I Know What You Did Last Summer

Hello again Jury of Peers! As a returning blogger I get to tell you what I did over summer as a law student. While everyone’s summer looks a little different, today I want to tell you about something you may not hear very much about: summer classes.

I took Fundamentals of Bar Writing over summer and I can’t recommend this enough as a summer course. I am a somewhat nervous test taker and this 7-week Pass/Fail course relieved a lot of my anxieties about taking the mammoth test that is the Bar Exam.

What I found most valuable about this class was the fact that we got to do a practice essay almost every week of the class. We also peer reviewed each other’s essays which helped each of us see our weak spots and out strengths. And this is all stuff that does NOT happen in a typical bar review course. So not only did I get many extra practice essays in, I got actual feedback from other students – pretty sweet deal.

I also really enjoyed having different parts of the Bar broken down. My professor separated the multiple choice, the essays, and the performance test, and discussed strategies for all three types of skills. She explained that the Bar is not only a knowledge test but also a skills test: how can you find a rule amongst a fact pattern if none come to mind; how to approach multiple choice questions; what order you should read the performance test sections; etc.

But Fundamentals of Bar Writing is not the only course available over summer. There are lots of other bar courses and electives offered. And you might be thinking – aren’t I supposed to have a job over summer? What do you mean, school?

Some student’s work and take one or two nighttime classes over summer break. It’s definitely possible with time management. Some students take a full semester over summer so they can work during the fall semester for units. Some students take summer classes because they just have such a passion for learning they can’t do it all during the semester.

Just like summer jobs, summer classes are different experiences for everyone. So, however you choose to spend your summer, there are learning opportunities around every corner. But, that being said, use summer to also do things you like: travel, creative projects, seeing friends, etc. Summer break is a perfect time to take some self-care opportunities you don’t have during the school year. I got to focus a lot on making music and YouTube cover videos which is something I really enjoy doing in my free time. I also got to see some friends that were back in town post-lockdown. My best advice is to relish the last summer breaks you are going to have as much as possible.

See you in the next post,

Kelsey

My Summer Before Law School

I spent my summer gearing up for law school. I had heard from friends who are attorneys that 1L fall is the hardest of all the law school semester. Even though I didn’t want that to be true, I still wanted to be as prepared as possible. But I didn’t sit in my room reading law school prep books and worrying about the school year. Okay, fine, I worried a little. But I didn’t let that stop me!

Instead of holing up in my bedroom in panic mode, I did things that bring me joy. 

This summer, I read a book a week from June through the first week of August. I read fiction and poetry and non-fiction. I immersed myself into words and worlds I knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time for once the school year started. I went hiking – usually with my yellow lab who is the best hiking partner a girl could ask for. I saw moose and elk and deer (oh my!) on my hikes, and enjoyed the lush green summer in Park City, UT. I spent time with friends – over zoom and in backyards and on quick weekend trips (all covid safe) – that I wouldn’t be able to see once school started, either because of the distance between us or our mutual busy schedules. I spent time with my family – quiet mornings having coffee and discussing headlines in the news.

I didn’t want to waste away my summer – my “last summer of freedom,” my family so lovingly started saying. And I didn’t.

Now that school has started, I feel happy. Ready. Raring to go. I checked off things from my summer to-do list, did things I love with people I love, and I don’t regret a moment of it.

Introduction

When I was accepted to law school, everyone gave me advice and a sort of “heads up” about what was to come. So many people would emphasize that there would be little to no time to do anything “regular,” much less to spend a lot of time with friends and family. I was told it would be easy to be swallowed by law school and that I should try to avoid that.

I am 10 weeks into law school, and I must admit that everything I was told is true. It is very easy to be stuck in the same law-school-focused routine and yes, it seems as there are not enough hours in the day to get anything done. Do not worry, I also make sure I prioritize sleep and make time for friends, family, and myself on the weekends. Doing this is important to me, because it keeps me connected to my routine prior to law school and keeps my non-law-school interests alive.

