Student and Alumni Profiles

Professional Experience Prior to Law School:

I worked at Deloitte as an information security and privacy consultant for five years. After deferring acceptance from Penn Law for a year, I left Deloitte and joined Allergan, Inc. as architect for its Identity & Access Management program.

What I Am Hoping to Do with My Law Degree:

I am hoping to start a career in intellectual property law.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

Going on the annual public interest retreat organized by Toll Public Interest Center.  It was nice to learn more about pro bono opportunities at Penn Law while enjoying the great outdoors.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Professor Shyam Balganesh has an interesting teaching method that keeps me on my toes. I find his course on property law to be engaging and challenging. Professor Balganesh never smiles in class and maintains a strictly business attitude during class; however, he is very approachable after class and during office hours.

My Favorite Course:

My favorite courses this semester are property law and civil procedure. Professor Amy Wax and Professor Balganesh are brilliant. These two classes are the most challenging and intimidating, but they are also the most rewarding.

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

Professor Anita Allen serves on the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, appointed by President Obama. During torts, she’ll frequently reference the impact tort law has on public policy, ethics and healthcare. Professor Allen’s experience provides depth and insight to her lectures.

Meaningful Cross-disciplinary Experience at Penn:

The joint degree and certificate fair was inspirational. The number of certificate and joint degree programs that Penn Law offers is astounding. Not sure if I will apply for a joint degree, but I will definitely consider the Wharton certificate. The cross-disciplinary focus is the main reason why I chose Penn. Having a certificate or joint degree will help distinguish my resume and serve as a conversational piece during the interview process.

Penn Law is known for its collegial environment. Why is collegiality important to a legal education? How has it affected your legal education?

Collegiality helps take some of the edge out of law school. Some law schools are known for their cutthroat attitude, but that is definitely not the case for Penn Law. Everyone studies hard and helps each other out. I would highly recommend prospective law students to come see for themselves. If you look lost, someone will offer you help, because that’s just how it works at Penn.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

Walking in the snow with my wife. We don’t have that in California.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

Going to a prison with my fellow classmates as part of the Prisoner Education and Advocacy Project (PEAP). The teaching experience was very rewarding and I was able to share what I have learned in law school with other people. I am definitely looking forward to participating in more PEAP events next semester.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

Penn Law Flag Football Assoc., Penn Law Tennis Club, Penn Law Running Club, APALSA, Penn Law Energy Club, Prisoner Education and Advocacy Project, Penn Law Intellectual Property Group, Post-Acceptance Committee and Committee of Student Representatives.

What I Did For Public Interest:

I am involved in the Prisoner Education and Advocacy Project (PEAP).

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

My favorite place is the newly reconstructed Courtyard. It’s a nice place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee before and after class.

Why did I select Penn Law?

For me, the process of picking my law school was pretty simple. I visited each one of the law schools that I was interested in and selected the school that suited my personality the most. If you are not sure, go visit the law school. I am not just referring to Penn Law but any other law school.

Next