Raquel S. Spencer, Esq.

I was born in Oceanside, California, the middle child and only daughter of a Black American father and a Costa Rican mother, in a family shaped by service, discipline, and hard work.

My father retired from the United States Marine Corps after 24 years of service as a Master Sergeant. My mother built a career in banking and retired from Navy Federal Credit Union. From my father I learned courage, resilience, and the responsibility to confront problems directly. From my mother I learned patience, compassion, and a faith that keeps me grounded and focused on serving others.

In my family, public service is more than a profession, it's a deeply rooted legacy of building institutions and advancing society. My Abuelito, Carlos Araya Borge, built Costa Rica’s modern Civil Service system and carried that work throughout Latin America while working for the United Nations Division of Public Administration. He is officially recognized by the government of Costa Rica as the pioneer of Civil Service.

My grandfather, James “Lover” Spencer, served his country by working in the steel mills of West Virginia. He produced steel used for America’s railroad tracks, factories, and other infrastructure on which this country grew. The women in my family were the backbone of it all. Their lives taught me that service takes many forms, but its purpose is the same: to leave behind something stronger for the people who come next.

As a military child, I attended elementary school in Okinawa, Japan, traveled throughout Asia, lived across the United States, and spent time with family in Costa Rica. Spanish was my first language. Moving between cultures taught me that people experience the same world very differently, and it taught me to listen carefully, adapt quickly, and look past my own point of view.

As a young girl living in Okinawa, Japan, I watched a news report about people trafficked and exploited after arriving in the United States, and I could not stop thinking about it. I felt a deep resistance to unfairness and a need to understand how power can protect and harm people. I always knew from a young age that I would become an attorney. I was the child who spent summers in the library searching for answers to world problems. My father's words eventually became my compass: "Don't spend your life talking about the problems. Do something to help solve them." And: "Don't work for the company. Own the company."

After high school, I attended Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina and earned a scholarship to play soccer. I transferred to Saint Augustine's University, a historically Black university in Raleigh, North Carolina. While there, I tried out and was offered a two-year scholarship to play softball. I also became a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Athletics and education taught me discipline, accountability, and how to recover when things don't go my way.

After graduating from Saint Augustine’s University, I built a successful corporate career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Time Warner Cable, and Duke Energy Progress, learning how organizations operate and how to understand what people need even when they struggle to say it.

At Thomas Jefferson School of Law, I thrived. I made the Dean's List, received an Earl B. Gilliam scholarship, competed in Mock Trial, and became an Alternative Dispute Resolution semifinalist and board member. I served as president of both the Black Law Students Association and Pride Law. During my 1L year, I worked under attorney supervision in civil litigation and federal criminal defense. During my 2L year, I interned in the Public Defender's felony-arraignment division. I completed my J.D. in two and a half years. While studying for the bar exam, I gained hands-on experience in employment and family law.

I am the founder of Esquire Bar Prep, where I teach and mentor law students and bar candidates, and I serve on the Thomas Jefferson School of Law Alumni Association board. For me, success has never meant climbing alone. It means making the path more accessible for those coming behind me.

I call San Diego home. Away from the office, you'll find me surfing, horseback riding, hiking, camping, or at the beach with my Cane Corso, Justice.