Fall 2021 Semester
The first semester of law school brought about many big changes for my life. I moved across the country, I started living alone for the first time, and I finally got to experience seasons other than summer. It was clear that I was no longer in Texas anymore.
Looking back at the start of law school, I went into the semester with very intimidating expectations. The nightmare stories of Reddit make it seem like you are walking into an arena every day to battle an armor-clad professor with a goal to make you seem unintelligent in front of your peers. However, I have found that this is not the case at all… even if you blackout the first few times you are cold called in class.
The biggest highlight of my first semester was the connections I made with my classmates inside and outside of the classroom. After a few weeks of adjusting to all the big changes in my life, it was great to finally turn to the people around me and understand that I was not the only one lost in this giant sea of knowledge. Between study groups, dinners, happy hours, events held by organizations on campus, and hosting Thanksgiving, my friends kept my semester lively and eventful.
After surviving my first law school finals and getting a few weeks break, the spring semester started back up in full force… even if it the first three weeks were on Zoom. It was nice to experience “online school” for a few weeks as we eased back into the swing of things due to restrictions surrounding the pandemic. However, I was really missing interacting with my close friends and getting that real classroom experience.
Once February hit and we were back in person, I have been busier than ever. With a major midterm in Civil Procedure, memo drafting, SBA general elections, and job applications all on the radar for the month, time management and multitasking have been fundamental tools for my success thus far. With all of this, I also made time to see two of my favorite artists in concert this month: Marina Diamandis and Kacey Musgraves. Pop music is a fundamental aspect of my life, so I am glad that concerts are back on the horizon. It is also nice to get out of the school mindset for a night and experience these artists and create memories with my new friends.
On top of all that, I participated in the 1L Mock Trial Competition put on by the Moot Court Board. With no litigation or courtroom experience, I really wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. My only goal was to get through the initial round without passing out or throwing up—and I successfully did just that! It was an experience that I was terrified of, but I successfully accomplished this goal for myself!
I’m hoping for a relatively easier moth this March, but my calendar is telling me otherwise… updates to come.
March 2022
For a month with a spring break… March came at us full force.
What was on the March agenda, you ask? The list included normal classwork, real client research memos in legal writing, summer internship hunting, and application submissions for board positions in organizations.
All of that, unsurprisingly, takes up a lot of time. That is why my spring break consisted of me binge-watching television shows, cleaning my apartment top to bottom, and applying for summer internships. My tropical vacation will come soon…
Applying to summer jobs and internships has been the most difficult and frustrating process of law school thus far. Every time I felt like an application was going somewhere, I would be ghosted. I had three phone screener interviews who all said they really liked me… just to never hear from them again. I have a folder of over 40 different rejection emails since I have started applying in January… but I did not give up.
The most important component of the summer internship application process is that of tenacity. No matter how many job rejections I would get, I kept applying to more—and some days, I would get five in my inbox. I would come home from class, apply to five jobs, go to the gym, and then finish my day. It was a constant cycle. I even met with Dean Fullner to discuss this strategy during spring break. Finally, I was given an interview the next week.
The interview came and went, and I felt really confident about it. The Barristers Ball was a few days after, and it became a great distraction to let loose with my friends and peers. If you ever have any doubts about going… just go… the food alone is worth it, and you get to dress your best. I wore a diamond top and—to be frank—stole the show.
The weekend of the dance wound down and the new week started. I had learned I was invited to be on the Moot Court Board and then, the next day, I was extended an offer for the internship. Finally, after all that work… keeping at it with all those rejections coming my way… I finally checked another task off my list. And I got to see Dua Lipa when she came to Seattle on top of it all.
April can only get better! And then… finals.
April 2022
It’s strange… every time I sit down to write these, I recap the month in my head and I’m like… does law school get busier with each passing month? The answer is yes!
In April, we had two memos due in our legal writing classes. One was a real-client memo, where we worked with an actual organization in the Seattle community on various issues. This memo is a monster, so, if you are reading this, be prepared for it your second semester. You learn a lot through the process, but I don’t think I have worked that hard on a writing assignment in my life. And I have a MA in literature…
Apart from typing a lot this past month, the results of many organization elections were announced. I have been appointed Recruitment Chair for the Entertainment and Sports Law Association and Director of Communications for the Intellectual Property Society. If you are a prospective student and interested in joining these organizations, I’m sure you will be getting a lot of interaction from me in the next year! I am super excited to meet the new members of these organizations and grow these fun communities of the law.
