Lawyering Process classes draw an impressive group of guest speakers

Earlier in the spring semester, Professors Donna Shestowsky and Menesh Patel invited an impressive array of guest speakers to address their Lawyering Process students. The speaker lineup included many UC Davis Law alumni and encompassed various practice areas and levels of seniority in both the private and public sectors:

• Kevin Baker, Legislative Director, ACLU of Northern California
• Bruce Chang ’05, Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office
• Austin Cho ’15, Associate, Downey Brand
• Norman Dawson, Supervising Public Defender, Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office
• Cindy Dole '09, Associate General Counsel, Samsung Strategy & Innovation Center
• Patricia Eichar, Partner, Orrick 
• Luke Garcia '08, Managing Attorney, The Law Office of Luke Garcia
• Jennifer Gomez ’12, Supervising Attorney and Pro Bono Coordinator, Legal Services of Northern California
• Alexandra Guerra ’17, Associate, Orrick
• Joel Guerra '17, Associate, Nossaman LLP
• Chris Hughes '07, Partner, Nossaman LLP
• Monika Kalra Varma '00, Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
• Kim Lucia '09, Shareholder, Boutin Jones, Inc.
• Jeff Osofsky ’09, In-House Counsel, Square, Inc.
• José Rico ’18, Associate, Morgan Lewis
• Grace Arupo Rodriguez ’02, Assistant Deputy Director, Legal Affairs Division, State of California
• Sarah Ropelato '07, Managing Attorney, Legal Services of Northern California  
• Eric Toscano ’09, CEO and Managing Attorney, Tenant Law Group
• Kara Ueda ’00, Partner, Best Best & Krieger

Now in its second year, the Lawyering Process course focuses on the interpersonal skills needed for effective representation, with an emphasis on client interviewing, counseling, and negotiation. It is part of the Lawyering Skills Education Program, which Shestowsky directs.

The speakers offered students valuable insights into their practice areas and office environments. Students submitted questions beforehand that addressed such topics as work/life balance and how much of their schedules involve interacting with clients.

“It was important to have a wide variety of voices representing different workplaces” among the guest speakers, Shestowsky said. Hearing the ins and outs of lawyers’ typical workdays can help students decide “what type of practice area really excites them,” she said, and the best workplace fit within that area.

“Say you want to be an immigration lawyer. Your daily experiences likely will vary significantly depending on whether you work for a government agency versus a public-interest organization or a large law firm.”

Shestowsky and Patel also had invited practitioners to address their inaugural Lawyering Process classes, in spring 2019. Students responded so enthusiastically that they made it a priority to bring in guest speakers again this spring, Shestowsky said.