STUDENT AND ALUMNI PROFILES

What I Did Before Law School:

I taught fifth grade at a tuition-free private school for boys.

What I Am Hoping to Do With My Law Degree:

In the immediate future, I hope to clerk for a judge. I am unsure of what will come after that.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

While studying for exams was extremely stressful, the process of studying and going through the experience with my law school friends was unforgettable.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Professor Jason Johnston influenced me tremendously. My thought process changed dramatically in his introductory Contracts course. He demanded excellence out of our class, and it forced me to push myself harder than I ever had before. He had an immensely positive influence on my life and forced me to approach problems from a new perspective. Even though I was told that I was “fishing” for answers once when I did not know what he was asking for, I kept pushing myself. By the end of the course, I felt like I had mastered a subject and was more confident of my intellectual abilities.

My Favorite Course:

Constitutional Law is by far my favorite substantive course. Professor Kermit Roosevelt does an excellent job of injecting theory into the course and forcing me to question my beliefs about the political processes of this country. I absolutely love thinking about the questions raised in Con Law.

What Three Words or Phrases Would You Use to Describe Penn Law?

Friendly, fun, and intellectual.

Penn Law is Known for Its Collegiality. Why Should That Be Important to Law Students?

Law school is ultimately about learning new ways of thinking and while the profession is competitive and invariably you are in competition with your classmates, there is plenty to be gained from discussion and debate with friends. I try to push myself as hard as I can and compete against myself. There is no point trying to make others do worse, it is much more efficient and beneficial to do better than you originally could, or thought you could, than to try to sabotage others through passive-aggressive tactics. Penn Law does an excellent job of fostering an environment conducive to this strategy.

What Do You Wish You Had Known Before Starting Law School?

Go to every class and do all the reading. Some of the material is difficult and at times seems boring, but if you do all of the material and think about it throughout the semester, then you will get the most out of your experience.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

I have a great time hanging out in Center City with friends. I have been pleasantly surprised with how much Philadelphia has grown on me. Having grown up in San Francisco and having attended college in Boston, I was skeptical about Philadelphia. However, the city is accessible, safe, and has a ton of great restaurants.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

I have to admit that teaching fifth grade was the one experience that changed my perspective on life and has helped me tremendously. I developed my work ethic from teaching at Nativity Preparatory School in New Bedford. It was the first time where I actually had to dedicate my life to someone other then myself. However, in the end I think it turned out to actually be a selfish experience because my students changed me more then I changed them.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

At this time I have just finished my first semester at Penn Law and dedicated my first semester solely to doing well in school. I hope to get involved in clinics and pro bono over the next 5 semesters. I did find time to do some running along the Schuylkill.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

I love hanging out in the Courtyard. The school is small enough so that you have the opportunity to talk to tons of interesting people and hear their perspective on life.

Based on Your Experience Visiting Other Schools, How is Penn Law Different?

While I cannot say with certainty how the experiences of students at other law schools compare, I am very impressed by the fact that the administration and faculty know my name and say hello to me in the hallways. It makes me feel like I am part of something more than a factory churning out attorneys.

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