The Endless Opportunities in Downtown Los Angeles

Empowering communities with the power of law and story.  

As a first-year evening student, our law school journey looks a little different. While many 1Ls are preparing for their externships or selecting electives, we evening students are often still adjusting to balancing full-time jobs, or even multiple jobs, alongside our coursework. However, that does not mean opportunities are out of reach. In fact, being an evening student can offer unique advantages. 

When I started law school, I had no legal experience and worried that my peers in the evening division might already be working at law firms or had legal backgrounds. I feared I would be at a disadvantage. Yet, I quickly realized that we all come from diverse professional paths, and each of our experiences contribute to our growth in law school, and with that realization, my opportunity into the legal world came. 

During my first semester in October, I responded to an email from the evening student advisor, and that email landed me a job at a Tort law firm in Downtown Los Angeles. This experience taught me the importance of checking my emails because you never know what opportunities may arise. 

What I have also found valuable is Loyola’s prime location in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by law firms and a strong network of Loyola alumni. This proximity creates accessible opportunities for Loyola students throughout the city. 

Furthermore, working at the law firm has deepened my understanding of Torts and allowed me to see the law in action. I have also gained firsthand experience with Civil Procedure, from discovery to pleadings to motions. Learning legal concepts in class is essential, but witnessing how they apply in real life makes everything click.

Ultimately, experiential learning brings all the puzzle pieces together, reinforcing classroom knowledge with real-world application. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity, which would not have been possible without Loyola’s support and its evening program.

TOPICS: 1E, Hybrid JD