Two more weeks and finals will be over. I cannot believe that 1L year is coming to an end. When you get here, you have no idea how fast it is going to fly by. I recommend taking advantage of every moment, really building your friendships, and just going for it. There are so many possibilities to make your first year at Seattle University a great one.
But, for now, I must get back to studying. I will see everyone on the other side.
Summer 2022
The summer between 1L and 2L was super eventful and rewarding. I had the opportunity to work for the first time in the legal field, get closer to my friends in Seattle, and enjoy a vacation to New York City before the start of the school year.
A major chunk of my summer was devoted to my internship with American Family Insurance Company. I was a part of their in-house counsel litigation team. Helping eight attorneys in Washington and Oregon, I had a tremendous amount of practice drafting various motions for pre-trial hearings, conducting research, and gaining experience in events like depositions, mediations, and arbitrations. It turns out working for an insurance company is not just car accidents either—there were many cases concerning businesses, dog bites, and more. It was interesting to see how no two cases were the same and I found myself researching a lot of unique scenarios. I really enjoyed my time working with my team and am happy to share they extended me an offer for an additional year. We wrapped the summer up with a Mariners game together—the first time many of us met each other, since we are all work-from-home.
When I was not working this summer, I was able to explore Seattle and get closer to my wonderful community of friends I have made thus far. Rooftop hangouts, concerts, going to Seattle Pride, hiking, drive-in movies, exploring wineries, and more. There is so much to do in the city of Seattle—and I am even more grateful to have a group of amazing friends with whom I was able to share my downtime and create memories.
I ended the summer by going to New York City for a little vacation with my best friend. After about two and a half years of waiting, we finally attended Lady Gaga’s concert, The Chromatica Ball. It was amazing to experience her in her hometown of New York. We were part of history, as her New York show set the record as her biggest show performed in the United States. If you know me, you know how much I love pop music, so seeing this show was the cherry on top of a fantastic summer. We wrapped up the trip by seeing Wicked and doing a few touristy sight-seeing. It was a great little refresh before 2L year begins.
I am actually really excited for this next school year. I am taking Constitutional Law, Business Entities, Legal Writing II, White Collar Crime, and Trademark Law. For the most part, I actually enjoy the assignments we have been reading. I cannot wait to get into the actual substance of law that I want to pursue and learn everything that I can. Additionally, I am excited to keep being involved on campus with Entertainment + Sports Law Association, Intellectual Property Law Society, and Moot Court Board.
It's going to be a promising semester.
November 2022
2L year is extremely busy. It’s fun, challenging, stressful, rewarding, and many more descriptors… but, above all, it is busy. This semester, I am tackling courses in constitutional law, legal writing, white collar crime, trademark law, and business entities. Most of the classes are super interesting this semester and give me a taste of what I want to work with in the future… however, I daresay I will never be an expert on the Constitution.
Legal writing has been a big focus this semester. Expanding into the territory of oral argument, I performed my first oral argument in front of my professor. As the semester ends, we are beginning to focus on our appellate brief and the oral argument that will come with it. This oral argument will be in front of a panel of members from the legal community. It’s a little more daunting… but I am hoping to really hit it out of the park.
Outside of the classroom, I have been working hard on my various executive positions. Most notably, as Membership Committee Chair of the Moot Court Board, I have created our Instagram account and started making an online presence for our organization. New member applications were just submitted. We begin interviews next week, so it will be exciting to conduct those and see fresh, eager faces in the organization.
In October, the Black Law Student Association (BLSA) and the Womxn of Color Coalition (WOCC) hosted the annual Halloween Bash at Sole Repair. It was great to see so many of my friends outside of school and letting loose for Halloween. I am very humbled to say that I won “Best Costume” at the event for my take on a Despicable Me minion.
Lastly, a reminder to get your booster and/or flu shot! I, unfortunately, was exposed to Covid this past week and had a pretty bad reaction to it for a few days. However, I am not up and moving as I get back on track for the semester! If it isn’t one thing… it’s another… like I said, 2L year is extremely busy.
