Have you ever wanted to create your dream job? Then apply to become an Equal Justice Works Fellow! Applications for the Design-Your-Own Fellowship Class of 2023 are now open and will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. ET on September 13, 2022. This unique opportunity allows you to design your own Fellowship project to address an unmet legal need in an underserved community in partnership with a legal services organization.

For those interested in either applying for the Class of 2023 or being a host site for a Class of 2023 Fellow, we encourage individuals to sign up for one of these upcoming informational webinars. Please see below for the registration links:

Questions? Visit the EJW website or email Prof. Leah Adams.

As law schools increasingly recognize the need to incorporate issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion into their educational programs, we asked rising 3L McGeorge student Lovia Ofori-Ampofo to explore and provide a student’s perspective on what some law schools are offering in terms of DEI curricula. Her review is by no means exhaustive, but the list and Ms. Ofori-Ampofo’s reflections certainly can serve as food for thought as faculty strive to meet the moment.

~ Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz

 

Lovia Ofori-Ampofo is a rising 3L at McGeorge School of Law. Photo by Ashley Golledge.

By Lovia Ofori-Ampofo

After the national racial reckoning that occurred in 2020 in response to several police killings of unarmed African Americans, many law schools across the nation committed to enhance their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Some law schools are creating required or elective courses on legal inequalities based on race, while others are incorporating more DEI issues in their existing courses. Some law schools are doing both. This short essay focuses on efforts I believe are notable.

As an example, the faculty at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles voted for the following learning outcome on systemic inequality last academic year:

Upon completion of the JD program, students will understand the law’s relationship to systemic inequality based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, immigration status and/or socioeconomic status.[1]

Loyola made DEI learning outcomes mandatory throughout all required law school courses, which includes all first-year courses and three upper-division courses.

The University of California, Irvine School of Law (UCI) announced that they would require first-year law students to take a DEI course.[2] The course will focus on “critical concepts rooted in a range of equity categories, including race and indigeneity, disability, gender and sexuality, socioeconomic background, survivors of family and domestic violence, [penal] system involvement, and veteran status.”[3] UCI became the second school in the country—and the first in the University of California system—to make such a course mandatory for first-year students.[4] Last semester, Professor Kaaryn Gustafson taught a 1L elective called Race and Lawyering in California.[5] UCI requires that law students take a course on race and indigeneity before they graduate. UCI currently offers courses on race and indigeneity such as US Law, Policy, and Native Nations; Race, Law & Capitalism; Critical Race Theory; Critical Identity Theory; Centering California in the History of Race and the Law; and several other courses with a DEI focus.[6]

Also in Los Angeles, the University of Southern California School of Law (USC) became the first top-25 law school to require first-year students to take a similar course, called Race and the Law.[7] The curriculum for this course was created by Franita Tolson, Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs and Professor of Law.[8] Dean Tolson and USC Professor Ariela Gross were co-chairs of the Academic Affairs subcommittee charged with developing the course.

However, during fall 2021, the required course became an optional one-unit credit/no credit course with four modules per semester.[9] It is unclear if USC will keep the course optional or make it a first-year requirement. The course examined the role of law and lawyers in the creation of race and racism as ideologies, structures, and practices, and the role of race and racism in shaping legal institutions, processes, and outcomes.[10] The course touched on the role of law and lawyers in antiracist movements, from abolitionism through Black Lives Matter.[11] The course also focuses on topics such as: The Taking of Native American Lands, Racial Equality and Education, Race and Voting Rights, Latinos(as)(x) Civil Rights Struggles.[12]

Rutgers School of Law, located in Newark, New Jersey, has created a Law and Inequality course that consists of several units of instruction.[13] This is an optional pass/fail course.[14] Each week, a different professor teaches a different topic.[15] The fall 2021 course consisted of units such as: Race, Bias, and Professional Identity; Incarceration, and Inequality with an Emphasis on Racial Disparity; Reproductive Justice; Contracts, Torts, and Property; From Tulsa to Wakanda: Utilizing the Law to Repair Centuries of Systemic Black Land Dispossession.[16] The last section, taught by Professor Norrinda Hayat, focuses on the race-based roots of international law, with a focus on “imagin[ing] an America where the law recognizes Black people as legitimate landholders and reverse engineer policy prescriptions from that place.[17]” Rutgers has taken an innovative and seemingly unique perspective on history and case law. This course made me wonder how the justice system would have been affected if the Warren Court — one of the most liberal courts in U.S. history — had lasted throughout the 1970s.

