Only 13 years old at the time, I stared at my assailant’s knife and realized that in an instant my life had changed. I no longer felt invincible, no longer felt safe. Rather, I was overcome with a powerful emotion that would shape my life over the next several years – I was overcome with fear. The story of my path to becoming a lawyer is a story of facing fear, fighting back and fulfilling my professional goal.
Facing Fear
The day I was threatened at knifepoint, I was walking home from school in Houston when an SUV suddenly pulled up beside me and four young men jumped out of the vehicle. One of them brandished a knife, demanded my belongings and threatened to stab me if I tried to flee. Despite the threat, I sprinted down the street and flagged an oncoming car, the driver of which fortunately stopped and helped me escape. Although I had grown up in a neighborhood with its share of gang violence, the day I was threatened was the first time I had been the target.
Over the following years, I faced subsequent fearful moments as the violence was all around me. At school, fights occurred daily. At the park, gangs battled over territory. And on the school bus, strangers attacked a close friend of mine.
Despite my surroundings, I was fortunate to have a supportive, hard-working family that pushed me to focus on my education. Although I was born in Houston, my parents are from Guatemala and had moved to the United States to build a better life for their family. My father, who had worked in radio broadcasting in Guatemala, ultimately built a career as a maintenance worker in Houston. My mother worked various jobs, from cleaning houses to caring for the elderly, before eventually settling into a career as a massage therapist.
We lived in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood in Houston, where I attended public school and grew up speaking both English and Spanish. Despite the many financial hardships along the way, my parents always took time to encourage me to focus on my academics and to aim high. That encouragement helped me excel in school and to ultimately earn admission to Rice University, where I majored in mathematical economic analysis.
At Rice, it quickly became apparent to me that I had grown up in a very different place than my fellow students. The fights and violence that were a daily occurrence at the schools I attended were nonexistent for most of my peers. I felt as if I had temporarily escaped the fear that had once surrounded me and, rather than worry about violence, I could instead focus on pursuing my own goal – building a business career. As my time in college was nearing its end, I received a job offer to join a consulting firm and was ready to start a business career. Then, an unexpected opportunity arose that changed my trajectory.
Fighting Back
During my senior year of college, I saw an announcement for an on-campus information session for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Although I was focused on pursuing a business career, my fearful experiences as a teenager were always in the back of my mind, so I was curious to learn more about what an FBI career would entail. As I considered what kind of impact I wanted to have in the world, I thought about the numerous young people who grew up facing similar fears, including those in my community. I thought about the many parents who had moved from another country in hopes of a better life in the United States only to have their families fall victim to crime and violence.
As I sat in the FBI session, I realized that I had an opportunity to potentially work at a place where I could help create a safer world and fight fear. I put my business aspirations aside, applied to the FBI and, with no offer in hand yet, turned down my consulting job offer. Fortunately, I made it through the selection process, obtained an analyst position and spent an unforgettable four years in the FBI’s Houston office.
As an analyst, I studied terrorism trends, analyzed crime patterns and advised on investigations. I was in a position making decisions that would affect the lives and safety of others. There, I sharpened my analytical skills while learning from great leaders how to manage teams to solve complex issues. I worked with some of the most dedicated and trustworthy people I have met. The FBI gave me the chance to fight back against fear and crime at an early stage in my career.
Fulfilling My Goal
While I enjoyed my time at the FBI, a new opportunity arose when my wife was applying for her pediatrics residency. With the possibility of moving to a new city on the horizon, I shifted focus back to my original goal of building a business career. I ultimately chose to pursue degrees in business and law at Northwestern University, leading to my current career as a corporate lawyer.
Today, I work in Sidley Austin’s Houston office, where I advise clients in the energy and utilities space on buying, selling, financing and operating energy and infrastructure projects. From helping companies develop power projects to advising businesses on building out electric vehicle charging infrastructure, I now devote my time to helping clients with complex business and finance transactions.
As I look back at the story of my career, I remember being a young boy running down the street scared for his life. I also think back to the sacrifices my parents, as immigrants from Guatemala, made to give me the opportunity to be where I am today despite the struggles all around them, and for that I am forever grateful. While I was able to move from fear to fulfilment in my own life, I now hope I can do my part to help others do the same.
Mario Samos is a managing associate in the corporate group in the Houston office of Sidley Austin. His focus is on energy, mergers & acquisitions, project finance and infrastructure.