Austin Lalomia on Service, Leadership, and Community in Law School

Austin Lalomia on Service, Leadership, and Community in Law School

In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller speaks with first-year Baylor Law student Austin Lalomia about his path from Georgia to Baylor Law School, his passion for prosecution and public service, and how comic books inspired his commitment to justice. Austin also shares insights on leading the Student Wellness Organization and his experience studying abroad in Spain. The conversation ranges from fajitas-for-breakfast to the responsibilities of a lawyer—and even dips into lightning-round favorites like board games, road trips, and Italian food.

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TRANSCRIPT

Jeremy

Hi, I'm Jeremy Counseller, Dean of Baylor Law School. Welcome to another edition of Counseller’s Corner. And today my guest is Austin Lalomia. Austin, welcome to the podcast. How are you doing?

Austin

I'm doing all right. Thank you. I really appreciate being here.

Jeremy

So, there's something in particular I want to talk to you about. But first, you grew up in Georgia, I think, and you went to the University of Georgia for undergraduate. How do you go from Georgia to Central Texas and Baylor University?

Austin

Yeah. That’s a… Yeah. Great question. Well, when I was doing my research on law school, when I was, you know, applying everywhere, I knew that this was a great school for litigators and people who are working in trial because of practice court, what we do here. And I looked into that, and I was just like, this is the place, this is where I want to be.

And, I wanted to try a new state, too. It's kind of what my family does. My parents are from Michigan. They moved to North Carolina and then Georgia. So it's kind of just a part of what we do.

Jeremy

So, moving around is not a, doesn't seem daunting.

Austin

No, no. My mom, my mom moved from Michigan to North Carolina and then Georgia and then, you know, she told me if you if you stay in Georgia and you don't want to, I'll be mad. So, I was like, all right, well, Texas it is so.

Jeremy

So, you said the litigation training was part of what attracted you to Baylor. You're a first-year law student, so, you've, you've got some time to go. But do you, do you already know that that's what you want to do is litigation?

Austin

Yeah. It was interesting. The DAs from Dallas came here for our professional development program and they talked about criminal law and what they do. They're always in trial. And it just spoke to me. So, it wasn't always what I wanted to do. But when I came to Baylor and did that PDP, that's when I decided.

Jeremy

Professional Development Program.

Austin

Yes.

Jeremy

…what we call them here.

Austin

When I did that, they, they spoke, and it spoke to me. So…

Jeremy

So, you think you might want to be a prosecutor. 

Austin

Yes. 

Jeremy

Yeah. Well, that connects because I also know that you're a person who, our service, that service is something that's really important to you. And of course that would be a form of public service to be, to be a prosecutor. Do you think that's something you'd want to be, a prosecutor long term or as a starting point because some people want to, you know, become a prosecutor than be a criminal defense attorney or prosecutor and then become a judge?

I mean, not that you have to have your life planned out for the next 40 years, but…

Austin

Yeah. I think it's something, I think it's something long term right now. Long term right now. I guess it is something long term. It is something that I think spoke to me, because fighting criminals is kind of what I've wanted to do for a long time. I read too many comic books growing up.

Jeremy

I was about to say, you sound like a vigilante.

Austin

Yeah, I read too many comic books growing up as a kid. And the das was talking about…

Jeremy

Are you a DC or Marvel guy, or both? You can be both.

Austin

Both, both. It's, that's a tough question when you've read as many as me. So.

Jeremy

Okay. Favorite superhero?

Austin

Favorite superhero? Used to be The Flash, Wally West. Now it's Peter Parker, Spider-Man.

Jeremy

Okay, you still read comic books.

Austin

When I have the time. Yeah.

Jeremy

Okay. Well, you were talking about public service and fighting crime. Oh, not before I interrupted you, but, but, but you're saying it's a long-term thing. Why is that? What do you think that is?

Austin

Aside from the fighting criminals thing, I want to help people. That's why I came to law school. It's what I wrote my essay about. And that's why I'm here now. I want to help people, do that in any way I can. And I think…

Jeremy

So, talk about that essay because that, that, your essay for admission to law school was about service. So, you share some about that sort of things you said in your essay because it apparently made a big difference. I mean, made you stand out a little bit, in a good way

Austin

It goes back to what we were saying. Spider-Man. It was about Spider-Man. Not that I am Spider-Man, because Spider-Man. Peter Parker is a genius. I'm not that, but Spider-Man has this innate moral thing where he can't help himself but to help people. And there's a quote in the essay, that is part of the Spider-Man mythos, where it's with great power comes great responsibility.

I know that wasn't Spider-Man at first, but it is, was kind of the central theme of that essay. And I think lawyers have a great responsibility. And, and that they have to help people. In my mind, they have a great power and they should use it for good. So, yeah. 

Jeremy

No, I think, I think that's right. I mean, one of the things we say at the law school over and over and over again whenever we get a chance with students is, you know, students are going to go out and do a lot of different things. They're going to practice in lots of different areas, but all of them have to serve.

