First-generation law students often find themselves facing unique challenges and difficulties that many of their peers do not. From the general environment and structure of law school, to financial matters, networking, and even simply feeling like you belong with your cohort, it can be extremely taxing to try facing these issues by yourself. However, first-generation law students at McGeorge are in good company because you are not alone!

A significant portion of each incoming class at McGeorge are either first-generation college students or first-generation law students who can empathize with and support one another, in addition to receiving the support of faculty and staff. You can share experiences and insights with your fellow first-generation students and take advantage of McGeorge’s resources, like the CDO, Alumni Network and Alumni Mentors, the Center for Inclusion and Diversity, and many student organizations. If you are a first-generation law student, be sure to check out these tips for overcoming the unique challenges you may face.

We are all in this together, and no one needs to make the journey alone.

The Career Development Office (CDO) at McGeorge provides students with tools and resources for lifelong professional development in the legal community. Whether you are a 1L still trying to figure things out or a recent graduate, the CDO is here to help you be your best when looking for a job. Join us at one (or several!) of our many career-oriented events throughout the year, take advantage of our networking resources, or make an appointment to review your application materials and discuss your career goals and the best path to achieve them. With an experienced team leading the way, the CDO gives students at McGeorge a leg up on the competition.

Dean Molly Stafford is the Assistant Dean of the Career Development Office & External Relations and is a 2002 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. She came to McGeorge from California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA), where she was a staff attorney and manager of the CRLA Rural Fair Housing Center (RFHC). During her 4 years at CRLA, she practiced civil litigation in many areas of law — wage/hour, landlord/tenant, real property, unlawful termination and special education — and provided state-wide fair housing litigation support to CRLA’s 21 offices. Continue Reading The CDO Welcomes You to a New School Year!

McGeorge alumna and Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman associate Melissa Aristizabal (’17) was recently appointed to the New York City Bar Association Minorities in the Profession Subcommittee for a second year. Committee work is a service that, given the opportunity, we encourage all lawyers participate in because it allows for exploration of personal interests outside of day-to-day practice, in addition to the advances made to the community. We are so proud of the impact being made across the country by McGeorge alumni, faculty, and staff.

Congratulations, Melissa!

 

Law school is not easy, and every student experiences it differently. Here are some tips on law school essentials. In addition to pulling from my own experience now as a 3L, I’ve included thoughts from some of my classmates.

 

What’s in your bag?

When we discuss professionalism in class, we associate it with preparedness. Here are some essentials to keep in your bag:

  1. Pens/pencils/highlighters: This goes without saying, but it is always good to have a few of these handy in your bag.
  2. Notebooks and loose paper: These are good for taking notes.
  3. Organization tools (binder, notebooks for each class, etc.): You will likely end up with several handouts or notes for each class. This helps keep them organized and easier to retrieve later.
  4. A planner/to do list: This helps keep track of your schedule and manage your time effectively.

 

Technology Essentials

This can really vary for each person depending on how comfortable they are with technology. Continue Reading Now that you’ve been admitted to law school, what do you need?

Nikki Kuklo (2E, Class of 2024)

You got accepted to Law School! Congratulations! Now, I want you to take a deep breath and buckle up for an information dump, because that is what the 1L Orientation is. Once you get through that, you will go straight into trying to figure out what a case brief is and how you can possibly get through all your reading assignments. You will likely feel as though you cannot focus on anything else because if you do, for even a second, you will forget everything you just learned in class and will fall desperately behind in your reading. So, I want to take a moment to point out some things I missed in my first semester.

Everyone’s first semester is the same to some extent. None of us have ever encountered anything like law school–and we will likely never encounter anything like it again. But law school is not only about learning the law; it’s about networking and building connections, finding out more about yourself, and discovering the type of law you want to practice after law school. I didn’t realize there were opportunities to advance these facets of my life running in the background during my first semester.

To start, let’s talk about an acronym that you will see in early emails that may make no sense to you (Was that just me? Oh well, I’m going to tell you anyway.) “CDO” stands for “Career Development Office” and it was my number one missed opportunity; not that it’s too late–I am still a 1L after all–but I wish I had understood what it represented, not just what the letters stood for, earlier. I cannot stress enough how useful their website is. I highly recommend starting here: Create Your Career Plan. From there you can find awesome timelines to assess what you can do for your career during each year of law school.

