Valdez was born in
Northern New Mexico to Victor Valdez and Jeanie Sanchez. Valdez and his 3 siblings migrated to
Utah in 1954 where his parents were determined to find financially stable work. As a boy Valdez worked as a shoe-shiner and eventually began selling papers when he was eight years old on the corner of Main Street and 200 South in
Salt Lake City, Utah. As a boy Valdez knew he wanted to be a lawyer, while selling papers he was always impressed by lawyer's demeanor and their dress attire. When Andrew Valdez was 10 years old he met a man named Jack Keller who subsequently changed Valdez and his life's direction. Keller brought a whole new world to Andrew's eyes taking him to the Law School at the
University of Utah, liberty park and introducing Valdez to
tennis which became ultimately part of his lifelong goal and passion. Valdez attended West High School in
Salt Lake City, Utah where he continued to play
tennis and graduated with his diploma in 1970. Directly after attending West High, Valdez enrolled in the
University of Utah majoring in
Political Science and
Philosophy. Valdez walked on to the
tennis team and competed, however, he put more effort into being a part of student politics at school by involving himself with the war movement, U of U assembly, Chicano student assembly and being a member of the Hinckley Institute of Politics. ==Legal career==