Commitment to service: Why a Knoxville law firm feels it’s only right to give back.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Marcos Garza spends his days inside courtrooms and working at his downtown Knoxville office, but his path here did not start the conventional way.

Following his first year in law school, Garza went to Officer Candidate School in the United States Marine Corps.

“You know the one thing I miss most about the Marine Corps are the Marines,” said Garza, who would later serve as a Judge Advocate and Captain in the Marine Corps.

Garza joined to seek opportunities and skills that would help him out in his legal career but also feel closer to his father. His father had served in the Navy during Vietnam and died when Garza was nine years old. “I think serving was kind of a bridge back to my father,” he said

While in OCS, Garza said they would study Medal of Honor recipients by learning about the battles, strategies, and tactics that were used. He already had a great sense of appreciation for the recipient, but that grew when the Medal of Honor Celebration first came to Knoxville in 2014.

“We went through and met all the Medal of Honor recipients,” said Garza, who was one of the sponsors for the 2014 convention. “I think the thing that is just so humbling and awe inspiring, and I’m gonna say humbling again, is this sort of humility that you witness among these folks who have done just tremendous, amazing heroic things. They far surpass all of our regular observations or experiences and the humility that they display, it just makes you want to be more.”

That wasn’t the first time Garza felt that he wanted to do more. At his firm, The Garza Law Firm, he has made it a point to hire veterans. He said he does not exclusively hire those who have served, but when it comes to veterans, he knows what they are made of.

“I’ve found that it’s more about attitude than anything,” said Garza. “My most recent hire was a young lady who was a Marine, who didn’t necessarily have the exact credentials for that particular position. I knew she had the will, I knew where she came from.”

Multiple veterans now work at The Garza Law Firm across many different positions. They served their country, and Garza said it’s important that their service doesn’t stop there.

Garza is once again serving as a sponsor for the 2022 Medal of Honor Celebration this September in Knoxville. He said it was a no-brainer to get involved again.

“I can’t imagine not supporting this event and going head first into it, because it just feels like the right thing to do,” he said.

You can learn more about the 2022 Medal of Honor Celebration here.

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