A Bronx Story: Pablo Segarra’s Rise from the Streets to the Courtroom

A Bronx Story: Pablo Segarra’s Rise from the Streets to the Courtroom

Ignite Your Career with Latino Professionals Insider! Fresh insights, inspiring stories, and expert advice from industry rising leaders are just a click away. Join over 38,700+ world leaders and entrepreneurs who already follow! Don't miss out! Subscribe today!


Author Rafael Maga?a

Born and raised as a Puerto Rican in 1980’s New York City, which is widely considered the most dangerous era for the city, Pablo Segarra knows a thing or two about grit. Growing up in a tough part of the Bronx, his life could’ve taken a very different direction without the guidance of his family. “I always give a lot of credit to my parents who really stepped in and made sure that I didn’t end up in the streets, even though that’s where I hung out a lot,” he explains. Segarra’s tough attitude is apparent, but he softens when speaking about his family, which he describes as his rock and source of inspiration.

Though he had a supportive home life, Segarra struggled deeply when he went off to college. “I was a bit of a knucklehead,” he admits with a laugh. He wasn’t getting the best grades, and after a particularly tough Chemistry class, he wasn’t even sure what he wanted to major in any more. Segarra’s mother sensed his struggle and reached out with an alternative option. “She told me that I needed to get a career and get my life on track, so the two of us made a deal,” Segarra explains. The deal was simple: Apply for the local police force and get through the Academy. If he completed the Police Academy and hated it, she would personally help him work out a different career line.

Segarra saw this deal as a turning point for himself, so he took it. “Those first six months literally changed my life,” he says. Segarra went on to be a New York City Police officer for 12 years. He spent most of his police career serving in the Washington Heights neighborhood, which is one of the more dangerous precincts in New York City. “I learned so much throughout my police career. I like to say that I was born in the Bronx, but I was raised in Washington Heights because that’s where I was an officer and where I grew into the man that I am today,” he explains.

During his police career, he also went back to school and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree. But he didn’t stop there. Through the NYPD, he participated in an education program that allowed him to work and receive tuition credits to pursue his Masters degree at John Jay College in Public Administration. But as he was working towards this degree, Segarra was involved in a car wreck on the job, which resulted in some serious injuries. “While the police department took great care of me in terms of doctor’s visits, surgeries, and beyond, I felt discarded,” he says. “It felt as if my injuries made me useless.”


Even though it was a difficult recovery, Segarra used both his determination and this particular feeling to fuel him and begin the next phase of his journey: Going to law school. “I didn’t like feeling tossed to the side, and I knew I wanted to start practicing law so that I could make sure everyone I represented never felt this way either,” he explains. But law school had its own set of trials in store to test Segarra’s grit.

When Segarra entered his first class, he was stunned by the lack of diversity. “I think I counted only 15 people that weren’t white in my first class of about 180 people,” he recalls. “Growing up, I was always surrounded by other Puerto Rican folks or other ethnicities, and I had never been in a room with so many white people.” His ‘otherness’ was palpable. In addition to this culture shock, he also had to juggle an incredibly intense work-life-school balance. “I would kiss my wife goodnight on Sundays and basically say ‘I’ll see you Saturday,’” He remembers. “I would wake up at 5 AM to go to work at the police station, get a brief workout in after my shift, then go to classes from 6 to 10 PM. I did this for five days a week for two years.”

The grind of this schedule paid off though, and he completed his law degree. When he finished, he had an important decision to make: continue working in the police force or start exploring the new opportunities that this degree provided. After 12 years on the job, Segarra retired from the force and began working with Somos, a non-profit organization that puts on the Somos Conference and works to unite Latino communities, raise awareness of issues important to Latinos, and advocate for positive change. Segarra worked with them for five years as a consultant and helped them put on their annual conference.

It was during this experience that Segarra encountered one of his life’s greatest lessons. He launched his own startup that was focused on connecting the Latino diaspora. “I wanted to work out how to provide Latinos in the United States with connections in Latin America and the Caribbean to foster cultural growth and help others really understand their identities,” Segarra explains. But Segarra's involvement with the startup ended due to unforeseen circumstances. This situation changed Segarra’s life—and his grit was tested. “After this, I finally started practicing law because I wanted to make sure that people who are starting up companies never have to live through what I lived through,” he says.

