SLO County lawyer named 2024 Woman of the Year is a ‘true leader,’ state lawmaker says
A local lawyer and mother iwas named a 2024 Woman of the Year for the California State Assembly’s 30th District.
Khouloud Pearson was honored for providing legal assistance to vulnerable residents across San Luis Obispo County, Assemblymember Dawn Addis announced in an Oct. 21 news release.
“Khouloud embodies the spirit of service we need,” Addis said in the release. “From using her skills to provide legal aid for low-income residents to supporting her entire community through volunteer service, she is a true leader for San Luis Obispo County.”
Pearson currently serves as president of the board of directors for the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation, a nonprofit organization that gives seniors, veterans and low-income families access to attorneys.
She has been on the board for more than five years.
Pearson is also the director of the Templeton Special Services District and a volunteer at Templeton Elementary School.
Pearson said she’s dedicated much of her time to volunteer work over the years because her community needed people to step up and she wanted to role model for others.
“Everybody should try to get involved with their community in some way or another,” she said. “Sometimes you’ll need the help, and sometimes somebody else will need to help. So it’s important that we’re sticking together.”
How SLO County lawyer won Woman of the Year award
Pearson was nominated for the Woman of the Year award by her husband.
He surprised her by submitting an extensive application about her accomplishments. At the time, Pearson said, she thought it was a sweet gesture that wouldn’t amount to anything.
When Addis eventually announced Pearson as the winner, Pearson said she chuckled at first in disbelief and thought “No way.”
“It’s still kind of unreal to think that I was chosen among the pool of people, because there’s just so many amazing people in our community that really kind of care and support,” Pearson said. “I truly do feel honored for for being selected from that pool.”
Templeton attorney balances legal work, motherhood
Pearson said she’s especially proud of receiving the Woman of the Year Award because her path to becoming an attorney as an immigrant woman of color has been anything but easy.
On her third birthday, she and her family emigrated from Lebanon to San Luis Obispo.
Pearson wanted to be a lawyer, she said, but she could not afford the high cost of entrance after wracking up student loan debts as an undergraduate college students.
In her late 20s, she started a part-time program that eventually led to her obtaining her law degree and passing the bar exam.
Now Pearson balances raising two daughters with working for a Los Angeles law firm.
“I’m not a traditional attorney, I’m a mom on top of that too,” Pearson said. “One of my mentors once had to remind me that my journey wasn’t linear. It’s taken twists and turns and curves everywhere.”
She hopes the award serves as a reminder to young girls that their dreams were possible if paired with enough determination and courage.
“Just stick with it,” Pearson said. “Take the hard (challenges) as learning opportunities, celebrate the successes and enjoy the journey.”
Pearson is one of seven women who were recognized as 2024 Women of the Year for their contributions in Assembly District 30, Addis said.
