Berry’s mission to serve others resonated with Yinia Hernandez ’26, who volunteered in her church community in Winder, Georgia. She adds the college’s small class sizes ensured she would avoid “falling behind in a sea of students.” In fact, the political science major surged ahead during her college career. After receiving seven acceptances with scholarship offers totaling nearly $500,000, she chose the University of Georgia School of Law.
Gaining Practical Skills Beyond Berry
Yinia advises law school hopefuls to obtain internships. “These experiences allow you to connect with and understand the community you will serve,” she explains. “Even if you do not ultimately work in that community, the issues you will encounter or help address like drug use, poverty and juvenile crimes apply to multiple communities across the country.”
Stints with the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office and the Barrow County Public Defender’s Office laid a professional foundation and network. Yinia gained hands-on knowledge with legal research, courtroom procedures and work with investigators. In case preparation and client advocacy, she conducted client meetings, translated legal documents and assisted clients navigating the intake process.
Becoming a Campus Mentor
Connecting with role models like Berry’s in-house counsel proved pivotal. “Watching Danny Price volunteer his time to assist the mock trial team in practices, I got a front-row seat to the kind of attorney I hope to become,” Yinia notes. “He is confident, well-spoken and someone who handles a heavy workload with grace and organization.”
Inspired, she served as president of the mock trial team. “I’ve worked with many students who, like me, were first-generation students or wanted to go to law school,” she says. “It was fulfilling to see students come into the club quiet, scared and worried about presenting and then in a year show out for competitions fierce, confident and reciting case law or rules of evidence.”
Yinia graduated from Berry sure of her future. “I plan to take the bar exam in Georgia and go into criminal defense practice,” she reflects. “I hope to work in communities where there are often underserved populations with language barriers, class disparities and legal status issues.”
