USC Gould Law Leadership Society Member Spotlight
Founder of Berenji Law Firm, Shadie Berenji (JD 2004) has a breadth professional experience in employment law litigation. Her legal practice focuses on representing employees with workplace disputes, from wage and hour violations to discrimination and retaliation matters. She contributes to the life of the law school as a member of Gould’s Law Leadership Society, which she joined in 2014.
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| Shadie Berenji, JD 2004 |
What is most meaningful to you about your work? And what motivated you to pursue this path?
I believe serving as an advocate for employees who experience discrimination or harassment in the workplace because of an immutable characteristic is my calling in life. Growing up as an African-American and Iranian woman in America caused me to face discrimination and harassment at a very young age and thus I began learning how to fight against bigotry and prejudice long before I became an attorney. My work allows me to put my heart into my cases and utilize my life experiences to obtain justice for my clients through the legal system, and hopefully help prevent others from experiencing the pain of discrimination and harassment at work.
Was there a person from your time at Gould who made an impact on you and your career?
Professor Erwin Chemerinksy’s (now dean of Berkeley Law School) footprints are unequivocally on my legal career. The way he taught constitutional law in a detailed outline format during each lecture was fascinating and more importantly, ensured that his students easily understood one of the most important subjects in law. His passion for constitutional law was contagious and his unrelenting quest for justice was inspiring. He is also extremely humble and always willing to help in any way he can; he provided me with my first job reference after I graduated from USC Gould.
What was your favorite memory as a law student?
It is really hard to pick a “favorite” memory because there are so many amazing moments that are etched in my mind. Chief among those amazing memories are: the diversity student orientation at Professor Jody Armour’s beautiful house; surviving Professor Scott Bice’s Socratic method in torts; attending our law school prom; mentoring local high school students through BLSA (Black Law Students Association); watching football with my classmates during the Pete Carroll era; and, the joy I felt during our commencement ceremony when my best friend, Mehrnoush Yazdanyar, Esq., called my name and I walked across the stage to obtain my diploma.
What advice would you give to Gould students today?
Gould students should find a way to become passionate about the topic they are studying and then work really hard to become the most prepared person on that topic. Preparation is essential to achieving successs, and a successful student will never regret studying too much; but a student will definitely regret not studying enough, if they fail or lose. Last, they should try to take most of the courses that will be tested on the bar exam in their third year of law school. This will help to ensure those subjects remain fresh on their memory when they begin their bar preparatory courses.
Why do you give to USC Gould?
USC Gould is an integral part of my success as an attorney and has helped open a lot of amazing doors in my life. I believe it is important to support people and institutions that have helped and supported me along the way. Also, USC Gould has always made me feel like I am a part of a family, and giving back is a way to strengthen our family and make sure we can always “Fight On!”
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