Omar Perez, Class of 2008
Founder and Principal, Perez Law
Undergraduate: Brown University
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Omar Perez chose Vanderbilt for two reasons. "I wanted to be at a small law school where I would have personalized attention, prominent professors, and intelligent peers," he says. "I also wanted to practice in my hometown of Orlando, so I wanted a top school that was well-known in Florida, where Vanderbilt has a great alumni base of people who truly love their school and enjoy seeing Vanderbilt grads among their ranks."
Omar became interested in property law after taking the required course during his 1L year. During his 2L and 3L years, he chose to take a number of elective property law courses, including Real Estate Finance, Land Use Planning and Commercial Real Estate Transactions (a short course), along with environmental law. These courses, he says, “really cemented my interest in property law and gave me relevant perspectives to use right out of law school.” Vanderbilt also offered the opportunity to take courses in other Vanderbilt schools, which Omar found helpful. “I took a construction law class through the engineering department during my 2L year that really prepared me to read and analyze AIA (American Institute of Architects) contract documents,” he said.
During his first year, Omar joined the VLS Ambassadors, a student group that hosts prospective students and visiting alumni and publishes the Obiter Dictum, a guide to life at Vanderbilt Law School for incoming 1Ls, who receive a copy when they accept Vanderbilt's offer of admission. "I truly enjoyed working on the Obiter Dictum, planning Admitted Students Day, and helping coordinate first-year orientation,” he says. “The Ambassadors program really helps to establish the friendly and approachable student environment that makes Vanderbilt Law special. Students at Vanderbilt Law take learning very seriously, but are willing and ready to help each other.”
Omar believes his legal education at Vanderbilt was excellent preparation for legal practice. “The amount of critical thinking we did there on a daily basis has had a big impact on my professional career,” he says. “My classes at Vanderbilt encouraged me to look beyond the black-letter law and create my own solutions for the cases I read."
After joining a large firm as an associate, Omar founded his own firm, Perez Law, in 2009, with support from Vanderbilt’s Career Services department. He focuses his practice on consumer bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, mortgage modification and debt management among other areas. “Career Services has been with me every step of the way since even before I joined the law school community and after graduation,” he says. “I can always call my counselor, and she is willing to offer advice or just catch up.”
“I had an incredible experience at Vanderbilt,” he says. “I made great friends and learned from some of the best legal minds in this country. I was supported by an administration that truly cared about the quality of my time there, and I always feel that I have a second home every time I go back. I also enjoyed Nashville’s unique culture, its music, and definitely its food! The city has a relaxed atmosphere that definitely added to the great quality of life during my time there, and, in all honesty, I miss it.”