And I think it's more than just serving a client for money. It's, it's got to be leaving your community better, leaving your faith community better, leaving the condition of the law better than, than what you found it. And so that's, I'm glad that's something that's important to us resonates, resonates with you. So, one of the things you have done, here is you are the, I believe, newly elected president of SWO.

So, tell us about SWO and your, your role in that organization.

Austin

Yeah. Of course. So SWO stands for Student Wellness Organization. They, we, help all the students here at Baylor, kind of find their niche when it comes to the student wellness. It's obviously something that is very important. Especially when you're in law school. It can be challenging. It is meant to be challenging.

And what we don't want at SWO, at Student Wellness Organization, is to take that much of a mental toll. And that's why I think I'm here. That's why I'm the president. We actually just put on a little lunch today for all the students.

Jeremy

I was going to ask about that. Talk about the lunch.

Austin

Yeah. It was Fajitas and Fellowship. We put it on, and I just made a little comment at the beginning about don't neglect certain things, and it can be easy to neglect certain things like eating, sleeping. So, we just wanted to get a little lunch together just for people who didn't eat this morning. Maybe a little breakfast.

Jeremy

So, fajitas for breakfast. I'm about it. I'm for it. 

Austin

It was me.

Jeremy

Okay. Something else. You and I have this in common. You studied abroad in Spain. 

Austin

You studied abroad in Spain?

Jeremy

I did. I did. So for, you know, it was. How old am I now? Let's call it. Thirty years ago, I studied abroad in Spain. But. So, tell me about that experience. And where in Spain were you to start with?

Austin

So, I started in a little town called Cadiz. And moved on from there. I was only in the south of Spain, north of Spain I wasn't able to get to. I was also in Barcelona for a while, visiting with a friend. But a lot of my friends spoke Spanish growing up, and, you know, they always spoke Spanish with their family.

So, I spoke Spanish with their family growing up, and I studied it in school. So, I was really excited to go, studied linguistics there for a little bit and just had the time of my life. Spain was amazing.

Jeremy

Yeah, I love the food in Spain.

Austin

Interesting.

Jeremy

You don't like it?

Austin

I, at least in the south of Spain's, particularly where I was at, I had got to eat from, she cooked home cooked meals. My stay at home mom, who was, you know, overseeing the whole thing, and she was a wonderful cook. But when I went out to the restaurants, I didn't find a lot of spice.

They're not spicy culture. 

Jeremy:

No. No.

Austin

In terms of...

Jeremy

Yeah.

Yeah, I think a lot of people in the U.S. go to Spain and think it's going to be some version of Mexico or some other country in Latin America that they're familiar with. And it's not. 
Austin

No.

Jeremy

And it's not that at all.

Austin

Right. Yeah. A lot of people kind of confuse the two. In terms of their food, there's, they expect it to be similar. And the worst Mexican restaurant I've ever been to in my life was in Spain.

Jeremy

So, yeah, that doesn't surprise me. That doesn't surprise me. Okay. Back to the Spider-Man. And particularly helping those who, who can't help them themselves. And maybe this connects back to your desire to be a prosecutor. But how do you think that sort of mission statement for you, helping those who can't help themselves is going to shape your career?

How do you think that's going to affect you?

Austin

I think we actually have a great professor here. His name is Richard Alpert, and he kind of sold me on the crim, the criminal path too and he handed me a book called When Bad Things Happen to Good People. I've been reading it, and it's wonderful. And I asked him, I went into his office and I said, what's a good criminal law book that I should read?

You know, it's like criminal law, criminal law. And he handed me this book, and he said, if you're going to be a prosecutor, I think you should read this book. And one of my favorite books from the Bible is Job. And it was second chapter was about Job. And I think all of that ties into helping people because criminal law, you are helping the victims find peace and justice.

And I think that ties into Spider-Man, too, because he helps people who can't help themselves when bad things happen to good people. He's there. And that's kind of what I wanted to be so...

 Jeremy

Good, good. Okay, now we have come to the lightning round, and I always have to pause there because they insert they insert a sound effect. Okay. Lightning sound effect. They've told me. Yeah okay. These questions are silly and your answers have to be short. 

Austin

All right. 

Jeremy

Would you rather explore space or the deep sea?

Austin

The deep sea. We don't know anything about it.

Jeremy

What's your favorite board game or card game?

Austin

Uno.

Jeremy

If you could only eat one cuisine, not food, but cuisine, for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Austin

Italian food.

Jeremy

I agree, I think. I think that's what I'd pick too.

With a name like Lalomia.

Jeremy

Yeah 

Austin

You might as well.

Jeremy

Yeah. Yeah, it's not a surprise but, but I agree. All right. What's your favorite, what's your favorite emoji to use if any?

Austin

The emoji with smiling cowboy with the cowboy hat.

