“I’m from Romania originally but moved to the U.S. in 2001 to study law at Hastings. Growing up in a communist society, I saw a lot of injustice and corruption all around me. People would go to court but never actually achieve anything because the entire system was stacked against them. I hated that. These people had no one on their side.

After law school, I worked for a bit in the corporate world. It wasn’t for me, though, because I had to go against the little person. I didn’t want to fight for people with power; I wanted to fight for those without it. I had seen so much unfairness growing up, and it reminded me too much of that.

I left the corporate world to pursue estate planning. I’m working on establishing my own firm, but right now I’m a contract attorney at Open Door Legal. I help clients with wills, trusts, and power of attorney. It gives them peace of mind when they know what will happen after they die.

I just opened a probate case for one of my older clients. Probate is long and tedious, but I knew that if I didn’t help, no one else would. He could lose everything, including his house, and end up homeless. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I didn’t help him.

In every elderly client, I see my own parents and grandparents. I get to learn about their lives and their families. In many ways, Bayview is similar to my home in Romania: access to legal aid is limited, and if we don’t help, no one else will.”

Photography © Jona Bocari