Camelia Valdes
Learn about others who decided that a law degree could be a stepping stone to many career options. Their stories may inspire you to begin your path toward a career in law.
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Read the latest news about Camelia, the first Dominican American to head a Prosecutor’s office in U.S. history!
Camelia Valdes
Advocate for the Community
From a very young age, Camelia Valdes has been an advocate for her tight-knit Hispanic community. Her English language skills gave her the opportunity to play an important role as translator for her parents and neighbors while growing up.
"As the oldest child in my family, I wanted to stand up for my parents and the people in my building who had limited English language skills – especially for important things, like visits to the doctor, " said Camelia.
Assisting the people in her building became her passion which has led to a long career in law: Camelia has been at every level of prosecutor, representing the government and victims of crimes.
Her parents, who came to the United States from the Dominican Republic, stressed the importance of education, and she credits their love and support as key to her success as a first generation college graduate.
"Although it felt natural to apply to law school after undergrad, the process of gathering information to take this step was not easy. Due to language barriers in my family, I didn’t have lawyers to talk to, and the lawyers I did know were unfamiliar with the American legal process."
Confronting Barriers
Camelia was surprised by the sexism she encountered during the process of applying to law school. She recalls the reaction of her female guidance counselor. “She told me that law was a male dominated profession, so I should consider nursing instead.”
This just made Camelia feel more emboldened. Growing up in a family with modest means, she relied on her good grades as an undergraduate to qualify for fellowships and scholarships that covered a portion of her tuition.
Her hard work paid off – she was admitted to Rutgers University School of Law.
Camelia recalls: "I remember stepping onto campus and feeling the excitement of being in such a disciplined academic environment." When asked if she would do it all over again, her response: "Definitely!"
Her advice to students who are considering a career in law: “Do it! Go for it! There is no part of our daily experience that does not involve the law – criminal law, health care, entertainment – everything has a legal aspect to it.”
LSAC congratulates Camelia Valdes on her recent nomination to become New Jersey’s first Hispanic female county prosecutor.
