Shout out to Law Students and Recent Graduates

November 2025

By: Jessi Fierro, Chair, CLA Board of Representatives

There’s so much to be inspired by and proud of when it comes to how CLA, CLA volunteers, and CLA members support law students and recent graduates, just as there’s a lot to be energized about on the important role law students and recent graduates play in our broader CLA community!

At the Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite this past October, about 141 out of 792 attendees were law students, and the energy, smarts, and care of this cohort was undeniable. They asked insightful questions during panel Q&A, took part in various social events, and even made it to a Saturday morning 7am Law Student Breakfast. The student-friendly vibe throughout the conference was a testament to the students themselves, their encouraging professors, and all the CLA volunteers and members who contributed to the welcoming environment. The Environmental Law Section also holds an annual Student Negotiation Competition (March 6, 2026) and a summer fellowship program (applications due December 31), including a mentorship program. One of the students I mentored a couple of summers ago through this program recently passed the bar exam. She’s starting a job in my region now, and we’re having lunch together again soon. I love moments like this! I hear similar stories from other CLA volunteers often.

Not to focus too exclusively on my section, there’s a plethora of amazing opportunities for law students throughout other sections. The New Lawyers Section and other sections actively reach out to and visit law schools throughout the year. The Privacy Law section is launching its first Writing Competition starting December 1. The Criminal Law Section’s Annual Marshall M. Scholman Competition for Student Papers in Criminal Law/Procedure closed May 30, 2025. The Litigation Section recently awarded scholarships to students in partnership with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley. The Taxation Section offered free registration to law students at their 2025 California All-Tax Conference, and the Antitrust and Consumer Protection Section also offered free law student registration for its January 30, 2026, Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Institute. The Intellectual Property section has an amazing Student Reporter Program, where students receive registration to section events and mentorship while writing articles about that content. The Intellectual Property section volunteers active in that program have stayed in touch with the students who’ve participated in that program over the years. 

I laughed at my own joke, that we stole the Student Reporter program from the Intellectual Property Lawyers, of all people (haha!). But we did (the Intellectual Property section was aware and gave us great advice) when we had Savanna Burney (3L, UC Davis) serve as our first Annual Meeting Student Reporter this past September. She wrote a great article about the AI panel she attended, which is also featured in this month’s CLA eNews, so be sure to check that out. Also, at the CLA-wide level, the Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach Committee awarded law students Faith Whatley-Blaine and Ashely Arrellano as first and second place, respectively, in their Distinguished Law Student Writing Competition.

It was perhaps less visible, but a small group of CLA members came together to mentor recent graduates from closed law schools to provide support and advice as they studied for the Bar Exam this past summer. I was moved by and grateful for all of the volunteers who willingly stepped up in this figure-it-out-as-we-go project. I know the graduates were appreciative. It also demonstrates the silver lining of all of this great work for students. Not only are we directly helping the future of our profession, but we’re giving ourselves important opportunities to come together and help. What’s not to like?

I also know so many CLA members and volunteers who give back to the future of our profession by teaching either full time or as an adjunct at various law schools in California (shout out to the wonderful Central California law schools I’ve been privileged to adjunct teach at over the years: San Joaquin College of Law, and the hybrid program through Monterey, San Luis Obispo, and Kern County Colleges of law). Many CLA members stay involved in their alumni associations and find other ways to support their local campuses. Many Annual Meeting 2025 attendees came to the amazing panel of law school deans to learn more about the challenges law schools face and how practicing attorneys can help (see the article about this panel in the November 2025 CLA eNews for more information).

Heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteers working on the CLA Student Programming I mentioned above. What did I miss? How would you like to help CLA in its law student support? Do you know any law students? They could benefit from CLA’s free membership (up to three sections) sand some of the opportunities I mentioned above, which you can learn more about on CLA’s webpage and social media accounts. Please consider helping us spread the word and helping with these efforts directly when you can!