Haley Alexander
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I was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, and I am very proud of my Alaskan roots. In 2008, I graduated from Oregon State University, with a B.S. in Business Administration with an option in Finance and a minor in Political Science. Go Beavs!
Upon graduating from law school, I hope to pursue a career in corporate law. I love meeting new people. I am eager and excited to assist prospective law students. I understand the importance of choosing a law school. I hope to provide prospective students with helpful information regarding Gonzaga University School of Law, as well as the City of Spokane. When I am not studying, I enjoy watching OSU sporting events, attending Zag basketball games, playing intramural sports, and hanging out with my fellow law school classmates!
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Colleen Durkin
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I have wanted to attend law school for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always “a girl warrior” which was supposed to be “girl lawyer” but a slight problem with pronouncing my “L’s” made that a little difficult for a few years. My desire to be a “girl warrior” came from the fact that my father was a lawyer and I was fascinated by the work he did for others. I have countless memories of conversations with my father about his work day, the law, and why we have to help others. As I grew older, the conversations with my father became more detailed and even more interesting. My desire to be a lawyer continued to grow and was a consistent goal of mine throughout grade school, high school, and undergrad.
Gonzaga Law is where I will finally achieve my goal. While attending Gonzaga, my desire to be a lawyer has matured with an understanding of what it means to actually be a lawyer. Gonzaga not only teaches the law but teaches students how to practice the law in an ethical, responsible, and professional manner. The administration and professors are truly invested in each and every one of the students which enables us to learn and develop confidently while being challenged like never before. This support system is evident in the success of all Gonzaga Law graduates and is unique to this institution.
I have already learned a great deal at Gonzaga, the best lesson being one taught by one of my first professors and by my father through his example. Being a lawyer is a rewarding and challenging profession, but it is a job which requires hard work, dedication, and continual advocacy for your clients. When I graduate from Gonzaga Law, I hope to be that type of advocate, a “girl warrior” if you will, and I am grateful to Gonzaga Law for helping me achieve that goal. |
Joe Fortunato
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I grew up in western Washington and came from a background that fluctuated between below the poverty line and solidly middle class. In my years prior to law school I worked a variety jobs including landscaper, carpenter, radio DJ, personal trainer, retail associate and even did a short stint in the Marine Corps as an artilleryman.
After I graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Advertising, I interned with Fisher Broadcasting, then began studying for the LSAT. Fundamentally, I decided on law school because I like to understand why things work the way they do, particularly things as infinitely complex as the American legal system. In addition to the aforementioned, and just wanting a career as an attorney, I chose law school because I felt it would give me the legal acumen to address legal issues which may arise in the entrepreneurial side projects I have planned for the future.
Over this last summer I interned for LeSourd and Patten, a tax firm in Seattle. I received this internship, in part, due to alumni connections with the firm. This internship opened additional doors for me and I was recently accepted onto Gonzaga’s appellate tax team. I look forward to contributing to the team’s performance in our upstate New York competition later this spring.
In my free time I like to build furniture, read and paint, and I am active in the Spokane chapters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation as well as Ducks Unlimited.
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Jeff Ludlow
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I originally applied to Gonzaga University School of Law because it was a highly regarded school close to my wife’s home town with a reputation for excellent basketball. Gonzaga grew on me from the first time I came to campus. I was impressed with the professional atmosphere as well as the beauty of the law school building.
At the University of Utah, I majored in Spanish and decided to go to law school to broaden career opportunities and earning potential. I did not know what to expect and did not have a specific area of law in mind for a career after school. I was intrigued at the prospect of studying law because of personal interests in the Constitution and the federal system of government envisioned by the Founding Fathers. While I do not aspire to be a politician, the environment at Gonzaga Law has fostered debate inside and outside of the classroom that is respectful and a welcome supplement to the study of law. The law students do not see themselves as enemies despite being graded on a curve. The relationship between students is friendly and helpful.
The law school has sponsored many networking events and seminars where I have been able to speak with a wide variety of professionals in the public and private sector, including professional agents. The law school’s Career Services office has been a tremendous help in finding employers, internships, and other opportunities in a tough to crack employment market. I have been able to give some volunteer time as well as pursue my career interests in the Athletic Department at Eastern Washington University, which recently won the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship.
I have developed a good relationship with many professors at Gonzaga Law. I have never been turned away when I went looking for help with an assignment or even just popping in to ask a question. The professors are eager to help and have shared meaningful experience with balancing family, career, and personal interest.
It has been a pleasure to be a part of the Gonzaga Law tradition. I am grateful to be associated with a network of hard working, community-minded people. |
Tara Reilly
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I was born and raised in northern California and earned my first bachelor’s degree in English from San Jose State University in 2003. I taught high school English for three years in California before moving to Boise, Idaho to teach one more year.
