Alexys Mathis, a 3L at the University of Houston Law Center.
As the 2019-2020 Vice President of External Affairs for the Black Law Students Association at the University of Houston Law Center, third-year student Alexys Mathis stated that she believes the group creates a necessary sense of connection amongst the African-American students on campus.
Mathis further stated, “It is extremely important for underrepresented groups to have organizations like BLSA on campus in order to allow a greater sense of belonging in these environments,” Mathis said. “According to the 2019 ABA report, African-Americans make up approximately five percent of lawyers. Throughout the matriculation of my law school career, it is not rare for me to experience being in rooms where only two to three people look like me, and often times, I am the only one. Unfortunately, this experience is not unique to me and is instead similar for many other individuals in underrepresented groups.
“Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard, and I firmly believe that the presence of underrepresented organizations is a necessary amplification of this sentiment and the voices to be heard.”
Mathis pursued a legal education after working at a law firm during her undergraduate education. Being a business student, she was initially hired to help the firm with its marketing operations, but once she expressed an interest in law to her mentor, her role quickly evolved and she began working on tasks such as drafting motions, legal memos and case research.
"This unique experience encouraged me to merge my business interests with the legal world,” she said. “I have a deeply ingrained commitment to financial wealth in minority and impoverished communities, which is why no matter how large of a company I work for within my career, I will always aim to use a portion of my time and resources to assist small businesses, startups and non-profits in establishing the foundations of a successful company.”
Following her 1L year, Mathis received the chance to work for Cheniere Energy, the top LNG exporter in the country, as an intern for the Federal Government Affairs sector. This opportunity allowed her to work in the Washington D.C. office closely with the top executives of the company.
“My favorite aspect of the role was having the opportunity to consistently attend House and Senate hearings in order to keep our company’s executives privy to the many changes in laws and regulations in the industry,” she said. “Working in D.C., the aspect of lobbying greatly influenced my position. Constantly hearing of meetings with highly influential leaders in our government was an amazing experience to witness on a daily basis. Working for a major company exposed me to so many aspects of the business relations behind major industries and all that it entails for large-scale success.”
During her 2L summer, Mathis worked as a law clerk for The Fulton Strahan Law Group PLLC, and as a judicial clerk for Judge Christine Weems for the 281st Harris County District Court.
“I had the opportunity to experience both ‘normal’ working conditions as well as conditions of the ‘new normal’ via Zoom, due to the pandemic,” Mathis said. “With my firm position I worked in an in-person capacity, yet while in my judicial position I worked via Zoom. Although it was definitely a stark contrast between the two methods of employment, I thoroughly enjoyed both experiences.
“Fortunately, in this technological transition, Judge Christine Weems was an amazing leader and made our Zoom communications and remote work seamless. Although the virtual workplace is very unique, I believe that it is extremely important to be both exposed to it and comfortable in it, because this is the new reality for the foreseeable future.”
Mathis now serves as a Clinic 2 student in the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic, where she assists in the success and development of small businesses and non-profits in the Houston area.
“I have had the opportunity to work on LLC formations, tax matters, contract drafting and even preparation for counseling future homeowners on the provisions of community land trust leases,” she stated. “All of these experiences have greatly benefited the transactional work I was engaged in throughout my summer firm position, and will be of great benefit to my legal career as well.”
After graduating from the Law Center, Mathis hopes to combine her business and law background to provide major companies with business and legal solutions that assist them in reaching their ultimate goals.
“I would like the ability to interact with businesses on all levels, from contracts to marketing to operations and implementation in order to get a full scope of all aspects of a business,” Mathis said. “My transactional work, the ECDC and the various business-focused courses that I have participated in during my legal education all play a major role in the direction of my career. Actively participating in positions that align with your interests during your matriculation through law school is incredibly important in career planning and ensuring that you find a career path that works best for you.”
Mathis is hopeful for the evolution of the legal field, and looks forward to witnessing these changes throughout the course of her career.
“There are still many barriers to the inclusion of underrepresented groups in the legal community,” Mathis said. “Due to this I firmly believe that it is the responsibility of not only students but the administration and legal professionals alike to make a strategic effort to effect positive changes in the community.”