In Bristol, Rhode Island, Roger Williams School of Law’s Race and the Foundation of America course also uses a mix of videos and readings to further the class aims.[18] The course was developed and co-taught by Nicole Dyszlewski, Diana Hassel, and Nadiyah J. Humber.[19] The course became mandatory in fall 2021.[20] It uses many of the same readings as the courses at UC Irvine, USC, and Rutgers. The grading consists of a final paper, which is worth 60%, weekly reflections worth 10%, and professional engagement, which is worth 30%.[21] The course is divided into three sections: Historical Origins of White Supremacy; Systems of Racism; and Going Forward.[22] The course starts powerfully by diving into the important topic of defining race and intersectionality as rigorous terms within the legal system.[23] An important topic that this course covers is System of Racism: Mass Incarceration/Abolition.[24] Students read chapter five of Dean Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow.[25] I believe that this course is unique because the other law school courses I have seen thus far do not include a unit on Public Education, Legal Education, and Racism. The fact that this course seeks to shed light on an often-overlooked topic that currently causes harm to the Black community is commendable. After each reading assignment, students must write a reflection paper.[26] I believe that this is an imperative part of the course because reading students’ reflections allows the professor to assess the students’ individual understanding of each issue in the course. If there is a weakness to this course, it is the focus on slavery and the Reconstruction Era. Instead, this course could give more attention to modern events that occur at the intersection of law and race.

In 2020, Northern Illinois University College of Law (NIU) offered a remote mini-seminar, Race and the Law, that uses Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me and the documentary 13th. The course uses other materials such as Juan F. Perea’s “Buscando América: Why Integration and Equal Protection Fail to Protect Latinos,” and The New York Times 1619 Project (2019–present) [a multimedia presentation]. The syllabus lists Lopez, a case studied in constitutional law, as a case involving social construction of race. This pass/fail seminar allowed students to view law school cases from a racial perspective. NIU is not offering the mini-seminar currently and has not decided whether to offer it again in the future. Nonetheless, I believed that found NIU’s 2020 seminar innovative because it started with current racial issues and touched on matters relating to the Latinx experience. Professors gave adequate attention to current problems plaguing the underrepresented communities within the field of law. This mini-seminar also focused more on books and studies, rather than law-related textbooks. Moreover, the mini-seminar required only a limited amount of reading and did not include any tests or quizzes, so that students can digest the material without feeling overwhelmed with the traditional law school grading method.

As reflected here, there are a broad variety of classes on race and law that law schools are implementing, and there is not one perfect course to use as a model. I commend law schools for attempting to educate future lawyers on issues underrepresented people face every day. Legal education needs to educate future lawyers to be ready to help any client, no matter their race. As law schools embark on the important work of incorporating DEI courses into their current curricula, it is vital that the curriculum accomplishes its intended purpose by thoughtfully discussing relevant topics. The avoidance of relevant topics can be traumatizing to students of color and unhelpful to other students. The unrepresented communities they seek to educate must not be re-traumatized. Professors should keep in mind that they are educating students about what People of Color deal with every day, and as a Person of Color, I am entrusting professors to educate my colleagues about my race. Even a well-intentioned idea can miss the mark. I implore faculty and administrators to constantly self-reflect while creating and teaching DEI courses to make sure that the goal is being met.

Footnotes

[1]Loyola Law School First to Mandate Critical Legal Education, Curricular Innovation: Learning Outcomes, lls.edu, (Oct. 12, 2021), https://www.lls.edu/thellsdifference/facesoflls/curricularinnovationlearningoutcomes/.

[2]Michelle Weyenberg, UCI Law Adopts New Race Course Requirement, the journalist, (Apr. 14, 2021), https://www.nationaljurist.com/prelaw/uci-law-adopts-new-race-course-requirement.

[3]Staci Zaretsky, Top Law School Will Make Race-Related Coursework Mandatory for Graduation, above the law, (Apr. 9, 2021), https://abovethelaw.com/2021/04/top-law-school-will-make-race-related-coursework-mandatory-for-graduation/?rf=1.

[4]Id.

[5] LAW 5777 SEC 1 – Race & Lawyering in CA, UCI Law Course Catalog, law.uci.edu., (2022), https://apps.law.uci.edu/CourseCatalog/cap_details.aspx?id=4154.

[6] Spring 2022, UCI Law Course Catalog, law.uci.edu., (2022), https://apps.law.uci.edu/CourseCatalog/cap_results.aspx.

[7]Leslie Ridgeway, USC Gould To Offer Unique Required Course Focusing on Race in Legal System, gould.u.s.c.edu, (Feb. 4, 2021), https://gould.usc.edu/about/news/?id=4814.

[8]Paul Caron, USC Is First Top 25 Law School To Offer Required Course On Race, Racism, And The Law, taxprof.com, (Feb. 9, 2021), https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2021/02/usc-is-first-top-25-law-school-to-offer-required-course-on-race-racism-and-the-law.html.

[9]USC GOULD 1L Courses, gould.u.s.c.edu, (2021), https://gould.usc.edu/resources/downloads/academics/courses/1L-JD-CourseList.pdf.

