Graduation. I wish I could say it was an easy word; a manageable word. But personally, I’m struggling with it more than I thought I would. One part of me is excited.

That part of me is proud that I made it through law school; that I made it through law school in the strangest of times. Glad for the chance to have met some of the smartest people I know and make some new friends. Thankful for the opportunity to even go to law school. Eager to see what life holds for me outside academia. Thrilled to not have homework anymore.

The other part of me is mourning.

Grieving the friendships, experiences, and little moments that I lost out on due to the pandemic. Yearning for the spontaneous lunch dates and “hellos” on campus that won’t happen anymore. Devastated the free lunches are running out. No one ever deluded me with the idea that law school would be easy, but, man, no one ever told me it was going to be this hard.

And what’s worse, no one told me that the hardest part of law school is leaving. I’ve spent 23 years of my life in school and now there is no more school. Graduation feels somewhat like a joyous thrust into the shark infested waters of Bar study then practice. Loyola is safe and kind. Real life is not as generous. So, while I’m met with pride for my accomplishments, I’m also met with doubt.

My safety nets are fraying away with each step I take toward the moment they announce my name from the podium. I have to start making choices – in some cases, I’ve already had to – that will chart the course of my life.

There is no more “path” to follow. Like many of my classmates, I do not have a post-bar position lined up yet but perhaps that just means there is an uncharted adventure for me to seek beyond the parking structure at 919 Albany.

For those of you who followed along with me this year, or any past years, I hope you got to see that law school can be joyous as well as arduous. I hope you got to see that if I can do it, so can you. I came to law school with no plans, no experience, and no lawyers in my family; just the delusional belief I could handle it. And it wasn’t always graceful but perfection doesn’t leave much room for character growth.

Law school in itself was a new beginning after a monumental chapter of my life. So, though I’m not a fan of change, law school has taught me how to handle it. I strangely thought this day would never come, but I won’t “see you in the next one.”

It is hard to believe that my 1L year is coming to an end and I am gearing up for finals and my summer internship! While days and weeks of this year have felt never-ending, this year has flown by. After finals, I am excited to begin an internship at the office of the Los Angeles County Counsel, with a focus on providing legal support for the LA county board of representatives. Loyola was very helpful in securing this job early in the application process. I was connected to this employer through LLS’s on campus interviews (OCI) and secured the position after two rounds of interviewing. OCI consisted of a resume collection by all the employers participating followed up by interviews for those whose resumes were selected. All of this was organized on an online platform called Symplicity, which was easy to use and made the whole process very organized. LLS was a huge help in preparing my resume, sharpening my interview skills, and talking through the different kinds of employment opportunities that would be available. I have always had a strong public interest focus, and I am very excited to learn more about the legal issues facing our local government this summer.

So, it seems my plans are finalized for the summer!

This summer, I will be working with the California Department of Industrial Relations as a legal intern for the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Woot Woot! I’ll be helping combat wage theft, protecting workers rights, and upholding employment laws in workspaces. It’s a ~9-week program that spans from June to August.

I secured the position via the PICD, the fair where nonprofit legal aid organizations come together and interview law students for possible internships. I cannot stress enough how imperative the fair is for finding opportunities.

As for the fall… that is such a long way away. I’m thinking of undertaking an externship with a legal aid organization, or maybe taking a judicial externship for the semester. But I have a feeling that an externship won’t be needed. I think I’ll be busy with my plans as is.

As I write this, I plan on writing on to Law Review, trying out for Trial Advocacy, and applying for a clinic. All of this alongside working a part-time job as an Auditor. This, to me, will offer more than plenty of things to do for my 2L year!

There really is no right or wrong answer for undertaking opportunities in your 2L year. But I will give two pieces of advice:

1) follow your intuition. Go where your skills and passions are best suited.

2) make connections. No matter where you go or what you do, always be sure to make friends and meet new people.

And finally, HAVE FUN! Law school is three years. But it can be exciting, fun, and rewarding, if you play your cards right and enjoy the experience. I won’t lie and tell you that exams are fun. Nor is the studying; or the outlining; or even the impending thoughts of what you’ll do after law school. But the friends you make, the things you learn, and the experiences you have make the journey all the better.

