How I Spent My Summer

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.

How I Spent My Summer

This past summer, I worked at Jenesse Center, a domestic violence organization, where I managed three immigration cases for clients. My supervisor herself was a Loyola alum (woo woo!). While there, I put to practice a lot of the foundational skills from my 1L – especially my legal research and writing skills. 

Beyond building on skills that 1L taught me, I also gained invaluable experience while learning how to conduct client meetings, work on incredibly complex legal issues, and much more. In this organization, I was given a lot of responsibility, which was really awesome experience – especially after 1L. I learned a lot in that position and loved my time there. 

After the rigors of 1L, even working a regular job felt like a break. When I got home from work, I did not have to do reading for the next day, work on a memo, or update any outline. What a treat! 

I started work the Monday after finals finished, which – yes – was tough to make that immediate transition. 

When I ended my job near the end of July, I had just over two weeks to relax and gear up for 2L. I went to the San Diego, spent time outside, read a few books, saw my friends, and just relaxed. While I do not recommend starting work immediately after finals, I do like being busy, so my crowded summer schedule was nothing new for me. Additionally, even a short summer break is lovely – especially since I have very few actual “summer breaks” left! 

Even still, I was glad to get back in the flow of school after the dust of summer settled, and learn more about the laws I got to work with over the summer. 

How I Spent My Summer

After the rollercoaster that was 1L, I couldn’t wait to regain some freedom during the summer. Of course, I did have a summer externship to be responsible for, but I also prioritized myself and reconnecting with my loved ones. I externed at The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles for their Economic Stability Workgroup. It was an amazing experience working with like-minded individuals who are so devoted to their work. I learned a lot about myself academically, professionally, and personally. Working on cases, in real life, is totally different than reading about them and discussing them in class. Doing this type of work was exactly what I needed to regain my passion for being an “advocate.” This time also served me to create a sustainable routine that would keep me grounded during 2L. I honestly took my free time during the summer as “me” time. I focused on my physical and mental health by exercising regularly, reading poetry, and actually spending quality time with friends and family rather than texting/calling them. This is in contrast to the summer before my 1L. At that time, I did focus on family and friends but I took that time to explore new outside places. This time around, I decided to do some internal exploring, and it was great. 

Introduction

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! 

Introduction

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! 

Introduction

Hello new readers, 

I want to thank all of you for reading my blog. I know that researching law schools and deciding where to apply and enroll can be super stressful, so I hope my posts can help you in your decision. It’s been a while since I’ve written a post for ya’ll, so let me quickly reintroduce myself first. 

My name is Ashli, and I am a 2L Day student. I am originally from a small town in Central Texas, but after high school I moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to go to the University of North Texas. I graduated in May 2021 as a first-generation college student and the first woman in my family to earn a Bachelor’s degree. 

When I came to law school, I intended on practicing International Human Rights Law, but if there’s one piece of advice I could share with you, it would be that law school will change you. Before, I thought the last thing I wanted to do was be a trial lawyer. To be honest, the idea of getting in front of an actual judge in an actual courtroom made me physically ill. Now though, I’ve fallen in love with public defense and being in court. I’m in the Juvenile Justice Clinic now, and I am in court almost once a week appearing on behalf of my clients under the supervision of an attorney, and I could not be happier. If you’d told me a year ago that I would be doing this, there is no way I would have believed you. 

On top of law school changing me, law school has changed this year as well. Of course, I’m still doing readings, memorizing rules, and going to class, but adding clinics and practicums into the mix has changed the law school experience. So many of my peers are working on actual cases with actual clients, writing motions to file with the court, and so much more. We’re still in class, but there’s an added component of law school where we get to do actual legal work even before graduating. This change may seem small, but it changes the entire landscape of law school and really puts everything in to perspective. 

Even though law school has changed my goals and career path, I’m still mostly the same person I was before law school. I still read romance novels in my free time, talk to my family as much as I possibly can, and am still focused on crossing things off my bucket list. Next year, I’ll be able to cross Going To A Taylor Swift Concert off the list, and I’m so excited.  

Even though it’s only been a year and a half since I started law school, it feels like it’s been a lifetime in the best way possible. I’ve learned more than I ever thought I could- about law of course, but also about myself. I’m so excited to continue my education, and I’m even more happy that I get to share it all with you. 

Introduction

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