Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the Supreme Court of the United States visited UCLA School of Law on Feb. 6, sharing insights on law, public service, and leadership. During her visit, Justice Sotomayor urged students not to be bystanders in civic engagement, encouraging them to get involved in causes like voting rights, writing to elected officials, or supporting public interest groups.

“One thing you can’t do is give up. Do something,” she said.

Justice Sotomayor shared her belief that law is fundamentally about relationships and making life better, and she explained that effective advocacy requires connecting with the mind and the heart. Doing that, she stressed, requires clear communication and genuine curiosity.

“This was an amazing opportunity,” says Michael Waterstone, UCLA Law’s dean, who introduced Justice Sotomayor at the event. “She is a remarkable jurist and person, and it’s not every day that students get to meet and speak with one of the great legal leaders of our time. Her thoughtfulness, candor, and dedication to the legal profession made a deep impact on everyone who was there.”

Justice Sotomayor joined the Supreme Court in 2009 and is the first Latina to serve on the nation’s highest court.

She said she realized early on that life could be short and that she needed to make every moment count. She also noted that while every career includes routine or repetitive tasks, students should always look for opportunities to learn, grow, and embrace new challenges.

Justice Sotomayor also spoke about how unexpected encounters can shape a career and encouraged students to remain adaptable. Having a plan matters, she said, but so does the willingness to “shuffle the playbook” when circumstances change.

One changing circumstance is that Justice Sotomayor is now in the minority in some Court decisions. She welcomes what she called “the role [I have] been given in society” to offer a different perspective.

“I have a wonderful job in that I get to speak my mind,” she said. “I get to be judged, not by my colleagues, but by history.”

The conversation was moderated by Kevin Johnson, president of California Unity Bar, which sponsored the event. “In gracious fashion, with wit and wisdom, Justice Sotomayor inspired law students, judges, and attorneys,” he says. “Responding to student questions with humanity as well as intelligence, Justice Sotomayor demonstrated just why she is a ‘wise Latina,’ words she spoke at an academic conference years ago that made her famous.”

Mehek Boparai ’26 called Justice Sotomayor’s visit “an incredible experience. I got to witness how genuine and warm she is as a person and as a public figure.” Boparai asked the Justice what skills young attorneys should develop to be strong advocates. “What left the strongest impression was how practical her advice was,” Boparai says. “She emphasized the importance of being a strong legal writer and communicator, which gave my peers and me a tangible goal to achieve.”

Beyond those goals, Justice Sotomayor encouraged students to do more. “It is you young people who follow us who have the intelligence, resources, and, I hope, the heart to leave the world better,” she said. “Believe in yourselves the way I believe in you.”