Meet your 2025-2026 Leadership Academy class: José Sandoval

Meet José Sandoval, a member of the 2025-2026 Missouri Bar Leadership Academy class! A graduate of the Saint Louis University School of Law, Sandoval is a solo lawyer and owner of Sandoval Law Firm (Estate Planning & Probate Practice). Sandoval also regularly volunteers with the Missouri High School Mock Trial and Show Me the Constitution competitions, helping promote civic education among students.

Every year, The Missouri Bar brings together a select group of new and young lawyers to serve on Leadership Academy. Each class completes a service project, engages in leadership workshops, networks with leaders in Missouri’s legal profession, and attends bar meetings. Following graduation, members continue to serve The Missouri Bar in an active capacity for two years. 

Sandoval recently chatted with The Missouri Bar about his unique journey to the legal profession, his advice to new and young lawyers, and the fulfillment of his childhood dream.

Why did you want to become a lawyer?

“I graduated from the University of Texas in 2017 with degrees in Neuroscience and Japanese, then worked in health IT and data analytics for a hospital system, writing reports that helped hospital leadership make evidence-based decisions.

“Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit our shores in early 2020, and everyone's life changed … With the time I saved commuting to the office every day, I contemplated what I was doing with my life. I (asked myself) … ‘Could I help make everyone's lives better with my skills? Could I become a part of the class of people who have some modicum of say over which direction our society goes?’

“So, I looked at my skills (thinking, asking, talking, reading, writing), and the logical conclusion was law school. I've only ever wanted to help people, so at the time I thought this choice made sense. I'm glad to report that I was completely right and that I have found my calling as an estate planning attorney. I am proud to help people and families plan for their futures with confidence and peace of mind.”

Why did you decide to apply for Leadership Academy?

“While at SLU Law, Adrienne Davis and Mary Pat McInnis both independently and in no uncertain terms urged me to apply. Their confidence in me, along with the overwhelming support I later received from colleagues, motivated me to pursue this opportunity. I strive to make them all proud.”

This year's class service project centers around learning about new lawyers’ needs, wants, and perceptions of The Missouri Bar. How do you see this work shaping the bar’s overall ability to continue helping lawyers even better serve their clients? 

“To learn about young lawyers’ needs, wants, and perceptions of the bar is to learn about the future of our profession and identify how we might deal with (various) issues. I see the work of the Leadership Academy’s project as having the potential to modernize and improve the bar’s current impacts.

“Based on our findings, we will be able to confidently recommend specific and germane changes in programming and policy rooted in the evidence and data that we will gather. Our recommendations will help guide the bar in prioritizing resources for Missouri lawyers that will help us meet future clients’ needs ethically and efficiently.” 

What do you value most about The Missouri Bar and its mission?

“I deeply treasure the idea of improving the law for all Missourians. The law exists because we all believe in the power of some words on a piece of paper to structure and shape our shared society. The law belongs to ‘We, the People,’ not to any one person … [T]herefore, the law should serve us all and make our lives better.

“I appreciate all of the resources The Missouri Bar offers to attorneys across the state (to help achieve this mission). Insightful CLE programs, practice management resources, and MOLAP (Missouri Lawyers’ Assistance Program) are some of the many that immediately come to mind.”

What advice would you give to new/young lawyers?

“Realize (or remember) that you are part of a fraction of a decimal of the population who have the skills and education to be the architects of society. Wield your power, don't just profit from it. Wield it for the betterment of everyone, not just a few.

“Do not ‘wait your turn,’ do not ‘let somebody else do it,’ and do not ‘start small.’ Take charge and boldly lead the way with humility, because nobody is perfect and nobody's ideas are either. You will learn something new from everyone you meet along the way, and those friendships will take you to greater heights.”

What is one interesting/unique thing in your home/work office that brings you joy?

“A childhood dream of mine came true in 2020: I built my own computer from a bunch of individual parts. I still use this computer nearly every day I work from home. It is a beast of a machine that can handle the most cumbersome of PDFs with ease. On occasion, it also runs just about any video game you can imagine.”

Editor’s note: These answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness. Learn more about Leadership Academy here.