[10]Id.

[11]Id.

[12]Id.

[13]Law and Inequality Course, law.rutgers.edu, (2021), https://law.rutgers.edu/law-and-inequality-course.

[14] Id.

[15]Law and Inequality Pilot Course & Section Descriptions, law.rutgers.edu, (2021), https://law.rutgers.edu/sites/law/files/attachments/Law%20and%20Inequality%20Course%20Description%20and%20Sections%20July%202021.pdf.

[16]Id.

[17]Id.

[18]RWU Law Introduces Required Course on Race and the Law, rwu.edu, (June 29, 2021),

https://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/rwu-law-introduces-required-course-race-and-law.

[19] Id.

[20]Meera Gajjar, De novo review: Professors Diana Hassel and Nicole Dyszlewski on teaching ‘Race & the Foundations of American Law‘, westlaw today Civ. rights, (Dec. 3, 2021), https://today.westlaw.com/Document/I44c520ec547c11ec9f24ec7b211d8087/View/FullText.html?transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)&firstPage=true.

[21] Race and the Foundation of American Law Model Syllabus and Learning Outcomes, rwu.edu, (2022), https://law.rwu.edu/sites/law/files/downloads/diversity/Race_Model_Syllabus_.pdf.

[22]Id.

[23]Id.

[24]Id.

[25]Id.

[26]Id.

Jade Wolansky, Class of 2022

The past two years has taught each of us much about resilience – both in our personal and professional lives. As we transition to endemic COVID-19, the lessons we learned can be the source for resilience moving forward as well.

Ken Nourse, the most recent addition to the McGeorge Career Development Office, spoke recently to Jade Wolansky (3L) at a recent gathering of McGeorge Sacramento Bar Association Diversity Fellows where she shared her strategies to overcome the cancellation of her summer 2020 internship.

Ken Nourse (KN): Give us the background on what happened in May 2020 – what led to having to search suddenly for a summer position?

Jade Wolansky (JW): I was accepted into the Diversity Fellowship and very excited about starting a paying legal internship at a firm with a good reputation. Although other students were contacted by their host firms about starting, I hadn’t heard anything  and decided to reach out to mine. I learned that they were still deciding if they would participate that year. Then, the Friday before my start date, the firm dropped out of the program and my offer was rescinded.

KN: The sudden loss of the internship must have made you feel anxious and uncertain. How did you respond?

JW: Fortunately, I still was able to take advantage of a weekly professional development seminar held by the Diversity Fellows program, but I needed a position for the summer.  After giving it some thought and taking advantage of all the resources available to me, including the services and support of the Career Development Office, I realized that I had several other options. First, I knew that Law Review had a Greensheets opportunity available so I applied for that and was able to write about a bill. Another opportunity came to me unsolicited when a professor who noticed my strong interest in a subject asked me to help as a research assistant for a book. I also contacted the immigration clinic for a role that I initially turned down and was immediately accepted for a part-time role there . Finally, I contacted a former manager at a worker’s union where I worked before law school and accepted a pert-time internship. Some of these roles even continued beyond summer into my 2L.

KN: How will apply the things you learned from this experience in your future career?

JW: I learned to be flexible and that you have to be ready for things to come out differently than expected – be ready for Plan B, C, and D. I learned how to pivot. I also will make sure to take advantage of all the resources available to me, especially my network. Networking is a long-term game and it’s important to show genuine interest in others and their needs.

As you prepare for your role as a summer associate or intern, you may be wondering how to navigate the nuances of office culture and expected work product. It’s a daunting prospect for many law students, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little preparation, you can make a strong first impression and immediately demonstrate your value to the firm.

LexisNexis’ Summer Associate Resources page provides a great starting point for students preparing to enter the legal field, and their interactive Summer Associate Survival Guide – a collection of practice notes from current associates, partners, and executives – will help you hit the ground running and avoid common mistakes made by new associates.

Note: You will need to log in to your LexisNexis account to view the Survival Guide articles.

It is with pride, excitement, and sadness, that we announce that Molly Stafford, Asst. Dean of Career Development & External Relations, is embarking on a new adventure and leaving her position at McGeorge to work with the Prison and Reentry Education Program (PREP) at Folsom Lake College, working with students who are incarcerated or have recently been released from prison.

“After 12 amazing years in the McGeorge CDO, I am ready to follow the advice I have often given students, and take a career leap that I know will grow and challenge me to become the best version of myself.  

I cannot begin to describe my gratitude to all of you: Students, you continually inspire me. I have learned so much from you. Colleagues, you have made it a true joy to come to work for the last twelve years.  We have shared so many moments together—and so much laughter and some tears too—that I will never forget.  Dean Schwartz, thank you for supporting me on this journey; you have lead our team with deep care, humor, and positivity. Professors, it has been a pleasure getting to know you. Thank you for everything you do to promote our students’ career successes. Alumni community, including our stellar Board Members, you regularly astound me with your commitment to supporting our students and McGeorge. I am lucky to know you.”

