By Christina Fernández-Morrow, Hola Nebraska
Sprawled on the floor of her grandparent’s house in Chihuahua, Mexico, Karen Corral de Pesek spent hours playing Barbies. She created decadent worlds where her doll was a high-powered businesswoman with a briefcase she made of twigs and household items. Decades later, she would step into her own tacones as a powerhouse businesswoman and mentor who opens doors of opportunity for dreamers like her young self.
“I want to be the voice telling them your dreams are valid. You can do it. I’m here to help,” says Corral de Pesek, her eyes bright with the same determination that drove her from childhood play to pioneering entrepreneur. But she didn’t set out to be like Barbie; she chose to study accounting. That practical choice led to a position with a global company that sent her and her husband to live in Mexico City. It deepened their connection to her culture, and they returned to Nebraska determined to serve their community. “When my husband graduated law school, he was considering whether to open his own law firm. As the daughter of my father, who has owned a grocery store here in Nebraska for almost thirty years, I inherited an entrepreneurial spirit.” She pushed him to think about his own firm. They started with a free legal clinic in a church basement, which became central in their mission. “The legal clinic is the heart of everything that we do, it’s where we connect with our neighbors,” she shares. But not everyone thought a law firm focused on Spanish-speaking clients would succeed.
“We were actually told by other lawyers that we shouldn’t work with Latinos, that Latinos don’t have money,” recalls Corral de Pesek. “But I had my dad’s voice telling me I needed to be my own boss.” In the end, they followed their instincts and hearts and opened Pesek Law, LLC with the goal of serving Latine clients. For 10 years they have been the largest fully bilingual law firm in Nebraska. “My husband and I serve clients that are victims of negligence. What makes us different from other firms is that we never put Spanish-speaking clients second; they are our focus.” As the Chief Financial Officer, Corral de Pesek focuses on growth. “I want to increase the number of Spanish-speaking trial lawyers so that they can represent their community authentically and effectively,” she says. What excites her most is that the more the law practice grows, the more they can help the community.
Three years after starting the legal clinic, Corral de Pesek founded the True Potential Scholarship. The mission is to help young immigrants access quality, affordable education. The scholarship was started to create opportunities for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students and those with TPS (Temporary Protected Immigration Status). Today it serves any immigrant student who is not eligible for federal financial aid. What is clear from the way Corral de Pesek lights up when she talks about what she and her team do outside the office is that she loves giving back. “True Potential has helped nearly 300 students since 2013,” she says excitedly. She is proud that the first DACA student to pass the bar is now a trial attorney at Pesek Law.
That accomplishment is part of Corral de Pesek’s ultimate goal: to increase the number of professional Latines in the Midwest. She not only does this through the scholarship, but through a mentorship program she runs at the firm. Mentoring scholars is one of the highlights of Corral de Pesek’s career. She’s become the role model she once imagined her Barbie to be to those she takes under her wing. Her husband mentors young law students and Pesek Law hosts events and speaks to groups like the Hispanic Association of Latino Law Students at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Eventually, she would love to establish more professional organizations dedicated to Latine success, like an association of Latine lawyers and one for accountants.
Through her law firm, scholarship fund, and mentorship program, she’s not just opening doors, she’s building pathways for the next generation of Latine professionals. As she continues to expand her vision, Corral de Pesek is living proof that with perseverance and a commitment to community, childhood dreams can transform into a legacy of empowerment. “I think it’s very important that we help each other and create Latino professionals that want to work for the Latino community and use their Spanish skills directly with the people.”
Learn more about Pesek Law, LLC and their commitment to service at www.peseklaw.com.
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