JD Student Ambassadors - Juris Doctor (JD)

USC Gould School of Law is proud to have some of the nation's brightest and most promising future lawyers studying law here. We are privileged to have five students serving as your Admissions Student Ambassadors – Sophia Barber, Logan Barth, Sarah Montgomery, Kayla Campbell, Jordan Eskew and Adam Thaw. All lead very busy lives inside and outside the classroom, as you can see from their profiles below, but enjoy sharing their law school experiences with prospects and admitted students.

If you have any questions regarding their decision to attend USC Gould, their law school experiences, or general admissions information, please do not hesitate to reach out to them. You may find their emails at the end of their bios.

Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Barber, and I’m a 3L at USC Gould. I grew up in Denver, Colorado. I’m a proud Double Trojan, earning my bachelor’s degree in music industry from USC Thornton School of Music in 2022.

During undergrad at USC, I was very involved on campus as a board member of the USC Concerts Committee and the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment, and the director of FemFest. I also co-founded an event production company and worked in the music industry in many different capacities.

After earning my bachelor’s degree, I began my professional career as an event planner for the USC Department for Residential Education. I really enjoyed my role and the opportunity to interact with new students and coordinate events that helped them find a community and a sense of belonging at USC. After two years in that role and reflecting on my career goals, I decided to change paths and attend law school.

I’m so grateful that I was able to continue my journey at USC at Gould. I chose to stay at USC Gould because of the incredible community that exists both on campus and within the broader Trojan network. During my 1L year I got involved on campus as a 1L representative for the Music Law Society and Street Law. I had a great year where I worked hard but also made lifelong friends and had a lot of fun.

During my 2L year, I served as an Events Chair for the Business Law Society, a Staff Editor of the Southern California Law Review (SCLR), a student in the Small Business Clinic, and a JD Student Ambassador! I’m excited to continue my work on SCLR and in the Admissions Office this year.

For my 1L summer, I worked at Gould’s Small Business Clinic, where I provided legal assistance to small business owners. I had the opportunity to work directly with clients and gain hands-on experience in transactional law. This past summer, I worked as a summer associate at a law firm in the Corporate Law group.

I have had the privilege of being part of the Trojan Family for a long time and surround myself with the wonderful people at Gould. If you have any questions about Gould or my experience as a law student, please feel free to contact me at ambassador1@law.usc.edu. Fight on!

Hi everyone! My name is Logan Barth, and I am a 3L at USC Gould. I am originally from Washington, D.C., but grew up predominantly in Arizona and Northern California. I am a proud Double Trojan and Gould 3+3 Program Participant. I received my bachelor’s degree from USC in law, history, and culture with a minor in business law.

During undergraduate, I was a Team Captain and the Teaching Assistant of USC’s Trial Advocacy Program. I was also an Executive Director in the Undergraduate Student Government tasked with sustaining and growing USC’s strong Trojan spirit. I helped plan USC-UCLA Rivalry Week (Conquest) and led the student section at football games. Because law was a core aspect of my interdisciplinary major, I was fortunate to take USC Gould undergraduate courses. I quickly decided I wanted to continue my legal education at Gould based on my overwhelmingly positive experiences during my undergrad at USC. I knew USC’s combination of renowned faculty, personalized support and the Trojan Family would allow me to grow into a successful attorney.

My rewarding experiences at USC continued when I started at Gould in 2024. Gould’s direct support for its students is unparalleled. From the very beginning, Gould connected us with alumni mentors and networking opportunities, faculty never failed to offer personalized support, and Gould offered resources to help us grow both personally and professionally. I was involved in student life as a 1L, serving as 1L Representative for the Jewish Law Student Association and Business Law Society. Additionally, I am a member of the Entertainment Law Society. During 2L, I served as a Staff Editor for Southern California Law Review. This year, I will be working on law review as the Executive Production Editor. I am also excited to share my wonderful USC experience with prospective Gould applicants as an Admissions Ambassador.

