Carmen L. Snell '92

Segment Synopsis: In this interview, Carmen L. Snell reflects on her path from growing up on Buffalo’s east side to receiving an alumni award for business. Raised by a strong single mother who encouraged her and her two sisters to pursue education, Snell became a first-generation college student. Inspired by television portrayals of lawyers like Thurgood Marshall, she aspired from a young age to practice law, jokingly vowing to protect her stepfather from trouble.

After studying criminal justice at the University of Dayton and working at a women’s shelter, she was drawn to law school to better serve vulnerable populations. Initially intending to specialize in family or criminal law, her career trajectory shifted toward corporate and transactional work due to financial realities and professional opportunities. She began at a law firm, moved to the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and later joined Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Snell chose to attend the University at Buffalo School of Law, influenced partly by her relationship with her future husband. She recalls the collegial, supportive environment fostered by UB’s unique grading system and the enduring friendships formed there. Influential mentors included Professor Judy Scales-Trent, who inspired her through her example as a Black woman professor, and Judge Hugh Scott, who taught trial technique. She also gained valuable experience in moot court and the domestic violence clinic.

Her fondest memories center on camaraderie, study groups, and the encouragement of peers. While commercial paper proved challenging, the overall law school experience shaped her adaptability and professional evolution, ultimately leading her to success in business law and leadership.

Keywords: Choice of Law; Choosing UB Law School; Employment / Jobs / Wages; Faculty / Professors; Mother; Student Culture; Study Habits; Undergraduate Education; Family

Subjects: EDUCATION; UB LAW AS STUDENT; FAMILY HISTORY

Segment Synopsis: Carmen L. Snell reflects on the connection between law school academics and professional success, emphasizing that while legal education provides a foundation, true learning comes through practice and experience. She describes the law as a lifelong learning journey where adaptability and persistence matter as much as grades.

Mentorship played a significant role in her development. She recalls Assistant Dean Andre Newell’s welcoming message in her first week—reminding students to view classmates as lifelong allies rather than competitors—which set a collaborative tone for her law school experience. Professors and staff provided encouragement, while peers like Trini Ross and Ken Sadero became lasting professional and personal connections.

Family support was crucial. Living at home during law school, her mother and sisters created space for her studies, while study carrels at the library provided refuge when needed. Being the first in her family to attend law school gave her confidence and instilled a sense of responsibility to give back to others following similar paths.

Career preparation came through internships, summer work at several firms, and support from UB’s career development office. Yet, challenges persisted, particularly around diversity in law firms. Snell recalls being one of very few Black attorneys in Buffalo firms and hearing broader concerns about systemic barriers for minority law students. While law school could not fully address those obstacles, the Minority Bar Association became a vital source of guidance and solidarity.

Her experiences reinforced her commitment to mentorship and service, shaping not only her career but also her dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Keywords: Ethnicity / Diversity; Faculty / Professors; Family; Internships; Legal Community; Legal Education; Mentors; Student Culture; Academic vs. Career Success

Subjects: CAREER: LEGAL; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW AS STUDENT

Segment Synopsis: Carmen L. Snell highlights her greatest professional achievement not as a single accomplishment but as the balance she has maintained between professional stature and meaningful community service. Rising to leadership within a major corporation, she has also been intentional about giving back through service on numerous boards and committees. For Snell, professional success and community impact are inseparable.

Mentorship has been a consistent thread throughout her career. She has mentored law students through UB and the Minority Bar Association, as well as colleagues—particularly women—seeking advancement in the workplace. Her own career path began at Goldberg Segalla, followed by work with Jeanette Ogden, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, and ultimately BlueCross BlueShield (now Highmark), where she built a long and impactful career.

Snell emphasizes the importance of networking, especially in Buffalo’s close-knit legal and business communities. Connections made at UB Law, such as with Ken Sadero, directly influenced her career trajectory and reinforced her belief in the value of maintaining relationships. She often advises students and mentees to treat networking as an extension of the supportive environment UB fostered.

Looking back, Snell says she might have explored teaching, given its lifelong mentorship opportunities, though she remains grateful for her legal path. She notes that law school sharpened her critical and strategic thinking, which has guided her professional decisions and board service, while personally she strives to treat everyone with dignity and respect regardless of position.

Her reflections show a career defined by achievement, service, mentorship, and the lasting impact of community connections.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Community Involvement; Community Service; Law Firms; Mentors; Relationship with UB Law; Greatest Achievement

Subjects: CAREER: GENDER; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS; CAREER: LEGAL

Segment Synopsis: Carmen L. Snell reflects on how her legal career influenced her approach to family and balance. Early in her career, she was determined to gain trial experience as a litigator with the New York State Attorney General’s Office. While she valued the professional growth, the demands of back-to-back trials left her with little time at home with her young daughter. Recognizing the importance of family, Snell transitioned into a corporate role, where the schedule, though occasionally intense, was more predictable and allowed her to better balance work and home life.

She did not encourage her daughters to pursue law, instead supporting them in following their own passions—one in psychology and the other in hospitality. Snell views this as a continuation of her mother’s philosophy of letting children choose their own dreams.

Offering advice to new lawyers, she stresses openness—to opportunities, colleagues, and community. She encourages young attorneys to build networks through bar associations, remain engaged in community service, and embrace the responsibility of lifting others up. For Snell, mentorship is not optional but an essential rite of passage in the profession.

She continues to mentor a recent UB Law graduate, now practicing in New York City, maintaining a supportive relationship that extends beyond law school. These commitments to mentorship, balance, and service underscore her belief that professional success is inseparable from personal fulfillment and community contribution.

Keywords: Bar Association; Children / Grandchildren; Community Service; Family; Litigation; Relationship with UB Law; Service; Mentors

Subjects: PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; CAREER: LEGAL

Segment Synopsis: Carmen L. Snell reflects on the need for greater diversity at UB Law School, emphasizing that both the student body and faculty should represent a wider range of backgrounds. She believes diverse perspectives enrich learning, foster open dialogue, and ultimately strengthen the legal profession.

Drawing on her personal experiences as a woman of color in the legal field, Snell recalls early career moments where she felt excluded from firm activities due to assumptions about her interests. While she initially stayed quiet to avoid conflict, she later recognized these experiences as part of a broader issue within firm culture—a culture that remains less inclusive today, particularly for Black attorneys. In contrast, her time in corporate and government roles provided more inclusive environments, though she often found herself as the only person of color in the room. This motivated her to actively support the inclusion of more women and people of color in professional spaces.

Snell also discusses her transition from trial work at the New York Attorney General’s Office to a corporate role at Blue Cross Blue Shield. While trial victories offered clear measures of success, corporate practice required her to recalibrate how she defined achievement, focusing on broader goals and long-term impact. Though the rewards differed from the thrill of litigation, she found the work equally meaningful.

Her reflections highlight the importance of representation, adaptability, and the ongoing responsibility of lawyers to give back, mentor, and expand access for others in the profession.

Keywords: Law Firms; Litigation; Mentors; Relationship with UB Law; UB Law School general; Ethnicity / Diversity

Subjects: CAREER: GENDER; PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE; UB LAW MISCELLANEOUS; CAREER: LEGAL