Andrew K. Figueras ’20 didn’t grow up surrounded by lawyers. There was no family legacy in the legal profession, no early push toward law school. But even before he fully understood what being a lawyer meant, people around him seemed to know he was destined to join the legal profession. 

“When I was a kid, my friends’ parents—many of whom were attorneys—would tell me, ‘You’re going to be a lawyer one day. You belong in a courtroom,’” he recalls. 

At first, it was just something people said. But as he got older, he started to see what they meant. At Loyola High School, he was exposed to the many directions a legal career could take—from criminal law to civil litigation. The more he learned, the more it felt like the right fit. That realization set him on a clear path. He moved quickly through his undergraduate studies, determined to get into law school and start working toward a career in the courtroom. 

A Law School That Provided the Right Foundation 

By the time Figueras was looking at law schools, he knew he wanted to do more than study the law—he wanted to learn how to argue it. Southwestern’s Trial Advocacy Honors Program (TAHP) stood out as the best place to develop those skills. 

“I knew I wanted to be a litigator,” he says. “I wanted to be in a courtroom trying cases before juries, and Southwestern offered me the best chance to do that.” 

At Southwestern, he found himself surrounded by classmates with different backgrounds and perspectives, which made for a dynamic learning environment. 
 

“I was constantly surrounded by people who used their experiences to grow, excel, and succeed. That environment shaped me into the attorney I am today.” 

“I met an extraordinary group of people who had different life stories and perspectives, and that made our class unique,” he says. “I was constantly surrounded by people who used their experiences to grow, excel, and succeed. That environment shaped me into the attorney I am today.” 

It was TAHP, however, that gave him the most direct preparation for his career. Under the mentorship of Bill Seki and Joey Esposito, and with guidance from alumni who had built their careers in trial work, Figueras gained hands-on experience before setting foot in a real courtroom. 

“The first time I ever appeared in front of a judge, I felt like I knew what I was doing—even if I didn’t,” he says. “That’s what TAHP gave me—the ability to walk into a courtroom and hold my ground.” 

The Opportunity That Changed Everything 

Figueras’ early career was shaped by an opportunity he might have overlooked if not for Elizabeth Bernstein in Career Services. She encouraged him to apply for the ABOTA Fellowship, a highly competitive program that placed students in civil defense firms, plaintiff firms, and with judges. 

“I wouldn’t have even applied if she hadn’t encouraged me to,” he says.