Segarra practiced in the Crypto field a bit before founding his own firm, Side Hustle Law. “I noticed that about 50% of millennials and 70% of Gen Z have side hustles, so a second job or gig or freelance work. I felt that there’s no reason why that group of people should deserve the same equal amount of legal care as someone that’s working for a full-time job that pays a hefty amount for those services,” he explains. “I also noticed that a lot of these people aspire to make their side hustles their full-time jobs, so I like to partner with people in those early stages, too,” he adds.

Segarra mainly focuses on intellectual property, trademarks, copyrights, and general counsel work, but he personally enjoys work in cryptocurrency. “I started out with non-fungible tokens (NFTs). My first ever case was working to get Muhammed Ali’s intellectual property rights on the blockchain. I was responsible for negotiating the deal that eventually got about 50 other UFC fighters where we took their name, image, and likeness to create art and give them royalty payments,” he recalls.

Throughout this entire journey, from growing up in the Bronx to working in the police force, and now, as a lawyer, Segarra believes that his authenticity to himself and his culture has helped him achieve his successes. “My family is proud to be Puerto Rican, and I don’t shy away from that. I don’t try to Anglicize myself to make other people comfortable or to fit in because my authenticity is important to me, and it’s what makes me who I am. I always want to walk into any room, whether that’s as a person, a lawyer, or a friend, as myself, a proud Latino,” he proclaims.

Segarra has some sage advice for young Latino entrepreneurs who are coming into the workforce: “As Latinos, one of our greatest traits is that we treat everybody like family, but I want young people to be vigilant and not let themselves be taken advantage of because of this,” he says. “Get things down on paper and set the expectation that you are serious about the ideas you have—don’t let anyone take those from you. And at the end of it all, be authentic. Don’t shy away from your culture because often you are bringing a diverse viewpoint to the table because of who you are. Lead with authenticity.”


Rafael Maga?a is the founder of Latino Professionals, Latina Professionals, & Latinx Professionals. Rafael helps organizations grow and leaders accelerate strategy implementation in their organizations. Veritus Scholar- specialized in donor-centered Philanthropy. Major Gift & Planned Giving Officer. Rafael is also a Board of Trustees at the Hollywood Schoolhouse. Enjoys writing about leadership, management, philanthropy and careers. He resides in Los Angeles, California. You can also find articles and tools that might be helpful to you below. Read Rafael's articles featured in Hispanic Executive Magazine here.


About Latino Professionals: Latino Professionals is a non-profit organization committed to the development and promotion of Latino talent. With a network spanning multiple industries and sectors, Latino Professionals provides resources, mentorship, and opportunities to ensure the continued success and leadership of Latinos in the workforce. Learn more at www.latinoprofessionals.com


Love our work? Want to get involved with Latino Professionals? Connect with us! It's easy!

For Corporate Sponsors:

Enhance your company's visibility and demonstrate your commitment to diversity by partnering with Latino Professionals as a presenting sponsor. Our "Latino Professionals Visionary Voices" initiative offers a unique platform to showcase your brand and connect with a vibrant network. Explore our various sponsorship opportunities and complete our sponsorship form below to make a lasting impact.

For Individuals:

Get involved with Latino Professionals and join a network of Visionary Voices by becoming a part of our Executive Giving Circle. Connect with like-minded professionals and engage in meaningful initiatives that empower the Latino community. Your participation is crucial to our collective success. Learn more and sign up below.

Take the lead and establish a local chapter of Latino Professionals in your city. By starting your own chapter, you join a network of transformative rising Latino leaders shaping the future of our community. This is your opportunity to foster a local nexus of support and empowerment, connecting Latinos to the tools and mentorship they need to excel. Your initiative will spearhead vital community engagement and growth, amplifying the voices and impact of Latinos in your area. Learn more and begin your journey below.

Thank you for considering a partnership with Latino Professionals. Your support is vital to advancing our mission and making a significant difference in our community. Visit www.latinoprofessionals.com


Seeking Your Next Big Opportunity? If you are looking for work right now check out this job boards here.

Nonprofit job boards:

Search firms that work with mission-based organizations"


Thank you to all for growing with us. Together, we are unstoppable.

For more information about Latino Professionals, please visit their website at www.latinoprofessionals.com


CHESTER SWANSON SR.

Next Trend Realty LLC./ Har.com/Chester-Swanson/agent_cbswan

23 小时前

Thanks for the updates on, The Latina Professionals.

要查看或添加评论,请登录