Alejandro Linares Caraballo (LLM '05 | Mexico)
Born and raised in Mexico City, Alejandro Linares Caraballo embarked on his journey towards international legal education after earning his J.D. Law degree at the Universidad Panamericana. It was a friend's encouragement that led him to consider the LL.M. program at UC Davis School of Law.
"Of course it was a mixture of emotions," Alejandro reminisces about his arrival at UC Davis. "Excited, nervous, but also curious about what lay ahead." Despite the initial uncertainty, he found comfort in the presence of his friend, who had been part of the program for two years already.
Over three summers, from 2003 to 2005, Alejandro immersed himself in the UC Davis LL.M. Program, cherishing the opportunity to learn from experienced faculty members and interact with peers from diverse backgrounds. " My experience studying at UC Davis, marked a turning point in my life. Living with people from various parts of the world, attending lectures by highly knowledgeable teachers, and learning a different approach to law intensively over several weeks were unparalleled experiences," he recalls.
While the academic workload was demanding, Alejandro appreciated the expertise of the faculty and the practical nature of the classes. "Even though it was only six weeks a year, the workload was heavy," he admits. "But the classes were taught by experts in the field, humane people with great intentions of service."
Beyond the classroom, Alejandro engaged in extracurricular activities, from visiting Lake Tahoe with friends to attending cultural events and networking with fellow colleagues, “I recall the beautiful reception at the home of Barbara Juenger, widow of the great Frederick K. Juenger, where I met colleagues from Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and China.”
Reflecting on the hurdles he faced, Alejandro revisited his journey expressing his greatest challenge, “Leaving the family. In my last year, my first son was born, and it was difficult to leave him. Thankfully, Rocio – my wife – and he were able to spend the last two weeks of the program with me in Davis.”
Today, Alejandro serves as the head of the Dispute Resolution Practice Group at ECIJA Mexico – a branch of the Spanish firm with the largest presence in Latin America - leveraging the insights gained from his UC Davis experience in his professional endeavors.
Alejandro expresses gratitude for the chance to revisit moments of personal and professional development, as well as the camaraderie he experienced along the way. If given the opportunity to revisit the past,” he articulates, “I would probably focus more on creating a global collaborative network between professionals to achieve greater synergy. And of course, I would go to In-N-Out every day.”