Fernando R. Zazueta received his bachelor of science of degree in business and industrial management from San Jose State University. For ten years after college he worked as a stockbroker, banker and accountant before entering law school in 1972.

Fernando R. Zazueta practices in San Jose representing plaintiffs (injured persons) in tort and personal injury litigation. He was an associate with the Boccardo Law Firm for twelve years and prior to that was a partner in the firm of Morgan, Zazueta, Morgan, Towery, Morgan and Spector. He received his law degree from the University of California, Davis in 1975 and began his law career in San Jose in 1977.

Family Background: Born in Mexico, came to Ca. at age 1 ½ yrs with mother and an older brother and sister. Raised in a migrant farm worker environment by uncle and aunt until uncle died when I was 14. Finished high school and college and worked as a banker, stock broker, and accountant for 10 years before entering law school. Married during that period and have three children, four grandchildren.

Pre College Education: Upon graduating from high school my family and I counted 16 separate schools I attended as a migrant farm worker child. Schools were in San Joaquin and Santa Clara Valleys during which time we lived in Army surplus tents and farm buildings with no indoor plumbing or electricity.

College Education: Attended San Jose State University, graduating in 1962 with a BS degree in Business and Industrial Management. Ten years after college, attended law school and currently have a solo practice representing only injured plaintiffs. Was College of Business January 2001 Commencement Speaker and received 2002 Distinguished Alumnus Award.

"Aha" Moment: I was a hearing officer for the State Department of Benefit Payments when a young mother was challenging a county denial of benefits she was clearly entitled to receive. After the hearing but before I wrote my decision granting them, I asked the county representative why these benefits had been denied since she was so clearly entitled to them. I was told that particular county routinely denied such requests and that it relied upon having most people accept “No” as an answer. In fact, I was also told there would be no money available if the county were to grant every appropriate request. Ever since then, in dealing with lawyers or insurance adjusters or anyone having control over some aspect of my life, if I believe a denial of my request or position is incorrect or not rational, I continue to press for an answer that is. I often tell that story to clients so they can feel a bit more empowered because I have very often won my point by not accepting “No”.

Biggest Challenge To get there:In 1957 going to college was the furthest thing from my mind. No one in my family had done so. That summer after high school I partied and had a great time but in August some of my buddies left our group to go to college. It was then that I decided to do the same but there were no scholarships or financial aid for college students as there is today. Fortunately, tuition was low at that time and I had saved some money from my summer job, enough to get into college.

Biggest Challenge In College:In the five years it took me to get through a four-year program, I lived in ten different places with as many different sets of roommates. Learning to cook, do laundry, pay bills, and studying of course, were huge challenges for a former migrant farm worker, but I managed. They got to know me quite well at the school’s job placement office where I went to look for odd jobs to do before or after classes. During that time, I also worked in the kitchen of various sorority houses, thus ensuring at least one good meal each week day and lots of girls to date.

Mentor: My uncle, who raised me as his own son, only had three years of schooling in Mexico and each time we moved to a new farm or ranch he always insisted on personally driving me in his pick up truck to the first day at my new school. That he took school so seriously made a very deep impression on me and he always told me he expected me to do well but he died when I was 14. One time we were picking cotton and he asked me to draw up a table to compute how much money he would have to pay a worker at 3 ¼ cents a pound for a sack weighing 89 pounds. I did a graph from 1 to 100 pounds and did it for 1/4 cent increments from 2 to 5 cents and showed him how to use it. Then he asked how much to pay for a sack weighing 114 pounds and I showed him how to add the price at 100 pounds and at 14 pounds. He had the most wonderful expression on his face the moment he understood this simple concept. I was about 8 or 9 years old. His asking me to do that graph gave me a sense of worth that an adult believed in me enough to rely on what I said!

Favorite Teacher: Favorite teachers can be counted on one hand but my most favorite was Jack Holland, a professor in the College of Business at San Jose State. He agreed to be my college advisor and I got straight A’s in his classes but that is not why he is my favorite teacher. It’s because he was always so positive in speaking to me about my future and told me not to worry; that I would do just fine. I did not see nor understand what he saw in me but he gave me a lot of confidence at a time when there was no one else to do that.

Favorite Author: There have been a great many books which would qualify, but one book which made a first and lasting impression on me was “Ahmes, Son of Egypt” which I read around my junior year of high school. It was a paper back and the story took place in the time of the Pharaohs and the building of the pyramids. It was about an average young boy and the many exotic experiences he went through as he grew into young adulthood as a soldier and later as he aged and became an adviser to Pharaoh. It was written in such a way that I felt myself transported to that time and I imagined myself alongside this Ahmes as he went through his life’s adventures. To this day I can remember certain specific passages in that book and have always had a great affinity for and interest in matters dealing with Egyptian antiquities and those ancient dynasties. Books have enriched my life immeasurably, but that book was the first to introduce me to wonderful worlds, both fiction and non-fiction, which I experience to this day, just by reading.