Student and Alumni Profiles

What I Did Before Law School:

I came straight from undergrad.

What I Am Hoping to Do with My Law Degree:

I plan on going into politics one day, but before politics I hope to work in litigation and criminal law, and somehow find a way to do something in the international field. (How this will all work, I do not know at the moment but hope it will come to me some time before I graduate.)

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

The 1L Reps, including myself, of the Council of Student Representatives put on a broomball event. I had never played, nor heard about the game, and was not exactly sure how the event would turn out. To my joyful surprise, the event was amazing. Penn Law's collegiate nature came out and everyone just blew off steam while they fell on the ice, and came together as a team to cheer on people they barely knew. And even better, the professors showed up, playing and falling with us.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Professor Catherine Struve is amazing. She is so energetic, engaging, and encouraging at 9AM in the morning. Additionally, she makes civil procedure more than just a bunch of rules. Because of her commitment to the subject, I have actually reconsidered my opinions on litigation.

My Favorite Course:

I love Torts. The cases are so interesting and surprising. It is the only class where you will read about babies being stolen from hospitals or people getting caught in elevators and actually have to think about the reasons why the law should compensate these individuals for their harm. I also love the philosophy aspect of it: formulating reasons for compensation, and wondering why people even appeal to the law for acknowledgement of harm.

An Example of How the Law School's Cross-disciplinary Approach Influences My Legal Education:

I think the cross-disciplinary nature of the Law School comes out especially in Contracts. This class is more than just simple black letter law; you also have to think about the economic implications of enforcing particular contracts. I have never thought so much about the market in my life.

Meaningful Cross-disciplinary Experience at Penn:

I began to understand different property regimes a bit better when the professor began to explain in economic and market terms. Granted, I do not usually follow economics but for some reason it made sense, and suddenly the light bulb went off. Anything that makes me understand Property a little better is fantastic in my book.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

I think my favorite Philadelphia moment thus far has been going out on Saturday morning for brunch before going to the library. There I was ordering my French toast while realizing I forgot to send an email, so I pulled out my laptop sent the email and continued the conversation with my friends and ordered my food. I guess it made me feel professional.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

I am very happy that I have been able to balance my study schedule with my extracurricular activities and have maintained some form of sanity.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

1L representative on the Council of Student Representatives, Black Law Students Association, and the Immigration Clinic.

What I Did For Public Service:

I am currently working on the Immigration Clinic: I research for lawyers regarding different immigration claims ranging from applications for permanent residency to those dealing with political asylum.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

I love the law school courtyard. When the sun hits the buildings, and the temperature is just right, it becomes the best place to study, eat, socialize, or just think.

Q: How do you prepare for law school once you have been accepted and you are coming straight from undergrad?

A: After your acceptance, relax, sleep, do whatever you can to clear your mind because once you get here, it is a whole new world. And you need to be fresh to adapt to this new world.

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