private practice
- Building skills and taking on greater responsibility
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