All posts filed under: Student Commentary

Learning to be a Social Justice Lawyer in Trump’s America

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“No martyr is among ye now Whom you can call your own So go on your way accordingly But know you’re not alone” – Bob Dylan, “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine” During my first class after Donald Trump’s victory, several friends and classmates posed heartbreaking questions: How can we be social justice lawyers in a country which has validated a campaign where racist and misogynistic sentiments were expressed?  Or after an election where many were so apathetic toward justice that they stayed home? We further questioned what the fight for social justice would even look like in the United States and how we, or anyone, could have the strength to do this work in a world where it no longer seemed to matter. So far, the only answer to these questions I have found has been in the strength and courage of the students in that classroom and in the wisdom and drive that I have found in my clinic partners and professors. At this moment, we feel scared and alone, but in time …

Liz Schultz

2L Liz Schultz Debriefs on the Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair

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Last Friday, I attended the Equal Justice Works (EJW) Conference & Career Fair for the first time. To be honest, I primarily went to hear Justice Kagan speak. As Co-Chairs of the EJW National Advisory Committee, Jojo Choi and I also helped out with some behind-the-scenes work. However, I was so blown away by all the amazing experiences I had while I was there, I will definitely return next year! As a 2L, hearing Justice Kagan speak was truly moving. I teared up hearing her talk about Justice Thurgood Marshall. She recounted that being Solicitor General was his favorite job because he loved to say “I’m Thurgood Marshall and I represent the United States of America.” (I even teared up typing that—law school has fanned an unexpected patriotic wildfire in me!) She kept the whole room laughing for the entire hour. After explaining that one of her duties as the junior justice is to serve on the cafeteria committee, she admitted that her successful advocacy for the clerks’ desired dessert earned her the nickname “the …

Optimizing School Reform – A Response to Professor DeJarnatt

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All politics is local, someone once said. That person probably never witnessed 2016. Nevertheless, in the spirit of continuing to plod along on the innumerable issues still facing our country, our states, and our cities—most especially Philadelphia—I offer the following thoughts on Professor DeJarnatt’s recent piece in these pages. Professor DeJarnatt has been perhaps the fiercest and most effective critic of school reform efforts in Philadelphia. For example, in a recent law review article,[1] Professor DeJarnatt argued persuasively that “today’s education reformers[, by] treat[ing] public education as a private good,” impose significant costs on the communities in which school reform is taking place. Professor DeJarnatt identified three costs: First is the cost to community and the loss of voice of parents and taxpayers in the community for any say in their schools. Second is the economic cost of these reforms, in particular the costs imposed on the students who remain in traditional public schools. Third is the cost of lost opportunity—the opportunity to improve the system of public education while still considering it a public …

My Experiences as an In-House Paralegal and Legal Translator ~ Legal Translation as a Legal Profession

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When I started my career as an in-house legal translator at a law firm ten years ago, little was I aware of the exciting journey the profession would eventually bring about for me. Having had the valuable opportunity to earn an LL.M. degree (masters of law degree) in US law at Temple Law School, the only ABA-accredited US law school with a campus in Japan, while working full time as an in-house paralegal and legal translator at my workplace (Uryu & Itoga, a Japanese law firm mainly engaged in corporate affairs), the perspectives from which I am able to view my professional environment, as well as my professional legal work, have undergone a drastic change. Previously, translating legal contracts (whether from Japanese into English or from English into Japanese) was an automatic task for me, changing the legal terms and concepts into another language without much room for deep thought. Now, when I read contracts drafted in English, whether when doing legal translation or performing contract or legal document review as a paralegal, I am …

Locked Out

Reflections on Locked Out of Learning: Educating Refugees in America’s Schools

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I knew attending the Locked Out of Learning: Educating Refugees in America’s Schools forum would ignite in me a deep reflection of my life—a life shaped both by and in the shadow of my family’s immigration to the United States. Born to “Vietnamese boat people,” members of a two-million-people diaspora fleeing communist Vietnam from 1975 to 1995, I immediately saw the similarities between my own refugee parents, the six named plaintiffs in Issa v. School District of Lancaster, and the Asian American students involved in the 2009 interracial-violence incident at South Philadelphia High School. They were all new Americans who left their native countries in pursuit of greater educational and economic opportunities in the United States. However, upon arrival they were faced with the often harsh reality of cross-cultural assimilation, a slow and difficult process of adjustment. Escaping persecution, violence, and war, my mother and father settled in the United States for a better future. Yet, despite their steadfast work ethic, our household was in a perpetual state of financial instability. Growing up in this manner, …

DNC Experience

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I love to travel, but there is something special about the great city of Philadelphia. It is a place so rich with history, culture and amazing food that there was no doubt in my mind Philly was a perfect choice for the Democratic National Convention. The whole city came together for this once in a lifetime event, and I loved seeing all the decorations and support Philly showed for the Convention. I never thought I would get to attend the DNC when it hit our town last week. But, on July 26, I was there. I got to be part of history and I am so happy I had this opportunity. I went to Philly that day after being in court in New Jersey for my summer internship with the State of New Jersey Division of Law and Public Safety. I was meeting my mom at Independence Hall to continue participating in the Donkeys Around Town Challenge and was also hoping to score some DNC merchandise. We watched as Hillary Clinton became the first woman …

Mixed Berries in Heart Shaped Bowl

Why We Created the Student Wellness Association

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Enrolling at Temple Law was, hands-down, the best decision I’ve ever made. After just one year in law school, I’ve already taken classes that have shifted my perspective on the world, engaged with top-notch professors who always make time for their students, and, perhaps most notably, been consistently blown away by both the intellect and genuine kindness of my fellow classmates. As many other authors on this blog have noted, the Temple Law community is a uniquely welcoming place, and I am so grateful to be here. What I often neglect to mention about my law school experience is that my 1L year was also one of my most challenging. When I first started at Temple Law, I believed I had a solid self-care plan in place. I meditated daily, attended a local yoga class two times per week, and prioritized taking time to relax with friends and family. Because my background includes counseling individuals with anxiety and depression, I knew firsthand how important it was going to be for me to take care of …

Philadelphia Skyline from Fitler Square

My Philly Neighborhood: Fitler Square

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I grew up in Fitler Square, a small, quaint neighborhood in the southwest corner of Center City. The neighborhood’s charm is defined by its Victorian-era, 19th and 20th century row homes and its close proximity to Rittenhouse Square, Taney Park, and other Center City neighborhoods. The best part about Fitler Square is its diversity and exuberance; the neighborhood is comprised of families, young professionals, students, and empty nesters. I grew up loving the neighborhood, and I’ve never strayed too far. I returned to the neighborhood when I started law school and I could not be happier with my decision.