Prior to law school, I worked as a paralegal for the Superior Court of Los Angeles’s self-help department. This is where I became interested in public interest. Connecting with people of similar backgrounds as mine, while also providing an essential service to them, was gratifying. When I wasn’t working, I was collecting candles, reading, or binge-watching Netflix series. You. Riverdale, and On My Block are three of my favorites. I also tried to do high intensity interval training workouts at least 4 days per week, for physical and mental health purposes. I no longer do this, but as I am writing this, I realize I really should get back to it. Spending quality time with my parents has always been of high importance to me as well, so I try to have breakfast with them every weekend. Speaking of breakfast, one thing on my bucket list is to fly to Paris for breakfast and come back right after. It’s probably not worth the flight, but I think it would be fun. I mean, I have driven to Tijuana just for tacos, so I guess it’s who I am. Now that we are talking about bucket lists, I would also like to suddenly move to Italy for a year and then return.

Maybe I could later move to England for another year, who knows? I blame Eat Pray Love for this (if you have not watched this movie, go watch it!).

LLS: Environment fit for Learning

In the past years I have experienced so much life has to offer and I am grateful to God for bringing me this far. While my past experiences have opened many facets of life, for some reason, I still feel there is a world of incredible I have yet to see. I knew talking to people and teaching was a gift; to stand before students and instruct them has been my dream but what has not been clear is the kind of teacher I would like to be, until I made up my mind to join LMU Loyola Law School.

From the beginning of the application to the admission process, I was greeted with patience and humility from people with impeccable pedigree that I never could have imagined. At first, it was difficult to believe that people with this level of academic and social standing could be as nice as they were/are. But after resuming studies and attending classes for the past few weeks, I truly recognize that I have received this incredible world of academics that I have longed for many years. It has been amazing to meet with professors who are eager to see their students excel, not just in the classroom, but also in their careers! While I have had a few teachers in the past who have encouraged me, I have never experienced attending a school that has an institutional attitude of teachers wanting the best for their students. Indeed, it is incredible!

The attitude of the staff is as beautiful as the environment, making everything in Loyola fit together. From the academic staff to the administrative staff, the structural architecture and the landscape are all designed to fit in a beautiful way to provide an environment fit for learning.

If I had to choose again, I would choose LMU Loyola Law School.

Introduction

Hello all! I am super excited to be writing for the Jury of Peers again this year, and best of all, I am doing it from Los Angeles this time! It’s been a while since my last introduction (a year, to be exact), so I thought I would reintroduce myself:

My name is Xuejun, and I am an international LLM student in the process of completing the International Business Law specialisation. I spent last academic year doing the course online from over 5,000 miles away, and the nine-hour time difference meant that all my classes took place late in the evening. In fact, I had a class in my Spring semester that finished at 2 am, which, as you may imagine, did absolute wonders for my sleep schedule. However, 2 am lectures are a thing of the past for me, for I am currently typing up this post from California!

The biggest difference in attending law school this year has, obviously, been the fact that I am attending lectures in-person. Stepping on campus for the first time after spending a year learning through Zoom was great. I have never appreciated being able to make actual eye contact with my professors or sitting in the library surrounded by other students more than I do now. (I’m not going to lie though, some days I do miss not having to commute. I don’t drive, so taking the metro + bus to the university takes one-hour each way, and while I don’t mind and sometimes even enjoy taking public transportation, the ability to roll out of bed five minutes before class is due to begin will never not be amazing.)

Anyway, to wrap this all up, I am looking forward to blogging and sharing my law school experience with you all this year!

Introducing Ms. Evah

Hi folks,

I am so excited to be a Jury of Peers blogger this year! It would be very uncharacteristic of me not to be here because all I do is write. My favorite hobby is breathing life into the twenty six alphabets to tell all these tales stuck up my sleeves.

I warmly welcome you into this space. I am ecstatic to make your acquaintance.

My name is Evah. I am a thoroughbred Kenyan girl. I graduated in 2016 from Moi University, Kenya with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B). In 2017, I enrolled for the post-graduate diploma at the Kenya School of Law. I sat for my Bar exams and I was subsequently admitted into the Kenyan Bar in 2018. I am a licensed Kenyan lawyer. For the last three years, I have been engaged in vigorous Civil and Criminal litigation.

