STUDENT AND ALUMNI PROFILES

What I Did Before Law School:

NATO
NHS, London

What I Am Hoping to Do with My Law Degree:

I would like to get a few years of corporate experience in New York and then move on to international arbitration or human rights work in either Europe or Asia.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

Standing in the courtyard and sharing a beer in the freezing cold with my friends after surviving our first set of law school finals. Being able to share such an intense process and knowing that you've survived a truly challenging and grueling process while making some really great friends in the process is a truly unique and exhilarating experience.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Seth Kreimer. Professor Kreimer was not only an impassioned professor who taught by example, but he forced us to push the envelope and was never afraid to raise the level of heat in our class debates.

He also knows more words than I thought was humanely possible.

My Favorite Course:

Constitutional Law highlighted an eclectic and fascinating body of cases that covered some of the most controversial issues that have dotted American history. Through class discussions (that often erupted into debates), I grew to respect my peers for their ability to grapple with intensely difficult constitutional issues and it highlighted the diversity of backgrounds that characterizes the Penn community.

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

Because I am pursuing a joint degree through the Wharton/Lauder Institute, I have had the opportunity to take many classes outside of the Law School. This semester alone I am taking classes at Annenberg, Wharton, the Lauder Institute, the East Asian studies department and the law school. The beauty of the cross-disciplinary approach is not only the breadth of the courses that are available to you as a grad student, but also the freedom you are given to piece the courses together to cater to your own interests. As a law student in these different schools, I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand how the legal system influences every aspect of society regardless it be in journalism or developing market economies.

Meaningful Cross-disciplinary Experience at Penn:

I have always taken a great interest in human rights issues in East Asia and taking classes from the many different schools has given me a chance to explore human rights from an unique aggregate of different perspectives. For instance, I am currently working with an Annenberg professor on the effects of the Beijing Olympics on Chinese press freedoms. This research experience has inspired a potential thesis topic for my masters in the Lauder Institute. The research for my thesis has, in turn, given me an international perspective on some of the first amendment courses I am taking at the Law School. And the legal issues I face in Law School have enriched discussions in my business classes – providing a legal twist to the highly business-oriented Wharton environment. There are endless connections I can draw between the different courses and schools that I have been exposed to – and this wouldn't have been possible without Penn's commitment to providing its students with a truly cross-disciplinary education.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

Watching the sunset along a creek by Forbidden Drive (Fairmont Park)

What I'm Most Proud Of:

Not losing sight of the important things in life.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

Journal of International Law and Policy, Lawyers Without Borders

What I Did For Public Service:

I am doing research for an overseas professor on the legal human rights issues underlying the use of cluster bombs. I also plan on working for a European NGO in the spring semester

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

Q: How do you pick the right law school?

A: If you have an admissions offer from Penn Law, then no doubt, you are looking at a very impressive collection of admission offers. First I would look at geography, if you are from California and you get your single greatest joy in life from being surrounded by your friends and family, then think long and hard before you pack up to move to Philadelphia, NYC, or DC. If you love the adventure, then absolutely go for it!

Next, try and visit schools during admit week or anytime before the law school lets out in the spring. Go out to lunch with students and ask them to bring along a few friends, walk around Rittenhouse square and see if you like the brownstones tucked away in the little side streets, eavesdrop (briefly) on law students in the Clock and get a general sense of the energy in the hallways. There is no one place that is perfect for everybody but every time I do one of these things, I am reminded by how right I was in the choice I made.

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