And when the time comes to enter law school. You’ll be ready.

That said, this is Jae Kinney, signing off. Until next time…

 

Hello again, Jury of Peers!

There are 2 kinds of people in law school: people like one of my friends who love to network, and people like me who find networking extremely daunting. It’s not that I don’t like to meet new people and make new friends in the industry, it’s just that I’m shy. I know, it’s a word not often associated with lawyer-types, but we exist! So, if you’re a shy person who wants to go to law school let me hand down a few nuggets of wisdom about how to build a network when you’re shy (or just bad at networking).

Tip 1: Phone a Friend

A great way to network without feeling so awkward is to go to events with a friend. Whether or not they love to network, going to events with a friend gives me a social respite where I can relax for the moments in between actively networking.

Tip 2: Home-Field Advantage

Loyola actually hosts quite a few networking events on campus, both mixers and speaking events. Sometimes just being in a familiar environment can ease the stress of networking, so going to events on campus can make networking more bearable.

Tip 3: Have a Job to Do

This tip is not for everyone, but personally, I find networking to be easier when there is a common goal or an external reason why you are connecting with new people. For example, I was doing an informational interview with an attorney who told me he did most of his networking in law school by being on the board of a club and planning speaking events. Fast forward to my 2L year, I ran for speaker chair on DSBA (student gov’t) so that I had an external reason to reach out to attorneys I thought were really cool. Asking them to come speak to campus is a great way to bring attorneys to the home-field (see: tip 2) and create a common goal you both are working towards: a successful speaking event.

To be frank, my in-person networking skills have atrophied during the Zoom Era but that’s not to say there aren’t advantages to zoom networking too. One major advantage is that you get to be in your own environment which can be soothing. Another is that the interactions tend to be more intentional since most people can’t stumble into Zoom rooms the way you can stumble into an in-person event.

My favorite event that I have been to was actually on Zoom my 2L year: Women in Big Law. It was a small group of women talking about the troubles and the triumphs of being a woman in law. It felt very intimate even though we were all dispersed throughout the country. And it was a great way to meet lawyers that normally would be geographically hard to reach.

Any way you want to network is good, especially when you’re just starting out. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there because 9 times out of 10, it will be a positive experience.

See you in the next one (for my very last post ever!),

Loyola provides many opportunities to network and to learn more about the different areas of law.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, Loyola has many student organizations and groups that represent many ethnicities and the different areas of law (for more information on student groups, see this link). The 2L’s and 3L’s in a student group will inform and give advice to the 1L’s about what that area of law entails. The student groups will disseminate information about student opportunities and networking events. The student groups also organize guest speaker events with professors and attorneys to give insight into their areas of expertise and to answer questions that students may have. For example, during the fall 2021 semester, I attended an event hosted by Consumer Law Society, where a guest speaker attorney gave an inspiring talk about perseverance and gave us networking tips. He recommended writing handwritten notes because they stand out and are memorable. Last month, I attended an intellectual property panel organized by the Intellectual Property & Cybersecurity Law Society. I heard from current Loyola professors and attorneys about trademark, copyright, and patent law. As a bonus and an incentive for students to attend, a lot of these guest speaker events will provide lunch for attendees.

Loyola also has an awesome career development office. All the counselors are very friendly and work closely with all students in helping us draft our resumes and cover letters when we are applying to our first summer jobs. The career development office has set up very helpful workshops to give students advice on resumes and interview skills, and hosted informational panels about summer and career opportunities. Loyola also uses “Symplicity,” which is a portal for students to access information about potential employment opportunities and applications. The career development office often updates the portals with new listings and frequently notifies students when new opportunities arise.

Overall, there’s been many opportunities for students to network, to learn more about areas of law, and to pursue employment. It’s up to us to seize these opportunities. Don’t be shy or let anything hold you back. Attend as many events as you can, because you won’t regret it.

As I said before, Loyola’s network is solid! And for those interested in PI work, there’s a lot of opportunities.

First, I would take part in the Public Interest Career Day (PICD)! It’s hosted in February 2022 and provides a great opportunity to get in touch with nonprofit organizations you’d like to work with and earn interviews.

