Law School Preview

130 prospective students get a taste of USC Gould at Law Day

-By Anne Bergman and Gilien Silsby

Prospective law students from around the country descended on campus recently to get a taste of law school at USC. More than 130 admitted Gould students attended the annual USC Law Day, meeting with faculty and students, touring the law school and sitting in on classes.

Dean Robert K. Rasmussen and Dean of Admissions Chloe Reid welcomed and congratulated the students on their acceptance to USC Gould as they kicked off the day with a session with three of the nation’s top attorneys – including Prof. Edward Kleinbard, Amy R. Forbes ‘84, a partner at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher and Douglas Emhoff ’90, a partner at Venable.

USC Gould Professor Jody Armour leads a mock criminal law class for admitted students.

If they choose to come to USC, Rasmussen said Gould students will be “your friends, not your competition.” 

“You will know the law when you graduate, but will you be a good team player? We can help you with that. You will learn better in a collegial environment and become a better attorney,” Rasmussen said.

At “The Ever-Changing Legal Employment Landscape” plenary session, the panelists said that even with a challenging job market, USC Gould graduates have an advantage. After all, 94 percent of students who graduated in 2014 are currently employed.

“USC Gould is a great school in a great city,” Kleinbard said. “The high-caliber faculty go beyond what other schools offer by exploring the life of the law as it is taught and the life of the law as it is practiced.”

Emhoff noted that the Trojan Network is real - a high percentage of attorneys in his Los Angeles office are USC Gould alumni. “If you want to practice law in Los Angeles, than this is the best place for you,” he said.

Forbes said USC Gould taught her how “to think like a lawyer” and provided her with the fundamentals to succeed in an ever-changing legal landscape.

The admitted students experienced a taste of law school by attending mock classes in Constitutional Law and

Constitutional Law Professor David Cruz chats with admitted students at USC Law Day.

Criminal Law taught by David Cruz and Jody Armour, respectively.

Other sessions included discussions on USC’s world-renowned clinics, the entertainment and media law program, student life, the alumni network and a panel of professors.

At the Student Life panel event, Gould students shared why they picked USC. Ana Luiza Reyngach '16 said she chose Gould for its small intimate environment. “The class size was very important. I'm more of a close community type person, and that really came through to me at USC. It's different from undergrad because people really want to be here. It's really motivating to be around people who are so dedicated and so enthusiastic.”

Sam Goldberg ’06 spoke about his law school experience on the Trojan Alumni Network panel. “When you leave here, you’re well prepared for anything. Coming to USC was the best business decision I made.” He said that the alumni network is strong. “The Trojan Family is legit. There is some sort of kinship and you just want to do business with other Trojans. It will serve you well.”

At the panel that featured some of USC’s top professors, including Tom Lyon, Gillian Hadfield, Elyn Saks, Dan Simon and Heidi Rummel, students asked them, why USC?

USC campus tour

 “USC is a place where people are happy. The good karma is palpable, and this is true for both students and faculty,” said Simon, a professor of law and psychology. “But at the same time, we are also very rigorous.  We are committed to analytical inquiry and to cutting edge scholarship, and we devote ourselves fully to providing our students with professional training of the highest standard.”

Rummel, who co-directs the Post-Conviction Justice Project, added, “There’s a kindness and generosity among the law students here that is truly unique. People who you go to law school with are going to be your colleagues for life. This is a friendly, open place where you will make significant and lifelong friendships.”

At the lunch event at the Galen Center, Student Bar Association President Justin Bubenik ’15 shared that the USC Gould community will “make you feel safe for who you truly are and for who you want to be.”

The Hon. George King ’74 delivered the keynote address, noting the strength of the Trojan Network – both in Los Angeles, and across the country and around the globe. He shared that when he wears USC gear on trips to the East Coast or overseas, people will say “hi” or “Fight on!” 

He told the crowd: “The Trojan Family is literally on every continent on this planet.”