During my time as an educator, I was able to see how entrapped teachers are. They want to do the best for their kids, but are caught between administration, curriculum reform, lack of resources, socio-economic differences among the student population, etc. In California, I taught a “crimes against humanity” unit to my World Literature class in which I advocated taking a stand and helping those in need. I decided I should take my own advice and empower myself to be able to do more for education. To make big change, I knew I had to get outside of the classroom. In 2009, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boise State University, and began my law school career the following fall.
My experience at Gonzaga Law has been tremendous. I joined Gonzaga University’s chapter of the ACLU, which has been a rewarding experience. I held the position of 1L Committee Chair and Vice President, as well as attended a club leader training at the ACLU of Washington office in Seattle. I was also one of five 1Ls selected for the William O. Douglas Committee – a student-run organization dedicated to First Amendment advocacy. As a 2L, I am a member of both the Gonzaga Law Review and The Gonzaga Journal of International Law. In the fall semester of my 2L year, I externed with the Washington State Court of Appeals, Division III.
After graduation, I hope to return to Boise and become involved with education law helping to provide students with the public education they deserve. |
Sean Umipig
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My road to Gonzaga University School of Law has been quite a journey beginning with my legal internships while attending the University of San Diego. As a student, I interned with the City of San Diego Office of the City Attorney for the City of San Diego – Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution, as well as the County of San Diego’s Office of the Alternate Public Defender. While interning with the Alternate Public Defender, I was tasked with various research projects and one project in particular provided me with the opportunity to present my findings before the presiding judge. This experience proved to be the defining moment in my decision to pursue a career in law.
Despite this choice, I still opted to take a few years to gain professional experience prior to taking the LSAT and applying for law school. I have to say, the time off from school between the completion of my undergraduate program and my first year of law school, has been invaluable. It was during this time that I worked as a patients’ rights advocate and mental health counselor for a non-profit mental health organization, followed by a stint with a boutique law firm specializing in business litigation where I worked as a clerk/secretary. Although I have had considerable exposure to various areas of law, I am still uncertain of the field of law I wish to practice. Nevertheless, I am optimistic that I will find my niche within the next year and a half.
Lastly, I’m excited to be a part of the Law Ambassador Program here at Gonzaga University School of Law. It is my hope to bestow upon all prospective and incoming students the knowledge that I lacked during the “law school admissions experience.” To all who are reading this I wish you: Good Luck! Hope to see some of you next year! |
Cherlyn Walden
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My name is Cherlyn Walden, and I am currently a 2L. I grew up in Spanaway, Washington, and graduated from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, majoring in Sociology. After undergrad, I spent two years working as a full-time national service volunteer with the Americorps*VISTA program in Seattle where I worked with an amazing social justice non-profit, Solid Ground. Through that experience, I found myself wanting to pursue a legal education and be a public interest advocate.
I knew I wanted a legal education that is geared towards the development of the whole person. I chose Gonzaga Law because of its demonstrated commitment to public service, promotion of diversity, and its Jesuit tradition. I was fortunate to receive the Thomas More Scholarship, and haven’t looked back since.
I have enjoyed the many opportunities to get involved with a number of student organizations such as the Multicultural Law Caucus, the Alliance for Social Justice, the Asian Pacific Islander Law Caucus, and the Student Bar Association Diversity Committee. I am also an Academic Resource Program Mentor, member of the Moot Court Honors Council and member of the Labor and Employment Trial Team.
Gonzaga has been an academically challenging and rewarding experience for me, come see if it can be the experience you are looking for! |
Rollin Wood
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As a journalism major at Arizona State University, I once aspired to be a foreign correspondent traveling to conflict zones and document what was often overlooked by our society. However, my political science studies gave me new respect for law and I began to examine possibilities in the legal field. The decision to pursue law was finally made after fresh insights into business practices involving Native American tribes, especially regarding natural resources. My application and entry into Gonzaga University School of Law was my first step into my journey to one day provide competent legal counsel and aid to Native American tribes in the sphere of economic self-determinism.
After the first year of law school, I was fortunate to be awarded a Patton Boggs Public Policy Fellowship from the law firm, Patton Boggs, LLP. The Fellowship was awarded to 17 law students from 12 law schools, who were assigned various policy positions across the world. My role led me to the Native non-profit organization, the First Alaskans Institute in Anchorage, Alaska. The work entailed six weeks of public policy research for a foundational report on the Layers of Governance in Alaska. The report outlines the relationships between Native governmental entities, the State of Alaska, and the federal government – while providing educational material about how these uniquely complex relationships have interacted in the past, and how these relationships may shape public policy for the future.
As a second-year law student, I have worked in the Indian Law clinic and become a spokesman in the Kalispel Tribal court. This experience allowed me to work on preparing and settling cases, which included going to trial with my fellow clinic counselors. |
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