We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yahairah Aristy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yahairah below.

Yahairah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Wow, that is a deep question—I hope my legacy will be one of being of service for the betterment of all despite all the twists and turns of life. I hope the life I lived professionally and, in the community, inspire my beloved family and friends, and strangers alike to remember to fight the good fight for both them and others because that is when we are the greatest asset to humanity. In my work as a lawyer and community leader I have found that fighting the good fight and being of service to others, has been a recipe for success time and time again. It does not mean, its peaches and roses all the time, but does mean that even in the tough times, we are part of a process that results in success for all. You see this legacy requires intentional action – because there are days when we want to focus on us, our needs, our wants, our conveniences, but if we choose to serve others, we are no longer concern with ourselves, but the experience of others – and then we can live our lives for the betterment of others. Simply put, I hope my legacy is one for each person to live their authentic selves by being of service to all who cross their paths.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a trial lawyer—a criminal defense attorney because everyone deserves their day in court with an advocate that will be unafraid to fight for justice and push the legal system to be its best version of itself every single day that court is in session. Looking back to the late 1990s when I decided to pursue a career as a lawyer, this principle motivated me. While I did not attend college or graduate school with a plan to become a lawyer, I am grateful that destiny guided me to become a diverse woman lawyer –being a lawyer is a noble profession that requires a high commitment to humanity with intellect, integrity, fairness, compassion, and passion to ensure our justice system has the courage to be its best version of itself in the daily administration of justice.

As a trial lawyer the greatest risk comes when presenting a case to a jury: a group of strangers who do not know the parties, the client, nor each other will sit in judgment and decide my client’s fate as to innocence or guilt. My job is to present the case in a human, relatable way that does not risk offending the jury, nor leave them confused or with more questions than answers. Instead, I strive to leave them with a good understanding of the case, the burden of proof, and with a strong commitment to render justice for my client. Yet, this is one of the risks I enjoy most of the job because it requires the greatest time with the client, diligence, research, creativity, and preparation.

As a deputy public defender, I have accomplished my goals and I am gratified when I hear judges, colleagues and even adversaries speak favorably about my lawyering. The greatest compliments, however, come from clients who express gratitude for my representation.

As I near 18 years as a lawyer, I have also learned women and diversity are a necessity in the justice system as lawyers and judges. I have lost count of the many times people of all races and ethnicities  have asked if I was the paralegal, the clerk, the interpreter, in court for someone? When I respond, “I am the lawyer” – the surprised look, and the mental gymnastics – woman, woman of color, lawyer, are unforgettable. These experiences confirm to me that as a woman lawyer I am needed in a legal system that remains predominantly male, despite women making up 50.8% of the United States population. Without gender equality in the justice system society experiences limitations in the administration of justice because women’s perspectives and experiences add greater dimensions to every situation because of the simple truth that women are different than men.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

After graduating from law school, passing the bar exam on my first attempt was my next challenge. It turned out to be very challenging because the already-approved six weeks I had off from work was changed to only two weeks. I panicked, but then rolled up my sleeves and revised my study program accordingly. I worked full time as policy analyst during the day and then attended bar preparation classes in the evenings, followed with by a few additional more hours once I was home for the evening.

Unfortunately, soon after I was off, I was diagnosed with severe bronchitis. My doctor told me I needed to sleep at least eight hours during the day in addition to normal sleeping hours to recover or I would not be taking the bar exam. He was unyielding in his recommendation, and I followed his advice because I could not risk not taking the bar exam. After I recovered from the bronchitis, I resumed my bar exam study as I had planned from the beginning. Then my father who resided in New York had a heart attack. I could not travel to New York City to be with him because of the upcoming bar exam, so I was on the telephone with the doctors frequently to ensure he was well while other family members thankfully were able to be with him.

With so many obstacles and sacrifice, my bar exam study was atypical, and I could only complete the minimum practice exam requirements and the bar preparation class. Nonetheless, while it looked improbable that I would pass the first time to many, I remained steadfast in my goal to pass the first time. I knew I was putting in the greatest effort possible with the time I had to prepare. Thankfully I succeeded.

The experience of the bar exam taught me that with a firm commitment – I will always rise to any challenge with tenacity, dedication, flexibility, excellence, with a deep faith in God and a firm belief that failure is not an option nor is giving up.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Perfectionism. As for as I can remember, being perfect has been an ideal ingrained in my life since a child. It was not hard for me to adopt this lesson as a child because my personality naturally aimed for it. But as I grew older in my early twenties, I had to unlearn this ideal because it generated unnecessary stress for me and others. I had to learn that perfection is simply not attainable. I remember one time, a friend was a few minutes late, and for me that was not acceptable. She knew me well and she kindly told me – not everyone is like me and if I keep expecting people to be perfect, it is going to ruin my friendships. And a light bulb when on and thereafter I committed to keeping my perfectionistic expectations to myself and practice flexibility with others. Decades later, it is a lesson I treasure because it has allowed me to connect with people with acceptance, flexibility and with focus on service to others.

Image Credits
Photo with flag taken by Ken Stone for Times of San Diego