During both my 1L and 2L summer, I worked at a big law firm in the litigation department. I accepted a first-year offer at the same firm and will be returning after graduation. I first learned about the firm by attending one of the many lunch panels that Gould hosts throughout the school year to introduce students to different employment opportunities.

I am grateful that I was able to start my legal career at USC Gould. Beyond the talented faculty, unique course offerings, and numerous networking opportunities, one of the most impactful parts of Gould is the supportive, friendly student community. Students never fail to support each other, and I have gained life-long friends. If you have any questions about USC Gould, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at ambassador2@law.usc.edu. I hope to see you at Gould soon — Fight On!

Hi everyone! My name is Jordan Eskew, and I am a 2L at USC Gould. I grew up in Loveland, Colorado, and attended the University of San Diego for undergrad, where I studied international relations and Arabic. I spent much of my undergraduate experience living abroad, and those experiences made me interested in how law shapes people’s lives across different countries and how it can influence larger political and economic change.

During college, I was involved in USD’s student government, Hillel, and Kappa Delta sorority. I also worked as a bartender, which became a fun way to meet people outside of my usual academic circles. During college, I lived in Australia and studied international security and then I spent time in Uganda working with an NGO that supported women entrepreneurs through microloans and business development. After college, I worked alongside USD professors researching the Syrian regime change. That work included field research with refugee communities in Spain and Turkey and gave me a much more concrete understanding of how law and policy affect people navigating displacement. Over time, those experiences made law school feel like the natural next step for me.

I chose USC Gould because I wanted to be somewhere that would let me explore different areas of law without feeling like I needed to have my entire career figured out on day one. I also wanted a community where people genuinely supported each other. During my 1L year, I became involved with the Women’s Law Society and Business Law Society.

During my 1L summer, I worked with the USC Gould Immigration Clinic, where I represented clients in removal proceedings and worked on asylum matters. Working directly with clients made the law feel much more tangible and showed me how much careful advocacy can matter to an individual person or family. I am continuing with the Immigration Clinic throughout my 2L year. I am also excited to serve on the executive board of the Women’s Law Society and as a JD Student Ambassador.

My 2L summer, I will be returning to San Diego to work as a summer associate at a big law firm. One thing I have really appreciated about Gould is that I have been able to pursue interests that look very different on paper and still figure out how they fit into the kind of lawyer I want to become. I am excited to serve as an Ambassador and to be a resource for anyone considering USC Gould. Please feel free to reach out at ambassador3@law.usc.edu if you have any questions about Gould or law school more generally.

Hi, there! My name is Sarah Montgomery and I am a 3L at USC Gould School of Law. I was born in Pasadena, California and grew up in the area. I am a Double Trojan, having earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Law from Dornsife with a minor in Justice, Voice and Advocacy from Annenberg back in 2021.

In between undergrad and law school, I was a teacher. I spent two years as a Teach For America corps member at an LAUSD school teaching special education English and Science to 6th-8th grade students. During that time, I also earned a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Educational Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University. Then, I spent a year at an L.A. private school teaching general education English to 6th-8th grade students.

I was grading papers alone in my classroom when I received my acceptance email from USC. It could not have felt more right in that moment, though I knew it would be bittersweet to leave a profession that I loved. My dad attended USC Gould and I saw the remarkable impact the institution made in his life. When I walked on campus during undergrad, I would pass the law school and wonder if I might get my JD there, too. Of course, my decision to pick USC Gould was not just driven by warm fuzzy feelings. The Trojan Family dominates the Los Angeles legal scene; the professors are at the top of their fields; the financial aid packages are fair; and the school nurtures an involved, diverse and happy community.

As a 1L, I was involved in the Business Law Society, Latinx Law Student Association, and Women’s Law Association. As a 2L and 3L, I continued my involvement in these associations, as well as deepened my connections to the community as an Admissions Ambassador, which entails introducing people to our wonderful institution; as an Academic Success Fellow, which entails mentoring 1Ls as to how to be their best and most successful selves while in law school; as a Teaching Assistant for Dean Donald Scotten’s class for undergraduates; and as a member of the Hale Moot Court Honors Program.