In 2020 I decided to take a detour and enroll for an LL.M. and the pretty damn coolest thing happened when I got admitted to Loyola! I am part the chosen few who will get to undertake the Flex LL.M. This means I will complete my LL.M in three semesters instead of two. I already completed my first semester (Spring 2021) online from Kenya! Thanks to the great wicked pandemic that numbed our minds. On the bright side, it is simply amazing to experience both online and in-person! I am smack in the middle of my second semester. I am inching so close to completion.

Outside of school, I’ve got a couple of other things nosing over my hobby list. I love DIY projects, hiking, writing mundane things on my infamous blog and for the first time, I am attempting to be a long-form author. I have a 350 pages novel coming soon.

That’s it for now. I’ll tell you in advance that you and I shall have some fun on this blog.

Stay awesome. Much love!

Evah.

Introduction

Like all LMU Loyola Law School students, I had a rich and diverse experience as an undergraduate. Before law school, I was involved in many student clubs and organizations. I was heavily involved in student government, and my focus was the promotion of diversity and student equality on campus. I have brought my love for diversity and retention work with me to Loyola as the Community Service Chair of La Raza de Loyola, and as an Admissions Student Ambassador. As a first-generation student, I wanted to get some experience in the legal field before I started law school. I spent my gap year as a legal assistant in a plaintiff’s-side employment firm. I enjoyed the hands-on experience I was able to have because it was a smaller firm.

In my spare time, I continue to expand my love for sociology and the human experience. I like to watch documentaries, movies, and browse online articles about different cultures and theories. I really feel that it has expanded my horizons and really served to help me understand others and will help me in my legal career and beyond. Since I am interested in family law and children’s rights, I feel it is important to explore the human experience so I can make future clients from all walks of life comfortable. I also enjoy collecting candles, thrifting, and spending time with my family.

As for my bucket list, I would love to take the opportunity to travel! I would love to visit my mother’s home country in Central America and explore the Caribbean. I would also love to get to see the Lakers courtside!

Introduction

Hello all! My name is Anuraag Sanga, and I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. I moved to Los Angeles to attend Loyola Law School in July and have absolutely loved my time here so far. I applied to law schools across the country, but I was particularly drawn to Loyola Law School because of its excellent criminal law program and the opportunities it provides to make an impact in a city as diverse and influential as LA. I have planned on attending law school since high school due to my passions for public policy and politics and I plan for my career as an attorney to be heavily involved those fields. 

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington in 2020 and was fortunate to have amazing internship opportunities along the way that exposed me to fascinating legal questions and refined my career goals. I spent two summers interning for Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal where I learned a lot about promoting social justice movements, campaign finance rules, and how a political campaign is run behind the scenes. I also interned at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office where I undertook a policy research role focused on advocating for innovative crime strategies. My main project was to provide relevant data and information to help further the office’s goal of establishing diversion programs in place of prosecution for certain types of criminal offenders such as drug users and gang members. Finally, in my gap year between undergrad and law school, I worked as a paralegal for a Public Defender’s Office where I learned a lot about the day-to-day role of a defense attorney and was able to work with and provide support for many vulnerable individuals who enter our criminal justice system.

At this point in my education, I hope to get involved with policy work to solve the inefficiencies and injustices I have seen in our criminal justice system. However, I am keeping an open mind for my career post-graduation and am excited to see what new passions I develop as I progress further at Loyola Law School.

In my downtime, I am a die-hard Seattle sports fan. In fact, one of my favorite holidays each year is the inevitable day the Mariners are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. I am also an Eagle Scout and love hiking, biking, and the outdoors in general. More recently, I have been working diligently to learn new recipes and improve my cooking skills, because as my mom so kindly pointed out, they are currently “not very good.”

Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about my background and interests! I am very much looking forward to my further posts for this blog throughout the year, till next time!

