Student and Alumni Profiles

What I Did Before Law School:

I took an unconventional path to law school, spending more than a decade teaching college courses in Film Studies.

What I Am Hoping to Do With My Law Degree:

This coming summer I will be working in the litigation department of a Chicago law firm (Winston & Strawn). My past tells me that I shouldn’t plan my distant future with any great deal of specificity, but my current hopes are to work as a litigator in a large firm. I plan to apply for a clerkship next fall, and would look forward to that experience, but otherwise I see myself as a litigator. After all, the best movies about lawyers are always the courtroom dramas, right?

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

This is a tough question, because I have found Penn Law to be an especially rewarding place to study. Among many other events, I really enjoyed last spring’s team Quizzo competition, which was sponsored by the American Constitution Society’s very active Penn Law chapter.

My Favorite Course:

Professor Mike Salmanson is an adjunct here at Penn, and he also runs a small private practice in Center City. I have found his Death Penalty and Habeas Corpus course to be exceptionally interesting. The course addresses broadly theoretical issues alongside the kinds of pragmatic strategic choices that a litigator must consider. He is also an especially pleasant man, and I have enjoyed his humorous approach to this most solemn of legal subjects. As a former adjunct myself, I am also impressed by Prof. Salmanson’s commitment to teaching, and I recommend his class without reservation for any student who is interested in criminal law.

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

Stimulating, Challenging, Rewarding

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

Collegiality is one way in which Penn Law distinguishes itself from other highly-ranked schools. Of course when one is deciding among law schools, it can be difficult to know whether such a reputation is deserved. Based on my experience, Penn Law really is a place where diversity of all kinds is valued. This characteristic leads to classroom interactions that can be vigorous without being intimidating. It also generally fosters a cooperative atmosphere, the value of which is magnified when one is under stress … which will happen at times. The professors here are world-class, but I have learned at least as much from my classmates as from my teachers, and the collegiality is a major reason why.

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

I worried that my being much older than my classmates might make it difficult for me to blend in on a social level. Fortunately for me, the students at Penn Law tend to be so welcoming that I haven’t had any problems in that area. It’s easy to make friends here, and the diversity of backgrounds from which we come only makes such friendships more interesting. I imagine that is the case at most top law schools, but I also think that Penn does a great job of providing an atmosphere in which students can get to know one another.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

I’ve attended a number of great concerts since I’ve been in Philadelphia, the most notable among them being the Vote for Change Tour last summer. If you haven’t seen Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band playing in front of their “home” crowd, you just wouldn’t understand. In general, Philly is much more affordable than other large East Coast cities, and Center City offers a number of great diversions for that small amount of free time a law student comes to treasure.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

Being named to the Law Review was a surprise, and a big deal for me. I think that journal membership is an extremely valuable part of a legal education, and I heartily recommend it. The writing competition is no fun at all, especially since it comes just after spring semester exams during 1L year, but journal membership really is worth a few days of frustration.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

Associate Editor, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Volume 154; Penn Law chapter of the American Constitution Society; Entertainment & Sports Law Society.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

The Palestra is a fantastic old barn of a basketball arena, and when Penn made an historic comeback to beat Princeton last spring, I felt like I was on the set of “Hoosiers.”

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

Honestly, I was very impressed by several of the schools that I visited, and would probably be happy at any number of them. Penn draws from such a strong pool of applicants that anyone considering enrolling here probably has quite a few desirable options. Not having any real perspective on the other schools, I will just say that Penn Law has been a great choice for me, and that I have had no regrets.

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