On November 13th, Santa Clara Law hosted a Street Law panel for high school students interested in a career in law.
For this event, Lincoln High School’s Mock Trial Team, their coaches, and Lincoln High School’s Principal came to Charney Hall for a panel featuring venerable Santa Clara Law alumni and faculty. Distinguished Justice in Residence Justice Edward A. Panelli B.S. ’53, J.D. ’55, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California and former Judge of the Superior Court of Canta Clara County, spoke on his experience as a California Supreme Court Justice and how he went from immigrating to the U.S as a non-English speaker to ending up on the highest level of State Court.
Professor Charles Gillingham—who was a prosecutor for 25 years—and Missy O’Connell of the Northern California Innocence Project (NCIP) also spoke about their experience as trial lawyers and offered tips to the students. Alisha Hacker 3L, Vice President of Street Law, Kalena Paredes 2L, VP of Street Law, Gavin Partington 2L, Secretary of Street Law, Simone Wolberg 2L, and Kat Rojas 2L volunteered to help the visiting high school students draft closing statements.
Street Law, one of Santa Clara Law’s student-led Law Student Organizations, strives to advance equity and justice in the legal profession by working with local educational institutions to support the next generation of students on their paths toward academic and career-related success. This year alone, Street Law has partnered with three high schools (Yerba Buena High School, Hollister High School & Lincoln High School) and one college (Gavilan College), but has plans to continue outreach to impact as many students in the surrounding communities as possible. Their ultimate goal is to teach and inspire high school students who are often underrepresented in the legal profession.
Congratulations to our amazing law school students who volunteered for this great cause!
