Matt Benson’s life hasn’t always revolved around law. He served in the Navy, played professional basketball, and graduated from PLNU in 2009, then became licensed to practice law in California in 2012.
“Basketball is what brought me to Point Loma,” Benson said. “A mentor of mine was actually Ethan Hamilton, the athletic director who passed away a couple years ago. Ethan was a very young coach at the time, and he recruited me. Coach Hamilton, as I called him, was always somebody that I looked up to.”
Benson transferred from UC Riverside and spent his last two years of undergrad at PLNU playing basketball, learning how to balance being an athlete and student.
“I think you learn a lot as a student athlete in terms of how to balance the work, the sport, your social life, and the demands of being a student athlete,” Benson said. “It was busy, but it was very, very fun. The student body at Point Loma, the friends that I met, and the other student athletes — everyone is so supportive. It is the most supportive community I’ve ever been involved in my entire life, and I’ve been part of a lot of different organizations.”
Benson observed that in his experience, communities of faith like PLNU are often able to adapt to difficult situations like pressure or loss because of the hope found in Jesus. Although PLNU’s campus is undeniably gorgeous, there’s a strength underneath.
“I think the student body is incredibly resilient,” he said. “In terms of what I took from Point Loma, and how that translated into other things I did in the future, it was calling back to what I learned being among that community — the resilience and the ability to weather any storm. Relying on faith, absolutely, helps anyone do that.”
Benson began to incorporate the resilience he learned and saw demonstrated at PLNU as he entered his career. After playing basketball professionally with the BG Lietershofen Stadtbergen in Germany, he attended law school at UCLA. During his time there, his cousin Darrik, a Navy SEAL, was shot down during a mission. Inspired by his service and sacrifice, Benson joined the Navy’s JAG Corps after finishing his degree, providing legal services to those enlisted in the Navy.
“That sort of servant leadership Darrik exhibited in his life, and that he paid the ultimate price and gave the ultimate sacrifice for serving our country — experiencing that loss… I mean, it absolutely led me to join the Navy,” Benson explained. “That was incredibly meaningful to me at the time. I look back on my five and a half years of active duty, and one of the things I’m most proud of is this service in the Navy.”
Benson’s favorite part of his role was helping sailors, often freshly enlisted at 18, through difficult legal situations and informing them of the options available to them.
“Most of the people in the military, regardless of branch of service, it’s their first time away from home. They’re about 18 years old. They likely grew up in a small town, and so that was very rewarding for me to be able to sit across the desk and help them as an individual person.”
After a decade of service, Benson transitioned back to the civilian sector, working in personal injury law to pursue justice and compensation for clients. While starting a firm — or owning any business — can come with a unique set of challenges, Benson was ready for it.
“I’ve learned what it’s like to be in a big team: I was part of the Navy,” he said. “I’ve learned what it’s like to be part of a small team: I was the captain of the basketball team of Point Loma. I’ve seen good leadership. I’ve seen bad leadership, and it’s hard to be a good leader.
“I’m definitely far from perfect, but getting to the point where I’m comfortable starting my own firm was a little bit of luck, timing, life circumstances, and the culmination of all the skills that I learned along the way. Whether it was leadership of the basketball team at Point Loma, or being part of a large bureaucracy, it was the catalyst for me having the confidence to do it.”
Confidence, strength, and resilience don’t come from only having easy times, Benson explained.
“Everybody goes through trials and tribulations of different varieties, right? Whether it’s losing a mentor, like I did with Coach Hamilton, or a family member…Whether it’s struggling academically, struggling in athletics, or whatever, everyone goes through tough times. And so what I would like to instill in my kids is that ‘the day the seed is planted is not the day you eat the fruit.’”
Whether it’s struggling academically, struggling in athletics, or whatever, everyone goes through tough times. And so what I would like to instill in my kids is that ‘the day the seed is planted is not the day you eat the fruit.’
Having goals in mind and sticking to them builds character, he said, and believing in yourself leads to greater success in life, whatever you pursue.
“I’m not telling everybody, ‘you have to finish,’” Benson clarified, “but just know that there is something lost if you don’t finish whatever it is you started — whether it’s law school or playing professional basketball or being in the Navy. What is lost is that muscle that you build over time by having resilience and overcoming obstacles.”