We are putting something together to celebrate Molly/Dean Stafford/Prof. S. If you would like to include a message of congratulations or share a memory of Molly, please email them directly to ladams@pacific.edu.

Next week, April 18 – 24, 2022, is 3L week at the American Bar Association!

The ABA will be featuring several opportunities and resources for graduating 3Ls, including practical advice for recent grads, a free job search webinar on April 21, and a complimentary bar prep care package when you sign up for a paid ABA membership (free law student memberships expire upon graduation). If you want to put yourself in the best position to launch your legal career, you won’t want to miss this!

The Northern California Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML NorCal) is looking for law student volunteers to help at the upcoming Spring Symposium in Napa, CA  from April 29 – May 1. The AAML NorCal Symposium attracts experienced and the most well-respected Family law attorneys from Northern California. In addition, the family law presentations are of the highest caliber.

Approximately 250 attorneys attend the 3-day AAML Symposium. Volunteers will assist the Executive Director during attorney registration on Friday and throughout the weekend, assisting with managing attendee requests, exhibitor issues; conference materials; and conference room needs throughout the event.

Four law student volunteers are needed each day. The time commitment will be divided per day:

  • Friday, 4/29 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Saturday, 4/30 | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Sunday, 5/1 | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

Volunteers will be scheduled in shifts so that when you are not on a shift, you are welcome to sit in on the presentations. This is an excellent opportunity to network and meet family law attorneys that can serve as contacts in your job search and future careers.

If interested please contact AAML NorCal Executive Director, Jennifer Cass at admin@aamlnorcal.org or 650-954-0550.

We are very excited to welcome the newest CDO team member, Ken Nourse!

Ken joins the Career Development Office with a deep background in legal, law-related, and career development services. Ken especially enjoys leveraging his experience on behalf of talented students on their own professional journeys.

Prior to McGeorge, Ken led graduate and undergraduate career-related experiential education programs in the San Francisco, Sacramento, and Tokyo regions for university partners including UC Berkeley, University of Minnesota, University of Sydney, and the Norwegian School of Economics. His experience includes advising professional studies students from the US and abroad on early talent career development in the business, legal, and STEM fields.

After graduating from Northeastern University School of Law in 2002,  Ken practiced for several years as a litigator at a firm in Boston and then spent a decade in legal technology, electronic discovery and evidence, legal process outsourcing, and information services, assisting clients in the Western and Northeastern U.S., Canada, and Japan. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, minor in East Asian Studies and Japanese, from McGill University in Montreal.

We are proud to announce that eight rising 2L McGeorge students have secured a Diversity Fellowship through the Sacramento County Bar Association. Elena Lucero, Jasmeet Kang, Jennifer Quarters-Styles, Kristale Chaney, Kyndall Banales, Marlen Gaytan-Leon, Mondis Vakili, and Shireen Hundal will join students from UC Davis Law School in working at some of the most prestigious private law firms in Sacramento. Not only will the students gain invaluable professional skills, but they will also have the opportunity, through weekly events and programs, to tour different law firms, meet local judges, and network with prominent local attorneys.

Congratulations!

California, like many other states, occasionally establishes pilot projects via legislation. For comparison, pilot projects are rarely used by Congress but are more regularly used by state legislatures.

So what is a pilot project? It is, essentially, a temporary program established by statute which is often combined with a study and a sunset date. The idea is to give a new or experimental policy or program a try before fully committing to it. As part of this effort, there’s usually some sort of effort to collect data, determine whether the temporarily adopted program is meeting expectations.

In some instances, these pilot programs actually include a formal study, perhaps even with an independent third party conducting the data collection evaluation and even the reporting. There may be oversight to ensure that the program is being used or implemented as intended, and as a result, these pilot projects or our short term statutory programs, and they could be used to evaluate an entirely new or innovative program or operation that the state proposes. And usually at the conclusion of these pilot programs, there’s a report that’s generally required to be presented to the legislature in order for our elected legislators to determine whether the pilot project met expectations.

What might this evaluation look like as part of the pilot program? Its best when the pilot project is established with a stated goal or goals that it’s intended to achieve or reach, and the reasons for the project, perhaps even why this particular approach or project was chosen to proceed. And certainly, the costs associated with administering and complying with the program are also reviewed.

Now let’s turn to sunset dates, which are sometimes also called sunset clauses, sunset provisions, or even sunset laws. They are essentially, a provision that puts an end date on a particular provision of the law. Unless the Legislature enacts a law extending the program, a program with a sunset clause will expire after the amount of time in the provision. In California, these clauses tend to run two to five years, and sometimes for a decade.

You can find the transcript of today’s audio here.