LUZ VILLEGAS BAÑUELOS: LEGAL VOCATION THAT TRANSCENDS BORDERS

Graduated in Law from CETYS Universidad Campus Mexicali, in 2016 the Mexicalense embarked on a career that has led her to fulfill her work and personal goals, while raising the name of CETYS and Mexico in the United States with her professional practice

Mexicali, Baja California, February 02, 2023.- The road traveled by Mtra. Luz Villegas Bañuelos has been as long as it has been rewarding, because after several years of preparation, overcoming obstacles and crossing borders, today, with her professional practice, she raises the name of CETYS and Mexico in the United States.

Graduated as a Law Degree from CETYS Universidad Campus Mexicali, a few months after her graduation in 2016 she decided to resume an old dream, which would help her to rethink her future both professionally and personally.

"When I entered law school I wanted to be a lawyer but I didn't know what it was to be one type of lawyer or another. One of the CETYS professors recommended me to do an internship in a government agency, where I discovered that the government area was not my thing. Eventually another of the professors who taught me Tax Law let me see that this could be my path."

The mentoring of the CETYS academics, in addition to the dedication, entrepreneurial spirit and effort of the lawyer, led her to practice her profession in a tax office, where she confirmed that this would be the branch of law in which she wished to develop.

"After a while, although I was already working on what I liked, I returned to an idea I had always had: to go to study in the United States, but I did not have anything concrete until, already graduated, I decided to investigate what was required."

This is how Luz began a process that would change her life, and that included the revalidation of her undergraduate studies at San Diego State University (SDSU) in California in the United States, her placement in a law firm and her change of residence to San Antonio, Texas in 2022.

But, none of this was spontaneous. "I did the entire application process to obtain a student visa, which in turn requires being admitted by the university and demonstrating to the US authorities the ability to pay for my stay in that country," explained the lawyer.

The global perspective that characterizes the educational offer of CETYS, served so that the then Lic. Luz Villegas could obtain the title of Juris Doctor laude (JD) by the SDSU in a period less than regular.

"SDSU has a program in which instead of the three established years you can graduate in two, if you come from a Mexican university with international accreditations and pass a specialized test of English language proficiency. Then they reviewed my CETYS curriculum, gave me credits and I ended up studying only two years, "he explained, detailing that he appreciated this benefit for multiple reasons.

"Shortening that year of the course thanks to what I previously studied at CETYS, for example, the Anglo-Saxon Law class and others related to international treaties and international law that are applicable on both sides of the border, was a very good thing because studying in the United States is very expensive, so it is wonderful to be able to avoid paying for a year of studies. In addition, I was very fortunate that I was able to obtain a private loan, because as foreigners we are not entitled to U.S. federal loans, so I had to ask for financing to fund and check the solvency to obtain the student visa. "

Accredited as a JD, the Mexican applied the exam of the California bar and later completed the Master's Degree in Taxes, which she currently practices as an associate in the International Tax practice for the Chamberlain Hrdlicka firm in San Antonio, Texas.

There, he assists multinational individuals and families on a wide range of U.S. and international tax law issues, including pre-immigration planning, expatriation, as well as international tax and estate planning, cross-border business and tax-related planning, tax compliance. He also assists clients in disputes with different government tax agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service.

From her position, Mtra. Luz Villegas stays in touch with her alma mater Law School staff to provide guidance to students in need, just as she greeted her when she was in her place. To all of them, he advises them to take the necessary time to draw up a life project, and then, when they know what they want to achieve, they start until they get it.

"The reality is that the process of emigrating and fulfilling this dream also has tedious parts, it requires patience, dedication to be looking for what you need, so it was for me especially as a Mexican. I know that many students have dual nationality and for them the paperwork is a little less complicated, but once you have the student visa it is a matter of focusing and making the efforts count.

I hope that my case inspires you, because I can tell you that now with my license to practice both in Mexico and in the United States it has allowed me to progress in every way, know the two sides of the border, develop myself professionally and economically and, above all, fulfill the goal I set myself some time ago, "concluded the lawyer.