The law remains a powerful force in society, arbitrating everything from small civil lawsuits to high-profile criminal cases to the interactions between multi-million dollar corporations. Because of its relevance to modern society, many DHS students, whether they plan to pursue law in their careers or not, have expressed a desire to learn more about the field. To address the need for legal education, then, as well as opportunities for pre-law-oriented students, DHS Pre-Law Society was born.
Spearheaded by president Olivia Halim, a DHS junior, the club aims to do more than simply teach about the law; it seeks to provide students with a variety of opportunities, including guest speaker events, volunteer opportunities, and mentors in the field. The club fosters exploration of many different careers in the legal field, from government and politics to environmental law and even social justice. But their flagship events have largely been contacting real lawyers to come speak to their students.
“My favorite part of this club are all of the opportunities to meet real lawyers,” says one member, Scarlett Shiu, a junior. “A lot of the time, when looking up information about different jobs, it doesn’t feel sincere. When a lawyer is right in front of you discussing their job, you have the ability to fill any curiosities about the position. It makes it seem real.”
A “real” impression is exactly what DHS Pre-Law hopes to provide. So far, their list of guest speakers includes Judge Thomas Nixon, from the East County Hall of Justice, as well as Lior Brinn, attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In May of last year, club members even had the chance to tour the East County Courthouse itself, seeing the facilities in-person and speaking with a variety of judges and employees.
Above all else, though, the DHS Pre-Law Society wants to show students that the pursuit of law does not necessarily entail being an attorney, or studying corporate law. The legal space is a diverse one, and has application across fields and in places most people might not expect.
As James Boyd White writes in the Harvard Law Review, “Knowledge of the law… is not simply the capacity to repeat the rules, but something else, including at the least the ability to think about them, to interpret them… both analytically and argumentatively.” Many students may find that this capacity to think critically can be helpful in almost any field they wish to pursue.
The DHS Pre-Law Society applies this principle of the diversity of law in its own practice, presenting topics including “current events, government and politics, social justice, and law enforcement.” A true knowledge of the law reaches all corners of the society, as many familiar with the growing issues of AI ethics, environmental justice, and college admissions equity may know.
“While I may not necessarily pursue law in the future… I feel as if this knowledge will make me feel as if I’m not bound to one career. Hopefully I will learn to apply it to any job in the future and grow [in] that area,” Scarlett tells the Shield. If you’re interested in getting a robust knowledge of law, or are passionate in your pursuit of the field, you can find DHS Pre-Law Society on Instagram, @dhsprelaw.
Legal Knowledge by James Boyd White | Harvard Law Review and the University of Michigan Repository