Anuraag Sanga

Introducing Me

Hello Loyola! My name is Keran and I am a 1L in the JD program. I am so excited to be writing my first post for Jury of Peers and introducing myself to the wonderful LLS community. I hope that this post and all my future posts will help you get to know Loyola and the life of a law student in their first year. Prior to attending Loyola, I worked in various sectors of the field of education, including the intersection of law and education. I got my master’s in higher education from Columbia University and my bachelor’s in sociology and music industry from UCLA. I chose to attend law school to learn the ways in which the legal world fits into education policy and higher learning. Now that I am halfway through my first semester, I can actually see myself working in so many different areas of law, a reality I never saw as a possibility prior to attending law school. With that being said, don’t worry if you don’t have it figured out! Law school is the perfect place to find out who you are and where you want to go.

Other than my professional endeavors, I have been a musician my whole life. I graduated from a music school in 2015 and have played violin for 15 years. I also taught myself how to play the guitar. I love to sing and write music, as well. Music is a part of who I am regardless of the career I choose. It is my one true passion that has never wavered. I view music as my safe haven away from all of the day-to-day stressors of life.

Thank you for visiting my new blog! I am so excited to share my first-year experiences with all of you!

Introduction

What’s up everyone!

My name is John and here’s a little bit about me.

Before law school, I attended UCLA for undergrad, and graduated in March 2020 with a degree in Spanish. Whenever I tell someone that my major was Spanish, I get a lot of surprised looks because it’s the last thing they would expect me to say. Choosing that major has been such a fulfilling experience and inspired me to pursue law. Studying Spanish has helped me master another language and connect with another community in Los Angeles.

After finishing undergrad, I dipped my toes into the legal world by working as a law clerk for a law firm specializing in personal injury and workers’ compensation. I worked there for a little over a year until I started law school. I was able to learn a lot about the legal process and the importance of client interaction and communication.

I’m not entirely sure on what field of law I would want to pursue for my law career. I hope to discover my passion at law school and explore the way in which law intersects with my interests which are sports, technology, video games, media entertainment, and cooking. In my free time I love watching sports and following the LA teams like the Lakers, Dodgers, and Rams. In high school, I played volleyball for a couple years on the junior varsity team. Sometimes on Fridays, I'll be playing basketball with other 1L’s on the school basketball court.

A few items on my bucket list are skydiving, learning how to play golf, learning to ride a motorcycle, and learning how to snowboard. Hopefully this winter I’ll be able to cross snowboarding off the list.

Thank you for tuning into my blog! I’m looking forward to writing about my life as a 1L at LMU Loyola Law School.

Who’s Jae?

Congrats, bros, you found my bio!

My name is Jaelin. Or Jae, Jae Kinney, JK. Or even J. Money (if you want to call me that, sure).

Obviously, I go by a lot of nicknames, but you can just call me Jae!

I am one of the bloggers here for the LLS Jury of Peers. And that also means I am a 1L student here at Loyola.

Buuuut, just before that, about six months ago, I was a college student at Claremont McKenna College (CMC), having just found out that I got accepted into Loyola Law School. So, yeah, I took the whole straight-through, no-brakes route to get here.

I knew very early in college (Freshman year) that I wanted to go to Loyola to, simply put, defend the defenseless and speak for the voiceless. And while I nearly lost my way several times throughout college, by listening to others instead of following my own heart, I still made it to where I needed to be. And hopefully, by reading my posts, you realize that you can too…

Only downside here? I still have no clue what area of law I want to practice. And right now, it’s between international law, public interest/non-profit legal work, and criminal defense/prosecution.

With that said, I want you to know two things about my posts. One, my posts are a journey for both you and me. I am just as anxious, just as clueless, and just as curious as you are. Sure, I may be in the driver’s seat, but I have no idea where the road is going to take me. And as I find things out about my own passions and interests, so too will you learn about them.

Two. I’m a huge NERD… Like, no, for real, a major NERD.

Words can’t describe how much of an absolute goon I am when it comes to my love for all things Marvel/DC, anime, video games, lifting weights (snuck that one in there), and Fallout: New Vegas. But Basically:

1) My wardrobe is 10% jeans, 10% hoodies, 20% pajamas/sweats, 5% formal wear (suits, ties, shirts), and 55% anime shirts. Here’s just three of my shirts for reference!

