After 1L finals, I only had one week before the beginning of my internship at the California Public Utility Commission’s Administrative Law Judge Division. I was excited, but I also felt unprepared for my first legal internship. I kept asking myself: what should I bring? What is expected of me as a first-generation international student who just finished 1L? Will it just be like LRW? Is there anyone else from LLS I might connect with who can help me?

The very first judge that I met who helped me get set up was an LLS Alumna. We talked like old friends about her time at LLS, I asked about professors, and how the campus has changed, and she spoke highly of how the LLS network has served her since graduating. Meeting her helped me settle into my new role as a Legal Intern, and we stayed in touch over the summer.

As a legal intern, I wrote rulings, resolutions, and proposed decisions for the ALJ’s, as well as attended hearings, voting meetings, and weekly lunches where we networked with different people across the CPUC; attorneys and judges alike. Everyone who worked with us interns was so helpful and insightful. I would never have been able to meet so many of them, especially since the state agency was spread over three offices, but the intern supervisors ensured that we got to meet and hear from people with valuable experience and fascinating work.

Having finished 1L gave me common ground with everyone; judges and attorneys were quick to offer their 1L stories, experiences, and advice. They assured me that despite how overwhelming it might have been, I would look back on it fondly and that the work they found was rewarding and fulfilling; showing me I had much to look forward to.

I am so excited to be returning to the Jury of Peers! A lot has changed since I last wrote here. I am in my final year as a law student, and in the next year I expect even more changes as I prepare to graduate in the spring!

As a student who’s entire 1L year was online due to COVID-19, this fall was my first official semester where I had a more traditional, “in-person” experience. It has been really amazing being able to connect with my peers daily and engage in class discussion face to face. My favorite part has definitely been the increase of in-person events! It seems like at least a few times a week some organization is hosting a panel, a lunch, a film screening, or some informative event so students who are interested in certain fields of law can learn and network. As the Vice President of the Child and Family Law Society on campus, my organization and I have had a lot of fun putting together informational and panel discussions on family law.

I would say that I am different this year because I have new priorities and things to look forward to in law school. In my final year, I get to shift my focus to post-graduate endeavors, like looking for post-bar employment and preparing for the bar exam. Now, instead of spending a lot of my free time going to look at on-campus opportunities, I am expanding outward. But I still have a few things to check off my bucket list, in and outside of law school. For example, I am looking forward to booking a trip this summer to celebrate taking the bar exam! I also want to continue my commitment to mentoring first-generation students on campus. I am excited for my final year and excited to continue with the Jury of Peers!

Hi everyone! This year I am returning as a blogger for Jury of Peers! I am looking forward to sharing with you some of my experiences and insights about Loyola Law School and law school in general. Hopefully you’ll be interested in reading my future and past posts and learn something new along the way!

I’m currently a 2L at LLS. This year I’m the treasurer for the Intellectual Property & Cybersecurity Law Society (IPCLS) and helping out as a 1L mentor in both IPCLS and the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA). I’m a student ambassador too, so hopefully I can see some of you at future LLS admission events and tours. I’m also a staff editor on the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review.

A little bit about me not law school related:

I graduated from UCLA in 2020 with a B.A. in Spanish. In my free time I like to watch any sports game that’s on (hopefully the Lakers and Rams will improve their records soon). I enjoy watching movies and anime, and keeping up with all the new social, cultural, and culinary trends. I’m also a big theme park enthusiast – I have an annual pass to Universal Studios Hollywood, and I think I know the park inside and out by now LOL. I’m super excited for the opening of Nintendo World next year! Last summer after 1L finals and the law review write-on competition, I was able to cross an item off my bucket list by flying to Florida and going to Universal Orlando. It was such a fun and amazing experience seeing how much bigger and different the counterpart park was in Orlando. I’d recommend anyone who’s thinking of a place to vacation to consider going! Here’s a few fun photos from my trip:

Blogging for Jury of Peers has been a great way for me to creatively write while taking a break from legal writing.  Law school can sometimes be stressful and overwhelming but it’s important to take breaks and stay motivated, but to find a balance and not burn yourself out.

Thank you all for reading my first blog post this school year and stay tuned for more!

My name is Missy Macuja Elizalde, and I am a new Jury of Peers Correspondent this year!

I am a 2L Day student, Secretary of the Environmental Law Society, and a student in the International Human Rights Practicum, born and raised in Pasay City, Philippines. I went to undergrad at Emerson College in Boston, and my background before law school was mostly in environmental sustainability and marketing, with a few years as a professional ballet dancer.

My legal interests are rooted in my childhood in the Philippines, I have a strong passion for human rights and environmental protection, which is what led me to law school in the first place. LLS has provided me with so many opportunities to figure out what kind of path I want to forge within those legal interests, it is so important to explore and see what excites you most!

I am an international student, which I know isn’t very common for law school JD programs and has provided me with a different experience with its own unique challenges in this journey. I am happy to speak to any prospective international students and answer any questions.

Outside of law school, I enjoy Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, rock climbing, ballet, scuba diving, and hanging out with my dogs. After tearing my ACL earlier this year and not being able to participate in my usual hobbies, I took up photography so I might still be able to join in without the risk to my knee, and I have thoroughly been enjoying it so far. My bucket list would probably include scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, photographing the Philippine Eagle, and getting to the podium of the No Gi World Championship.

I am so excited to get to write for the Jury of Peers blog this year!