Continue Reading Things I Missed

Julienne Correa(Class of 2022)

In the last article about diversity in the law, I discussed the need for diversity within the legal field. Here, I will discuss diversity efforts I have come across through law school.

Diversity fellowships, internships, and scholarships recognize the need for diversity in the legal field by providing equitable platforms for law students. I had no contact with the legal field prior to law school beyond what I learned in the undergraduate pre-law programs, and I was unfamiliar with how law school operated. The three programs discussed below showed me the importance of specific opportunities for diverse students.

Sacramento Bar Association Diversity Fellowship

During my first year, I learned about the Sacramento Bar Association 1L Diversity Fellowship. It encourages diverse law students to apply to firms and promote diversity in the legal field. Diverse students have an opportunity to apply to the fellowship, and if selected are matched with a Sacramento-area private law firm or organization. The program guarantees an interview for each applicant, which allows first-year students to practice interview skills for future opportunities. Further it shows students various firms’ commitment to diversity and inclusion. The program provides an equitable pipeline for diverse students pursuing legal careers in private firms.

Continue Reading 3 Diversity Programs from My Time in Law School

L-R Front row: Marisa Uribe (UC Davis) and Stephanie Allen (McGeorge). Back row: Omar Figueroa (McGeorge), Emma James (McGeorge), and Matthew Lanthier (UC Davis).

The Yolo County District Attorney’s Office welcomed three McGeorge students to its 2021 Summer/Fall internship program: Stephanie Allen (3L), Emma James (2L), and Omar Figueroa (2L); along with two other law students from UC Davis. After a year of remote work, the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office is excited to re-open its doors for in-person internships and externships. Students participating in the program have the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience working under the mentorship of practicing attorneys with real clients. You can read the Office’s full press release here.

A couple years ago we shared a post about law student business cards. Since that time, a rather large event has occurred that may affect the demand for law students to carry business cards: the COVID-19 pandemic. With many people still wary of transmitting and catching the virus from contact with physical surfaces, not to mention the slough of new variants that seem to be discovered every other week, it’s fair to wonder if law students should bother getting business cards. However, it looks like the business card is one of those things that just won’t go away – after all, business cards have been around since the 17th century and survived through many epidemics already.

While many people may still be wary of handshakes and touching public surfaces, an old-fashioned business card is still an important tool for successful professionals, lawyers included. There have been a few waves of “digital business cards” throughout the years that would have been great for today’s world, but none of them were able to stick around for long (remember Bump?). One of the problems with these products is that there will always be security risks involved when connecting two smart devices; but likely the biggest inhibitor to going with fully digital business cards – at least for the time being – is Continue Reading Did COVID-19 Kill the Business Card, and Do Law Students Still Need One?

Are you looking for a unique post-bar opportunity? 2Ls, 3Ls, and recent graduates should consider using the summer to apply for project-based fellowships, that typically begin in the fall (often one year out). Fellowships are highly competitive and provide a unique opportunity to jumpstart a career in law, so it’s never too early to start planning. Fellows are able to use their legal skills to affect positive change for disadvantaged populations while receiving top-rate training and supervision. You’ll further refine many of the skills developed through externships and clinics, and the experience will be very desirable when applying for future positions. PSJD gave some great tips last summer which still apply today, on how to begin your fellowship search and how to organize your project with a funding organization and a host organization. You should also contact the McGeorge Career Development Office to refine your application materials and take advantage of our connections with a number of organizations and contacts across the nation.

Not all has been doom-and-gloom during the COVID-19 pandemic. McGeorge graduates earned an 81% first-time bar pass rate on the February 2021 California Bar Exam, the second highest pass rate among all California law schools and the second highest pass rate for McGeorge over the past 25 years – having passed at 86% on the October 2020 exam. The perseverance and dedication of our students was on further display as graduates in McGeorge’s Accelerated Honors Program, the only one of its kind in the nation, achieved a staggering 100% first-time pass rate.  Congratulations to all our bar passers!

Read the full press release here.