I would also suggest speaking to professors and faculty on campus for research opportunities. There’s quite a few who are always looking for students to undertake research for.

I also can’t stress enough the importance of joining clubs on campus. As someone who’s part of three (BLSA, DSBA, and CLS), I can say with utmost certainty that I’ve been able to meet new people and make connections thanks to these clubs.

Also don’t be afraid to reach out to professors, alumni, faculty, and other students just to speak. Everyone on campus is more than welcome to speak about opportunities. And I can assure you, they’ll have a lot of insight about their experiences in the legal field.

As I write this post (mid-March), I’ll be applying for clinics, trial advocacy, and possible externships for the fall. Don’t stress too much about these things during your fall semester; the time will come to discuss these and apply. Just focus on finishing your first semester of law school during the fall.

And IF there is a Barrister during your law school years, go to it.

From personal experience, law school does take up a good chunk of your life. Literally speaking, it IS your life for three years.

If there’s ever an opportunity to know your peers outside of a school setting, Take the opportunity. It’ll be fun, and besides, what else do you have to do on a Friday night? I mean, this year, it’s Wednesday night, but we don’t have class the next day. So…

Last thing. Don’t limit yourself to just one opportunity or field. Be open to any and everything, because that’s how you’ll find out what area of law you’re truly interested in. Even if it doesn’t sound appealing at first, just go for it. You never know where that interest will take you. And just as you’ll find out as well, the areas of law are more connected than you may think. A housing internship may lead you to a Big Law opportunity down the road. Or a writing class you take now could be useful to you when you enter tax law. You just never know.

Anyways, have fun with this. Law school is exciting, fruitful, and very rewarding if you follow your heart and do what makes you happy.You got this.

 

Hello again, Jury of Peers! Today we are talking experiential learning and all the benefits. I’m not going to lie, I was very scared to take experiential classes because I thought I wasn’t ready and was going to look stupid compared to everyone else, but that was not the case. I really enjoyed my experiential learning and I encourage you to do as much of it as you can while in law school.

I really wanted to do a clinic but, unfortunately, the stars never aligned. However, I have taken many experiential classes that I want to share with you.

First things first: Trial Advocacy. I truly think this is a class everyone should take, whether you’re interested in going to trial or not. It gives so much context to so many of the classes you take like evidence, criminal procedure, and legal writing. It also helped me test out being a trial lawyer to see if it was for me. I got to work in a group to try to convict a drunk driver which was a really eye-opening experience. The class itself doesn’t have a lot of reading so it’s a great elective to add in if you have a particularly heavy reading load as well.

The second class I took that I also believe everyone should take is Motion Picture Contract Drafting. I know, I know, it might sound boring but I actually had a really fun time in the class. We got fake deal memos every week and basically did scavenger hunts through template contracts to make a contract that fit the deal memo. To be honest, contracts was not my favorite 1L class, but after taking this class and getting context, I definitely changed my tune.

The third class I took was intro to negotiations. The thing I loved most about this class was my partners in our midterm and final negotiation. Most of law school feels like you’re fighting by yourself, so having a teammate felt really good. Getting to call to debrief after and re-live the highlights was amazing. I feel like I didn’t get a ton more out of this class than negotiation classes I took for my business major, which is why I wouldn’t recommend everyone take it like the previous two, but if you’re interested, it definitely gives you practice in legal negotiations.

The last experiential class I took is not marketed as one but I consider it to be one: ethical lawyering. In that class we do a client counseling portion of the class where you meet with a client then write a memo about it. I personally think that being able to create rapport with clients is a huge part of the job so getting a few chances during that class to meet and discuss a case was a huge plus for me.

Hopefully I’ve allayed some of your fears (if you had any) about experiential learning at Loyola. Everyone is really kind and willing to help you if you struggle in these classes just like any of your other classes. There are so many ways to earn your experiential units that truly the only “wrong” way to do it is to not invest yourself in them.

Choosing an elective was very exciting because it presented an opportunity to choose a class outside my fixed 1L schedule. The options were all really amazing and touched on a lot of the topics law students are interested in such as criminal law, international law, innovation law, tax law, and administrative law. I have a very strong interest in foreign policy and government affairs, so I selected international law and administrative law as my top two choices.

