SEATTLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW
YAKIMA VALLEY
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
SOUTH SOUND
HYBRID HUBS PROGRAM EXPANDS LAW SCHOOL’S REACH The new initiative aims to broaden law school access while educating a new, diverse generation of lawyers in three underserved areas of the Northwest BY DAVI D SANDLE R
From a young age, Gloria Guizar, '25, knew she wanted to become a lawyer. Born in Mexico, she immigrated with her family to the Yakima Valley when she was 8 years old, and it’s been her home ever since — a place where she has cultivated deep ties. But to become an attorney, Guizar and others with similar aspirations who live in the Yakima Valley, the South Puget Sound, and the state of Alaska have had to make a difficult decision— leave their homes and communities to pursue a legal education elsewhere 6
LAWYER MAGAZINE Fall 2023
or find a different career. That’s because each of these regions lacks a law school. “This unfortunate fact is not just an inconvenience,” said Seattle University School of Law Dean Anthony E. Varona. “It means that the path to becoming an attorney is all but closed off for many who could provide muchneeded legal services in their communities, including those from diverse backgrounds who are seriously underrepresented in the legal profession.” A new initiative by Seattle U Law, called Hybrid Hubs, aims to improve this situation by broadening access to
Gloria Guizar '25