Student and Alumni Profiles

Professional Experience Prior to Law School:

I served as a professional staff member for Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee working on education policy in Washington, D.C.

What I Am Hoping to Do with My Law Degree:

Ultimately, I'd like to help people. I don't know exactly how, but right now I'm interested in civil rights and education law.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

I've had a lot of fun participating in Penn Law social activities, especially the bowling league. I also really liked going to lunch with my professors.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

This is a tough question, because I think the professors are the best thing about this school—they are all very smart and take topics that could be somewhat bland and make them dynamic and interesting. While I have enjoyed getting to know all my professors, Professor Sarah Gordon (Property) was especially supportive and helpful to me as a first year student.

My Favorite Course:

Civil Procedure with Professor Tobias Wolff was my favorite class. I thought it was interesting how much the process and rules of law can affect the outcome of a case.

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

I am planning to do a dual degree with a Masters in Education Policy. It is much easier to be engaged in the material we are learning when our professors and the entire Penn community help to relate what we are doing to the real world and across fields. It helps create a sense of purpose that makes law school meaningful yet fun at the same time.

Meaningful Cross-disciplinary Experience at Penn:

I was talking to a professor about my combined interests in law and education and was impressed by how many contacts she had in related fields. As many of the professors also work in other fields, they can help you develop your interests.

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

The first year of law school can be tough, but the Penn community is the most supportive group of people I could imagine. Just about when you're starting to get stressed, the school plans a fun event, like a pumpkin-carving contest, and things just seem better. In terms of academics, people try hard but it isn't cut-throat at all; everyone helps each other, which I've heard is not the case at every law school. One example is the support I've gotten from my older friends on my bowling team—they, and other 2L and 3L students, go out of their way to help you succeed in your first year.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

I love biking around Philadelphia and exploring new neighborhoods. I love brunch with friends at the restaurant on my street corner or at Reading Terminal Market.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

Sticking it out. Coming to a new city, making new friends, and leaving the working world to go back to school can be really tough. But working hard and giving Penn Law a chance was a really good decision, and I'm very glad I did. The people here are awesome.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

Prisoner Legal Education and Advocacy Program, Lambda Legal, Penn Law Bowling League

What I Did For Public Interest:

So far I've been doing the Custody and Support Assistance Clinic, where we provide legal assistance and referrals to low-income clients in the area of child custody and support. This has been the highlight of my 1L year; it really shows me, each week, how what we are learning can make a huge difference in people's lives, and I've met a lot of my friends there.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

For studying, I love my special spot in the back of the Law School where I can read for hours. My favorite activity on campus is probably across from the Law School – happy hour at Mad4Mex with a bunch of friends after class.

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