Christian Pineda

Q: Why did you choose Lone Star Legal Aid?

A: I chose Lone Star Legal Aid because I wanted to work somewhere where my passion for helping and giving back would allow me to serve my community and help me pay my bills. By joining LSLA, I have been able to build on my desire to give back while ensuring that legal support and advocacy services are accessible to everyone, not just the privileged.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with your colleagues?

A: The best part of working with my unit is the team culture. Everyone is always open to lending a hand, bouncing ideas off each other, and stepping up if anyone needs coverage or support. They make the most difficult work manageable every single day.

Q: How has LSLA supported your professional growth?

A: Being surrounded by experienced, knowledgeable, and caring colleagues has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge of administrative procedure, policy, and advocacy. Additionally, it has given me the opportunity to expand my technical skills in other areas of Civil Law by allowing interunit collaboration on cases that normally wouldn’t be handled by our team.

Q: Can you share a moment that reminded you why this work matters?

A: One moment in particular was when we had a client who lives on a fixed income, depending on Public Benefits to ensure their kids and themselves have at least one meal per day, but is at risk of losing those benefits because of an Administrative Error. Seeing the look of worry and panic on their faces as we went through the process of appealing the erroneous action was heartbreaking. Still, the look of relief when we were able to get the action overturned and their benefits reinstated is the reason why we do this work.

Q: What makes LSLA different from other workplaces?

A: What makes LSLA different is the culture and environment it has developed over the years. Commitment, support, and collaboration are what drive LSLA’s mission for their clients and their staff; also, the benefits are pretty phenomenal.