2) I just recently began a figurine collection. So far, so good…

3) I have logged in almost 2,500 hours into New Vegas, per my Steam account

4) My room walls are absolutely splattered with anime posters such as Naruto, One Punch Man, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and most recently Demon Slayer.

Like I said, I am a NERD. So, expect some anime references and superhero jokes.

But most importantly, it also means that every post I write will always have a little bit of me in it. And in reading my posts, you’ll find that I always stay true to myself. And sometimes, just sometimes, that may be more valuable than being a good law student…

See ya soon.

Introduction

First, thank you for visiting my Jury of Peers blog. I remember what it was like researching law schools to decide on where to apply and where to enroll, so I know how overwhelming that is, especially when doing so in the middle of a pandemic. I hope my blog, as well as my colleagues will help you with your decision. Before I tell you about the ins and outs of law school, I’d like to introduce myself a little bit first.

My name is Ashli, and I am a 1L in the Day Division. I grew up in a small town in central Texas. The kind of town where seeing people ride horses on the sidewalk by the highway isn’t really that surprising. After high school, I moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to attend the University of North Texas (go mean green!), where I graduated from in May 2021 as a first-generation college student.

I came to law school sure that I would pursue international human rights law as a career, but now that I’m here, I’m interested in so many areas of law that I hate the thought of choosing. These include public interest, criminal, immigration, and international law.

When I am not in law school, I love spending time at the beach and reading romance novels. I know it can be hard to imagine that I would willingly read more than what I am assigned for class, but I believe it is important to hold on to the activities that used to make you happy before law school. Reading has been my go-to happiness inducing activity since I was in middle school, and I’m simply not willing to give that up just yet.

Now, I know this is supposed to be about me, but I think it is important to show who makes me who I am. My family, specifically my mom, brother, and cousins, are my biggest supporters. They encourage me when I’m feeling sad or overwhelmed, listen to me ramble on about interesting things I learn in class, and, probably the most important, tease me put me in my place when I am getting just a little too full of myself.

Outside of practicing law after I finish law school, I plan to spend any and all free time crossing items off my bucket list with my best friends. We have a running list of things we want to do together including spending a month in Greece, visiting the American Girl Doll store in Chicago, seeing a real castle, and so much more.

For now, I am so excited to continue my 1L year and have the opportunity to write to you about my experiences. I hope you’ll continue reading, learn more about LLS, and fall in love with the Loyola community like I have.

Introduction

Hello Jury of Peers!

My name is Kelsey and yes, I am in my official Loyola Law School Tour Guide polo shirt.

I am your resident 3L blogger and I am super excited to share my law school experience with you! I’ve been blogging since my 1L year, so this little corner of the internet holds a special place in my heart.

I’m originally from Las Vegas, NV and lived there until college when I moved to Irvine to get my bachelor’s from UC Irvine. (zot! zot! zot!) I graduated in 2018 with a degree in Business Administration and Drama. After I graduated, I moved back home and worked remotely as a social media manager for a small acting studio in Santa Ana.

*Professional photo credits at the bottom

Outside of school, I’m a very creative person. I play guitar, ukulele, and some piano. I’ve also been singing since before I could talk – literally. In college, I found a love for improv comedy (think “Who’s Line Is It Anyway”) and ended up being the captain of my team my junior and senior year. I also love food – although I doubt I rise to the requisite level to be called a “foodie.” I love to try new sweets places (smoothies, boba, milkshakes, donut shops, etc.) and I’m constantly craving a spicy yellowtail cut roll.

I’m really passionate about bringing theatre soft skills into the practice of law since we do so much public speaking. I was able to bring that idea to life as part of my position on the Day Student Bar Association last year. DSBA is the law school’s student government and I have loved being a part of it 2L and again this year.

Besides DSBA, I’m a member of the Women’s Law Association and got to be a 1L mentor last year. I am also a student ambassador (hence the sweet tour guide polo). And last year, I was a staffer on the International and Comparative Law Review, as well as a high school mentor through LLS’s Young Lawyer’s Program.

