A career in law has provided a professional path forward for RP alumna Nikole Slaton

IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY, Nikole Slaton’s professional path might have involved teaching instead of practicing law.

After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Science, Slaton wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. So, she decided to take her first career step by joining Teach for America, applying right away and getting accepted without delay.

At the same time, the thought of a career as a lawyer also held some appeal. She could always pivot back to becoming a teacher, but the opportunity to go to law school wouldn’t last forever.

“I applied to one school to see what the process would be like, and then I got into that school, and I got a really nice scholarship to that school,” Slaton said. “So, I had to tell Teach For America that I had to throw in the towel because other things were calling me at the time.”

Slaton went on to earn her law degree from Santa Clara University, and today she serves as an Eviction Defense Attorney at the Eviction Defense Center in Oakland. 

In her role, she provides legal support to tenants who may be faced with housing matters, including substandard housing conditions, subsidized housing, rent increases, fair housing matters, and eviction defense. The Eviction Defense Center serves as a resource for residents in both Alameda County and Richmond.

What piqued her interest when it came to law?

“I was looking at what I’m interested in versus what I’m good at and where does that meet,” Slaton said. “And I feel like, for me, I’m pretty good at reading, I’m pretty good at analysis. So lawyering is kind of like the best option, especially because it doesn’t require any math or science.”

Getting to law school was, at times, not the easiest for the graduate of Middle College High School. Slaton speaks highly of her time at Contra Costa College, and she matriculated to UC Berkeley, where she didn’t necessarily have as great a time, but eventually earned her Bachelor’s degree.

As she worked to finish her undergraduate studies, Slaton also worked part-time to help support herself. She received Cal Grant money, and her Richmond Promise Scholarship helped bridge the financial gap that still existed.

“College is not free, unfortunately, and they don’t care how poor you are, you still have to pay. You still get that bill at the end of the day,” Slaton said. “I remember, I got a laptop with (the Richmond Promise Scholarship) when I was going to CCC. It was like, you get the first year of college free, so I used the Richmond Promise to buy a laptop, and that got me through college.”

With a little less than a year under her belt at the Eviction Defense Center, what comes next is yet to be determined. Diversifying her professional experience within other types of law might be a useful next step, and Slaton admits that exploring employment law might hold some interest.

As for a long-term plan, she’d love to one day advise nonprofits, and building a diverse base of experience would help with that. 

Wherever the professional path leads her, Slaton is sure of one thing when it comes to where she wants to build her career.

Even as her friends have moved to other parts of the country to start careers, Slaton has remained in Richmond. She loves her hometown, and as she considers what might come next in her own career, she isn’t interested in leaving anytime soon.

“I feel like, because I grew up here, and because I can see how the character of the city changes and how different people live here now, that makes me feel stronger about staying here,” Slaton said. “Because, if I leave and then I come back in 10 years just to say ‘what it’s like,’ I can’t take that. If I come back to Richmond and it’s completely different, I didn’t get to watch it change.”

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Throughout 2026, Richmond Promise is celebrating its 10th year of serving Richmond students by sharing the stories of RP alumni now making an impact as part of the local workforce. To support the next generation of Richmond Promise Scholars, please visit the Give page. To suggest a Richmond Promise alum to be featured, email benos@richmondpromise.org.