During the selection process, I spoke to my 2L friends who gave me great advice on professors they liked and how the classes were organized. Who would be teaching the class ultimately played a big role in the courses I selected, and I was very fortunate to have so many experts in the legal field to choose from. International law has been a fantastic experience for me so far and has quickly become one of my favorite classes. Professor Glazier said the class would be “ripped from the headlines,” and the class has been an incredible resource for learning about the important issues our world is facing today. Today in particular, professor Glazier pivoted from our usual course schedule to a special class on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was a very engaging class and provided a fascinating look into the international legality behind the events that have transpired in recent days.

My advice to any future 1Ls would be to do some research on the professors teaching the elective courses to decide if their style would be a good fit for you and to choose a class based on your interests. They are definitely some of the more “fun” first year classes, and are sure to be a great experience no matter which path you go down.

Law school can feel like a bubble and within that bubble there is comparison and hardship.  I went through the latter in my first semester. Law school is a huge learning curve for everyone and in all honesty, my first semester grades were disappointing because I knew that they did not represent how well I know I can do.  I ended up in Privacy Torts and I was truly mortified. I thought this would alienate me from the rest of my peers.  But when I showed up on the first day of class, I saw so many familiar faces that it felt like any other class I have taken at Loyola.  I actually LOVE my elective course. I am very interested in going into entertainment law and privacy fits into this world so well.  Learning about privacy rights, exposure, and diving into the world of public figures has kept me on my toes and leaves me more and more interested in entertainment and media law.

All of this to say that Loyola offers a wide variety of electives.  Everyone ends up in something different and it is really nice to be able to explore a topic outside of the fundamental legal courses.  Some of my friends are taking immigration law or international law and everyone seems to enjoy their courses.  I think being able to take an elective in your first year helps you view your career in the long run which I am truly grateful for.

Law school attracts lovers & fighters alike, but no matter what end of the spectrum you lean towards, there’s so much to love at Loyola. I, like most people at Loyola, will tell you that the community is the thing they love most about this law school, but that’s not the only thing that I love. So, without further ado, here is a short list of things I love about Loyola Law School.

1. The Community: I could probably write a whole post about how much the community as Loyola has, in many ways, made my experience. But to avoid getting too sentimental in my last semester, I’ll distill it. You may have heard that law is a reading & writing profession, which is true, but it is also a profession of people. The work you do in law school is long, stressful, and arduous; and most people outside of law school can’t understand the experience the way other students can. Having friends to commiserate with, faculty to support your learning process, and a career center to ease your transition from student to attorney, makes this process much more enjoyable.

2. Sonia’s Café: So even though Loyola is not on a large campus attached to an undergraduate college where a big food court probably exists, Sonia’s café is always something I point out as one of my favorite spots on campus when I’m giving campus tours. The library may be the brain of the campus but Sonia’s is truly the heart and soul. There’s rarely an hour of the day that you can’t find someone in Sonia’s getting a coffee, grabbing a quick bite to eat, or meeting up with friends. And there’s a rotating menu which means that I can pick up lunch on campus almost every day and not get bored.

3. Parking: Now, this one may seem humorous, but for anyone who has spent time in LA before, you’ll know that parking is a huge blessing when you can find it. The easiest way to get me to not go somewhere in LA is to not have a good parking situation.  Luckily, the law school is one place I never have to worry about finding parking. Even though Loyola has a fairly large student body, I’ve never had a problem finding parking on campus. I attribute most of my parking success to the fact that there are two hour-long breaks (12-1pm and 5-6pm) between classes where a lot of students will leave and others will come in, so there’s always a good cycle of parking spots available throughout the day.

4. Variety of Classes: While 1L classes are fairly ubiquitous across the board, Loyola offers so many different classes for 2L’s and 3L’s that you can explore any interest you have. Between clinics, classes, and experiential units, there’s something for everyone. I’ve taken classes that range from entertainment law, to family law, to business law – sometimes all in one semester. I love that I get to explore different areas of law from the comfort of a classroom so that I can make more informed decisions about where I want to end up after graduation.

If you get a chance to take a tour, talk to a current student, or chat with an alumnus, I definitely recommend you do so you can experience first-hand all the wonderful things this school has to offer!