Student and Alumni Profiles

Professional Experience Prior to Law School:

Before law school, I worked for Special Olympics International as assistant to the CEO/Chairman, Tim Shriver. I have worked with Special Olympics for four summers, leading the organization's college outreach program and one of its international advocacy campaigns.

What I Am Hoping to Do with My Law Degree:

In the long-term, I hope to use my law and business degrees to manage a non-profit organization serving people with intellectual disabilities. In the short term, I have an interest in mergers and acquisitions but my plans remain fluid.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

The best experience for me at Penn Law has been the people, especially my classmates.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

Professor Shyam Balganesh approaches property law with an infectious philosophical curiosity and analytical rigor. His drive to go beyond the conception of law as a set of mechanical rules and to investigate legal issues as human creations motivated by human values has shown me that the law is not an arcane and indecipherable code but an expression of normative societal values.

My Favorite Course:

My favorite course is Professor Leo Katz's contract law course. While I naively thought contract law would a dry set of rules and provisions, Professor Katz's creativity and humor have shown the law governing agreements to be rich and engaging field.

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

Though my formal business courses have yet to begin, the extracurricular opportunities jointly offered by Penn Law and Wharton (lectures, seminars, etc.) have already given me a perspective on the law wider than that imparted by any textbook. The cross-disciplinary approach is also a part of the classroom experience, as my professors have brought in the skills and knowledge they have gained from their studies outside of the law to enrich and deepen our analysis of legal issues.

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

I think collegiality is enormously important to a legal education because law is such a social profession. From attorney-client relations to social interaction within a firm, a successful lawyer needs to be able to meaningfully and positively interact with those around him/her. This positive social environment has been part of my experience in and out of the classroom at Penn Law and has not only made my time at the school more pleasant, but continues to help me expand the skills and knowledge that will help me as a legal professional.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

Running along the Schuylkill River trail. The scenery is beautiful!

What I'm Most Proud Of:

I am proud to be in a place that instills the practical professional skills and quality of character necessary to effect positive change in the legal and business communities.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

JD/MBA Student Association, Penn Law Running Club

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

Walking down Locust Walk as the leaves turn in early autumn.

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