Since I’ve talked so much about music and theater, it’s probably not a huge surprise that I’m interested in going into entertainment law. But thanks to some really great professors, my interest has been piqued in other areas of law too.

Even though I’m about as far away from law school applications as a law student can get, I’m excited to provide you (hopefully) some solace as you begin your law school journey and share some of the tips I’ve picked up throughout my time at Loyola!

See you in the next post,

Kelsey



*photo 2 taken by Pio Valenzuela (www.revelca.com)

Introduction

Hello Jury of Peers! I am so excited to share my first year of law school with you! Let me tell you a little bit about myself.

My name is Emily Bernstein and I’m from Park City, UT. I graduated from Chapman University in 2018 with a BFA in Creative Writing and a Minor in Political Science. So, if you ever want to nerd out about all kinds of books, poetry, or writing in general, you know where to find me!

After graduating, I moved to Israel for a year on a fellowship program where I worked for a non-governmental organization. I also attended lectures by former Israeli parliament members, leaders in human rights and LGBTQ+ movements, and so much more. It was an incredible year.

For the past two years, I worked as a Prosecutor Assistant with the Salt Lake City Prosecutor’s Office. Before Covid, I also was a club volleyball coach, putting my 8 years of competitive playing to good use! All of this was while I was applying to law school, spending time with my family and our dog, Doug (countless photos available upon request), and weathering Covid.

Even though I am doing a lot of work for school, I still find a bit of time to write some poetry, read good books, and get outside to hike or run. I love those moments of me time – they help my mind clear a bit and give me some space to breathe. Taking care of your mental health is so critical!

As nerdy as it sounds, I am really enjoying my time in law school so far. It is a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, but it is necessary for the work I hope to do in the future, and I know it will be worth it. I hope to work in International Human Rights Law in the future – and even during my time at Loyola Law School. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year, and the following years after, bring me!

Until next time!

Emily

Introduction

Prior to coming to LMU Loyola Law School, I practiced law in Nigeria with a specific interest in human rights and criminal law for almost six years. In those years of practice, I represented victims of human rights violations and defendants in criminal trials. In addition to law practice, I was a research assistant at the University of Ibadan Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, coupling academics with practice. This combination gave me the insight that is required for law practice, which I have chosen- the pursuit of equity and justice. A desire which began many years ago!

When I was a little boy growing up in my hometown of Egbeda in Rivers State of Nigeria, I always wanted to study law, but could never answer the question of why. Of course, I was not expected to explain why at this tender age, living in a little village, it was beyond the “standard” for a boy of my age to think of studying law; let alone understand the reason behind such a serious decision. Surprisingly, my desire never wavered, instead, it only became more real. My vision of what I wanted to achieve with the law became clearer and clearer as the years would later reveal.

It was later in 2008 after completing my secondary education and eventually enrolling in a diploma program with a concentration in law that I realized, I needed to study law to advance social justice. This program introduced me to basic law and legal theories, but also sparked my interest in constitutional law, which completely caught my attention. As I studied constitutional law and reviewed the human rights issues embedded in this area of law, I knew that studying law for the pursuit of equity and justice was for me, especially after having observed human rights abuses within my environment.

At the completion of my diploma in 2010, I proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for a law degree. This degree paved the way for my admission into the Nigerian Law School, a mandatory practical training program for admission to the Nigerian Bar Association. After my admission to the Nigerian Bar, I again went for a postgraduate degree program at the University of Ibadan, to obtain a master’s degree with a specialization in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. My goal is to be more equipped for the evolving concept of human rights globally. After discovering the weaknesses in the Nigerian criminal justice system, specifically around cybersecurity and data privacy, I decided to pursue a specialized degree in this field. Since LMU Loyola Law School has a strong cybersecurity and data privacy concentration, I decided to enroll at the law school and specialize in this.

After I complete this program, I intend to pursue a further degree in cybersecurity and data privacy to harness all the needed knowledge and expertise required to pursue a career in this field. My goal is to collaborate with government, agencies, institutions, and corporations in the hopes of achieving a safe cyberspace, both for the industry and its consumers.