Jeremy

Okay. What's your dream road trip destination?

Austin

The Grand Canyon.

Jeremy

Okay. You not been there?

Austin

No. I don't really explore the United States as much as I should. I've seen Georgia, I've seen Texas, I've seen Michigan.

Jeremy

Yeah, yeah, I get it. Okay. What's a movie that you can watch over and over and over again?

Austin

A Few Good Men.

Jeremy

Good one, good one. How many times you think you've seen that movie?

Austin

I used to have it memorized for a while. Well, over 30 times. I think it's a little ridiculous on my part, but…

Jeremy

Okay, if you could be on any game show, which one would it be?

Austin

The Price is Right.

Jeremy

I like that. I like that because you have two opportunities to win. You can lose the first game and still win the whole showcase showdown. Yeah that's what I like about it. What's your favorite spot to study? Is it in the library, coffee shop, or somewhere else?

Austin

There's actually a diner in town, Black Bear Diner. I walk in and they say Hey Austin. And I'm like how's it going? And then they show me to my diner table and they say, usual thing, usual spot? And I said, yeah.

 Jeremy

Where’s the black bear Diner? I've not been there.

Austin

I'm bad at road names. I'm still getting used to Waco. It's right near the Top Golf I guess, right next to the highway, and I, I walk in and they all know me. It's like an episode of Cheers.

Jeremy

Okay, well, that'll keep you coming back. If people, people know you and greet you and you don't have to spend time ordering, they already know. Okay, I understand you have some questions for me or a question for me.

Austin

Yeah. So my question, in our exam prep session for civil procedure, which you, you teach, obviously, for those who don't know, on the podcast, you tell us to slay the dragon, which is to mean state your conclusion before you get on with the rest of your essay. What is a legal dragon you have had to slay in your career?

Jeremy

Well, first of all, on the slay the dragon in the context of, an answer to a law school essay, I think if the conclusion is clear, you shouldn't beat around the bush about it. You should just state the conclusion. I,  a lot of times there's uncertainty and we have to qualify and that sort of thing. But I do think that's a good thing.

If you can slay the dragon, answer the question up front. A legal dragon that I have slayed in my career. I don't I mean, I've had victories, and I've had I've definitely had defeats. You know, I sometimes joke in class that I'm the only law professor at Baylor that's ever lost a case, but that's not true.

And frankly, most of us are pretty open about, you know, this was a victory. This was a this was a defeat. You know, some of them, I just I don't know that I can even talk about. I mean, it's just stuff that happens behind the scenes and it's, you know, it's just confidential and everything. But I think the thing that I am proudest of in my life is not professional victories.

I'm, I, I'm proud of the team here at the law school. I'm very proud of our staff. I'm proud of our faculty. I think they do a great job. And so, I didn't achieve that. I didn't achieve that. That's been true long before I was the dean. But if I can, one thing that's true at Baylor Law School is I can go to anybody in the building, you know, somebody, somebody who just joined the team and say, what's the number one thing? 

And they will say some version of it's the students. And what I the thing I want to achieve, the dragon I want to slay or that's kind of where the metaphor breaks down, is I just want that to be true. Whenever it is that I'm still true, whatever it is that I'm done being Dean and I didn't, I didn't do that, but I want to preserve that. 

I want to, I want to, steward that and, but the thing that I'm most proud of is my family. I'm most proud of my family. It's not,  it's not that we're perfect. I mean, we are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but, I'm proud of what, my wife and I both are proud of what our kids have done and are doing and are trying to do. And, and so that's the thing that I, you know, if somebody said, what? what have you not messed up, I would say it's my family. So, but, everybody wants to I think everybody wants to slay a dragon.

I just don't look back. I don't look back and go, man, I slayed that dragon.

Austin

Right.

Jeremy

I just don't do that. So.

Austin

Yeah, that's probably a better way of looking at it.

Jeremy

Have you slayed any dragons you think since you started law school? Things you're proud of?

Austin

Oh. Yeah. Things I'm proud of. Yeah. I was in a charity, charity boxing event, and I…

Jeremy

Were you a boxer? Were you a pugilist in this deal? 

Austin

Pugilist?

Jeremy

A fighter. Were you fighting you know?

Austin

Oh, yes. Yes, I was in a, I, I stepped in the ring. I fought, trained for about…

Jeremy

What is this connected to Baylor? Is this a Baylor law event?

Austin

No, no, this is a UGA fraternity event.

Jeremy

Oh, okay. Good, good.

Austin

So, it's, it's, it's not Baylor Law related at all.

Jeremy

Excellent.

Austin

Oh, that's a good disclosure for the podcast.

Jeremy

Okay, excellent, excellent. I was going to say I might have learned something. I must act upon it here in the podcast. Yes. Austin, thanks for coming on. Great talking to you and good luck in the rest of law school. You're going to do great.

Austin

All right. Thank you.

Jeremy

Thanks, Austin.