Before pursuing her dream of practicing law, Patricia Snyder was an artist. She spent four years at the California Institute of the Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting in 2003.  During her time at CalArts, Trish wrote and performed in Avant Garde theatre, and took classes such as “Math as Art,” “Punk Writing,” and “Movement.” While the creativity of performing and acting was exhilarating, she also had a strong passion for helping others, which eventually led her to the law.

Working as the office administrator and a certified paralegal for The Law Collaborative, APC, Trish was continually exposed to potential clients who came to the office looking for help with domestic violence matters. She recounted that these were often young women with no income, no resources, and small children. “I wanted to be able to do pro bono legal work to help them,” Trish explained.  “I couldn’t do that as an office administrator, or even as a paralegal.” This led her to the University of West Los Angeles (UWLA), where she attended law school, earning her Juris Doctorate as part of the class of 2021. 

Juggling Parental Duties and Law School Studies

As a mother of a toddler, Trish’s choice of law school was colored by her need to avoid spending hours commuting. “My father taught a family law course at UWLA in the early 2000s and had only wonderful things to say about the school,” stated Trish. “It helped that there was a campus only eight miles from my home, so I wouldn’t be wasting time on a long commute instead of being with family, working and studying. If it weren’t for the UWLA Chatsworth campus, I may not have pursued law school at all.”

Trish expressed gratitude for the flexibility of the professors at UWLA, who made it possible to juggle her parental responsibilities with her studies. “The professors were passionate, engaged, and supportive,” professed Trish. “I had my second child during my second year and I only missed a week of classes because all of my professors allowed me to bring my newborn to class with me. If I hadn’t been allowed to bring my baby, I would have had to miss a semester of school. I was so grateful for the support and kindness during that time. It really bolstered me and made me even more determined to do well.”

One of the many opportunities at UWLA that shaped Trish’s career was her participation in Moot Court. “Competing in Moot Court was excellent preparation for real-life lawyering,” stated Trish. “The fact that all of my professors were licensed attorneys, currently in practice, was a huge benefit. I really enjoyed learning from active lawyers in practice and it’s wonderful to have been able to maintain some of those connections since graduating.  Moot Court also led to a post-bar judicial externship with the California Court of Appeal, 2nd District, Division 6. This was an amazing opportunity.”

Fulfilling Her Dream of Helping Others In Need

As a native Angelino, Trish is proud to give back to the local community and help people with their legal matters. Today, she is the Vice President and CFO of The Law Collaborative, Los Angeles, APC. “I run the business and handle family law litigation and mediation,” shared Trish. “In addition, I am a California Appellate Project panel attorney, handling court-appointed criminal appeals for the 2^nd District, California Court of Appeal. I also volunteer on the Pro Bono Panel for Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law (HBCFL), and as a pro bono attorney for the Family Violence Appellate Project (FVAP). And in my spare time, I volunteer at a local public elementary school.” 

Trish is also using social media to help reach a broader audience. She started a TikTok channel providing information and facts about divorce in California. One of her videos has already garnered nearly 130,000 views.

A Staunch Advocate for Higher Education and UWLA

Trish believes strongly in the importance of higher education. When asked what she tells students considering enrolling at UWLA, she says, “Do it. Do not think twice. Do not hesitate. Just do it. It’s the best gift you’ll ever give yourself.”

She credits the school and its faculty with kindling a fire inside her to learn and succeed. “I knew I was capable of doing hard things, but I didn’t know how capable until I studied at UWLA,” concluded Trish.  “I expected to go to law school and graduate, then work as a lawyer.  Instead, I exceeded all my expectations, winning academic awards and competitions and now, I don’t just work as a lawyer; I have a career that I love, doing work that makes a real difference in people’s lives.” 

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From Launching a Law Firm to Launching a TikTok

Being a partner in The Law Collaborative with her brother, Ty Supancic, is one thing, but launching a TikTok channel on her own is a whole other thing. Trish leaped into the TikTok pool earlier this year with a red-hot opening entry “5 Things I Would Never Do as a Divorce Lawyer.” Her first video by all accounts went viral, gaining nearly 5,000 likes and almost 130,000 views. As a busy attorney it’s likely very demanding for Trish to find time to keep up that level of traction, but be sure to tune in, like, and follow @pssfamilylawyer to see what she’s sharing next!