NEIL GEHLAWAT • 27, Associate Attorney Chain | Cohn | Stiles • Community involvement: Education Committee chairman on the New Lawyers Division Board, founder of Cal Alumni Chapter Bakersfield, Mothers Against Drunk Driving
When the time came for Neil Gehlawat to decide what career he was going to pursue, his inspiration was at home. Growing up, he saw the difference his dad made and continues to make in the lives of his patients as a pediatrician in Delano. “He inspired me to pursue a career in a field where I could make a positive impact on people’s lives,” Gehlawat said. During his time in college, Gehlawat was involved in an organization that provided free representation to students who had disputes with the university. It was then that he knew he wanted to study law. “I went to law school because I wanted to help real people, and I’m happy to say that I’m at a place where I’m doing that every day,” he noted. The same inspiration he grew up with is one that Gehlawat now conveys to North High School students as part of a mentorship program. He mentors one student throughout the year and is able to provide advice and guidance for the unique needs of that one student. But as Gehlawat puts it, you can accomplish more with showing than telling. “I’ve brought my students downtown to my office so that they can see what I do, so that they can see the courthouse,” he said. “It’s much more powerful to bring them downtown and show them what I do, and let them visualize their future.”
72
Bakersfield Life Magazine
July 2015