For my 1L summer and 2L summer, I worked at a big law firm. As an aspiring transactional attorney — which means working on transactions rather than litigation, as I hope to never see the inside of a courtroom! — I savored the ability to learn about transactional practices like M&A (mergers and acquisitions), banking and real estate at some of the best law firms in the world. I also had the chance to spend two weeks in-house at The Walt Disney Company in Burbank, getting to see how lawyers empower and enable a dynamic enterprise like Disney (and yes, we did go to Disneyland on our last day of work).

I am grateful that, when I get in my car and head towards that special gray building in South Central, I am excited to learn something new and build towards my future alongside my friends. Attending USC Gould has been everything I could dream of and more. Professionally, academically, and personally — I could not have imagined a better fit. Thank you for your interest in Gould. I’d love to meet you and tell you more about how you can find your fit here. Please feel free to reach out to me at ambassador4@law.usc.edu.

Hi everyone! My name is Kayla Campbell, and I am a 2L at USC Gould School of Law. I was raised in Jamaica and relocated to the United States to attend college at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where I studied international affairs.

Before law school, I spent several years working as a regulatory specialist in the cannabis industry and as a trademark paralegal. Both roles placed me squarely within emerging areas of law, where the rules are constantly evolving and much of the work involves helping clients move forward when the answers remain unsettled. That ambiguity was the part of the work I found most interesting, and it ultimately motivated my decision to attend law school.

I chose USC Gould because of its people. My first meaningful conversation about the school was with an admissions ambassador, and between that conversation and the faculty members I met, I could immediately picture myself here. A year later, I can say without hesitation that my instinct was right.

This past summer, I worked in-house at Verano, one of the nation’s largest cannabis operators, where I assisted with regulatory filings and supported the company’s transactional work. Returning to the cannabis industry with a year of legal training behind me was a full-circle moment. Next summer, I will work as a summer associate in the litigation department of a big law firm.

On campus, I am involved with the Black Law Students Association, the First-Generation Professionals Program, and the Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal. I look forward to becoming even more involved as the year continues. The community at USC Gould is what makes the difficult weeks manageable, and I am excited to offer incoming students the same support I received.

If you have any questions about USC Gould, the application process, or what life actually looks like as a law student here, please feel free to reach out to me at ambassador5@law.usc.edu. Fight on!

Hi everyone! My name is Adam Thaw, and I am a 3L here at Gould. I am originally from Calabasas, California, and attended UCLA, where I graduated magna cum laude with a degree in world arts and cultures.

During college, I became interested in the law through my involvement in student government and my work with the Los Angeles Superior Court’s JusticeCorps program. As a JusticeCorps member, I helped self-represented litigants navigate family-law and eviction matters. That experience showed me how meaningful legal guidance can be and solidified my decision to attend law school.

I chose USC Gould because I wanted a rigorous legal education within a genuinely supportive community, as well as access to the incredible professional opportunities available in Los Angeles. My experience at USC Gould has exceeded those expectations. The professors here take a sincere interest in their students, and my classmates have made even the most demanding parts of law school enjoyable. Some of my most rewarding experiences have come from working closely with faculty as a Torts Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant for Professor Gregory Keating and as a Teaching Assistant for Dean Donald Scotten’s Fundamentals of the U.S. Legal System course.

Outside the classroom, I have served as the Events Chair of the Jewish Law Students Association and continue to participate in the Advanced Mediation Clinic. These opportunities have allowed me to build relationships across the Gould community, mentor other students, and develop practical skills by working with real clients.

During my 1L summer, I worked in-house at a retail brand, where I gained experience in real estate, intellectual property, litigation, and corporate matters. During my 2L summer, I was a summer associate at a Big Law firm in Century City, gaining exposure to various corporate practice groups. After graduation, I will be returning to that same firm.

I am incredibly grateful for the friendships, mentorship, and opportunities I have found at Gould, and I am excited to share my experience with prospective and admitted students. If you have any questions about USC Gould or law school life, please feel free to reach out to me at ambassador6@law.usc.edu.