TYLA President's Opinion • February 2026

Above: Alyson A. Martinez getting sworn in
as president of the Laredo-Webb County
Bar Association along with fellow officers
in June 2019. Photos Courtesy of
Alyson A. Martinez.

Mejor Sola Que Mal Acompañada
Finding good company through our local affiliates

As we enter February, we are surrounded by reminders of love. Love for a significant other, love for family, and love for friends. Growing up, I was taught to be selective with who I gave that love to. It was a privilege, not something everyone automatically earned. It was my parents’ way of protecting my heart.

Whenever I made a friend my parents questioned, they were quick to remind me: “mejor sola que mal acompañada”—better to be alone than in bad company.
The message was simple: It is better to walk alone than to surround yourself with people who drain you or lead you away from who you want to be.

As a natural extrovert, I was rarely alone. Friendships came easily, and over time, those friendships became community. They still are today, maintained through group chats (yes, David and Delissa, and the incredible Las Chicas Superpoderosas) and the occasional meetup. I’ve been lucky to always have people to walk alongside.

The legal profession, however, tested that saying in a new way. Law school’s competitive nature made it difficult to know who to trust, and for the first time, I built walls I hadn’t needed before. I carried “mejor sola que mal acompañada” as a form of self-protection, even as I felt myself craving connection.

That pull toward community is what led me to my local bar, the Laredo-Webb County Bar Association. Through that involvement, I learned that community in this profession doesn’t have to be accidental. It can be intentional. My local bar gave me a place where I could learn, serve, and grow alongside people who genuinely wanted to see one another succeed. It reminded me that I didn’t have to choose isolation to protect myself, there was good company all around me.

That experience is why local bars and young lawyer affiliates matter so deeply. For many young lawyers, a local affiliate is their first professional home. It’s where the profession becomes human, where mentorship happens organically, leadership feels accessible, and relationships extend beyond business cards. Local affiliates make the practice of law feel less lonely and far more sustainable.

This is why TYLA continues to invest in and strengthen our relationships with local affiliates. By supporting them, we are helping create spaces where young lawyers can find belonging, purpose, and connection in their own communities. When local affiliates are supported, young lawyers are supported and our profession is stronger for it.

I understand why my parents taught me “mejor sola que mal acompañada,” but I’ve learned that the answer isn’t being alone. It’s finding the right people. Through my local bar, I found good company and that has made all the difference for this young lawyer.

ALYSON A. MARTINEZ
2025-2026 President, Texas Young Lawyers Association