Santa Clara Law is proud to welcome back alumna Caitlin Jachimowicz as the Senior Assistant Dean for Law Enrollment, Strategy, and Operations following a nationwide search. Caitlin’s impact at Santa Clara Law began during her student years, when she served as SBA President, and has since flourished through her roles as adjunct faculty, Director of the Center for Social Justice and Public Service, and Director of the Public Interest JD Program. Her remarkable journey at Santa Clara Law underscores her enduring commitment to its mission and community.
“I came to Santa Clara Law as a student, wanting to make a positive impact on the world. Lawyering and public policy have taken me in many directions, but this role is the culmination of years of diverse work experience that has led to this moment. I couldn’t have designed this outcome for myself, as it was never part of the initial plan. But now that I’m here, it feels like I’ve found my calling.”
Having been involved at Santa Clara Law as faculty/staff since 2021, Caitlin said “It has always mattered to me to have a leader I believe in. In politics we call it ‘finding your guy’, and it means a lot that Dean Kaufman has put his trust in me, because I believe in his vision and the kind of servant leadership he embodies.”
Caitlin completed her undergraduate degree at Seattle University. Her time spent in Seattle played a major role in her choosing to attend Santa Clara Law. “I loved the Jesuit teaching philosophies that were present at Seattle University. I had a very positive experience there, and I knew for my law school experience it would be equally important to have close relationships with professors and an education driven by Jesuit ideals.”
Caitlin saw pursuing law as her “in” to making real life change, with some influence from the television show “The West Wing”. “I loved the show ‘The West Wing’, and I had never met a lawyer personally in my life. There was one line in the show that stuck out to me. While discussing hiring a lawyer for a colleague, a senior staffer says, ‘Well, we’re all lawyers’. That was my indication that if I wanted to be having policy conversations with impact that led to change in real life, I needed to go to law school. But while at Santa Clara I also fell in love with legal practice, being an attorney, being in the courtroom, and counseling clients.”
When asked if there were any experiences she wished she had taken advantage of while in law school, her answer was clear. “No.” When asked why, Caitlin had this to say: “I worked in nonprofit fundraising between undergrad and law school. I knew it was a privilege to be out of work and in school, and I took advantage of every opportunity I could. I was editor-in-chief of The Advocate, [the law school’s student-run newspaper], I studied abroad in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and I won a legal research grant to go to Haiti, where I left 3 days before the [year?] earthquake, but was able to return 6 weeks after to support relief efforts.”
Caitlin’s deep engagement as a student at Santa Clara Law also led to some of her most influential moments at the law school. She highlighted “relationships formed with professors and administrators: every class with Professor Brad Joondeph, working in the 9th circuit immigration clinic with Professor Vangie Abriel, getting close to Dean Polden, Dean Mertens, and other administrators while [she] was SBA president” as top moments she could recall.
When asked what advice she would give to her 1L self, Caitlin reflected, “It’s okay to study differently than other people, and figure out what works for you. Imposter syndrome can be a normal feeling, but as long as you work hard you are probably doing better than you think.” Caitlin also shared that the adversities one might face in law school are often best tackled in community.
She had two points of emphasis for our young alumni. “First, nothing has to be forever if you don’t want it to be; keep growing and changing and making moves until you find the place where you feel like you are thriving. Second, Santa Clara is still your home. I was very welcomed as a student, but I was happy to see that I was still welcomed as an alumnus. It’s up to us to be stewards of this school and its future.”
As Caitlin grows in the new role, she maintains her unwavering passion for the Center for Social Justice and Public Service and the new Public Interest JD program, and she is deeply committed to continuing to champion those efforts. “I still feel really strongly about encouraging students to understand how their law degree empowers them to make a positive impact on the world. Rather than abandoning my social justice goals with this appointment, I see my role as encouraging students of all disciplines to discover how to make an impact in their field. Dean Kaufman has also assured me I can teach public interest classes, and pursue additional goals related to public interest and social justice.”
Written by Isaiah Schutz-Ramon, Alumni Relations Events Manager
Media Contact
Jennifer Wooliscroft | Director of Strategic Communication and Outreach | jwooliscroft@scu.edu | 408-551-1763