For this edition of Texas Law’s Student Spotlight series, meet 3L Jacob Mansour!
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Degrees: B.S. in Economics and Political Science, Cal Lutheran University
You speak both Armaic and Spanish. Armaic is an unusual language to acquire; how did that come about?
My first language was actually Armaic (Assyrian). My dad is an Assyrian immigrant from Iraq, and so that was the language my parents decided we should learn first so we could converse with my grandparents, who didn’t know English that well. It made for some awkward preschool years as English got added to my repertoire, but I’m thankful to have such a unique and valued heritage. 
Tell us about your experience playing tenor sax and guitar … is music a casual hobby or did you have opportunities to perform?
I picked up the sax in middle school band, and that came with a number of performances. In high school I was actually in choir first, but freshman year I felt embarrassed and I dropped it, switching to guitar. As you can imagine, music took a backseat once I got to law school, but my past few years here at UT helped me realize how much music means to me, so I’ve picked it back up recently. Once I get my skills up, I’ll try to find some gigs. 
What are some activities/organizations you have been involved in at Texas Law and what have you enjoyed about the experience?
I did Assault and Flattery for two years and let me tell you, that was a blast. Putting on a show with such an incredibly talented pool of people … I swear these guys had voices and talents that had me questioning why they ever decided to go to law school! I made some of my closest friends through A&F, and it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.  
What are some ways that you manage stress and maintain a healthy balance between school and life?
Honestly, I’m not very good at managing my stress. I used to think I was, but moving here was tough and initially I didn’t adjust to law school very well. My first semester was easily the hardest five months of my entire life, although I’d say law school itself only contributed to 30-40% of that. These days I’ve learned to prioritize what I want to do with my time, so I unwind with some music and my guitar, or I’ll throw something on the TV and chow down on some good food. It took me two years to find it, but I finally learned where to get the good food in this city … some good spots you have to learn about to find. 
What’s your favorite study spot — and why?
The library—I know it’s boring, but I need absolute quiet to focus. I’d much prefer to be outdoors, but honestly, if I really need to lock in and get work done, the library third floor is where I go. I swear, that spot was my domain for my 1L and 2L years. I haven’t been in there once this semester though, since I’m in a clinic that’s taking up most of my time, so it’s more work and less studying in this final semester. 
How do you envision your life after Texas Law?
My family is very close so I’ve decided to return home to California. After taking the bar, I’m hoping to go to Hokkaido, Japan, for my bar trip, and then hit up some Greek islands. I’m thinking of getting a tattoo in Bali, though my mother is definitely going to take issue with that one! Switzerland is beautiful and I love snowboarding so I’d love to stop by the Alps for a bit, but it probably won’t be cold enough in August. Once that’s done, I’ll be working as an associate for a firm in my hometown and go from there. I hope to enter the music industry, so after getting down the ropes of how to be a lawyer, transitioning to entertainment/music law is most likely where I’ll focus most of my efforts.