On a bustling Monday afternoon, students gathered at the Lawyers Lab in Charney Hall to pick up free professional clothing for their future interviews and formal occasions. The event was made possible with the support of Santa Clara Law’s Office of Career Management, which conducted crucial outreach.
Over the past three months, law firms, faculty, and students have donated professional clothing to give Santa Clara Law students the opportunity to look the best in their pursuit of law. Donors of business professional clothing included Costanzo Law Firm, APC, Santa Clara Valley Water, Cooley LLP, and Lowenstein Sandler LLP. “We got a lot of anonymous donors, too,” Victoire Marion 2L—one of the event organizers—comments. “We would come every morning and check the bin; there was always new stuff there.” 
This event, the first of its kind, was championed by Santa Clara Law’s Women and Law Association, of which Emily Kirvin 3L and Kalena Paredes 2L are board members. “We want to make the whole law school experience more accessible,” Kirvin says. “These nice clothes, nice blazers, nice tops, nice slacks; they’re really hard to come by sometimes. The interview process alone is something you have to heavily prepare for. It’s extremely competitive, it’s a lot of pressure, so it’s nice to feel good in what you’re wearing.”
Paredes echoes a similar sentiment. “We know that a lot of students struggle in finding professional clothing to use during their interviews,” she notes, “so we thought it would be a good way to help lawyers in the area purge their closets but also give our students an opportunity to get some clothing for free.” On how her fellow students might benefit from this professional attire, Paredes says: “I hope the people that are here can pick something out that they’re confident in, in an interview. Look good, play good. If you’re feeling good about how you look, you’re gonna interview well.”
Thanks to the initiative of our student leaders, students left Charney Hall today with blazers, ties, slacks, and smiles.
