YLDP Holds Valuable Session with Judge Sandill

By Suvi Jain

HOUSTON: On Saturday, December 21, the students of  YLDP had the incredible opportunity to attend a session held by Judge Ravi K. Sandill at Houston’s Court House. For the past 5 years, Sandill has been a judge at the 127th District Court. He has the distinction of being the first South Asian to be elected into the district court bench in Texas, which is an extraordinary achievement. During YLDP’s visit, Judge Sandill made convincing points about the field of law, staying positive, and the importance of good decision making.

Judge Sandill’s journey in becoming an important figure in Texas’s District Court, inspired every single YLDP student. His life was filled with numerous obstacles which he handled with rational decision making and by remaining optimistic. Sandill taught us to stay true to ourselves and to think with our heads straight. For example, one of the most crucial decisions Judge Sandill made in his career was saying “no” to a beneficial job opportunity that supported something he did not believe in. Consequentially, this became a turning point in his career and brought numerous advantages.

From his experience, I learned that focusing on the present is just as important as focusing on the future. Additionally, his remarkable ability to stay positive in difficult situations is extremely inspirational. He taught me that not everything comes as granted, so we need to work diligently and aim to achieve high goals.

Us YDLP students can apply this in their lives by aspiring to do our best in high school and then later in college. Furthermore, we should aspire to grab opportunities that will aid us in creating a better future. Judge Sandill achieved his accomplishments due to his dedication along with hard work he puts into everything he does. He is an inspiration to many aspiring lawyers and the South Asian community as a whole.