Biography
Anticipated Graduation Year: 2022
Hometown? I grew up in Laie, a small town on the island of Oahu, and attended Kahuku High School. Kahuku is known for its football program, but I like to tell people we have a pretty great debate program, too!
Undergraduate? I earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University.
Previous work experience? Before law school, I was a fundraising and communications professional. I was most recently the Director of Development at Innovation Law Lab, an Oregon-based nonprofit organization that advocates and litigates for immigrants’ rights. Before that, I worked in academic medical fundraising—first, for Stanford University, then Oregon Health and Science University. My favorite part of working in academic medicine was getting to know faculty members and learning about their groundbreaking research.
Why did you choose Lewis & Clark Law School? My spouse and I moved to Portland, Oregon in 2016 and decided to call it home. But the fact that Lewis & Clark Law is in Portland is not the only reason I decided to go to school here. I mapped out where I hoped my career trajectory would take me, then I started researching institutions where I might want to work post-graduation to see whether any Lewis & Clark alumni were there. Sure enough, I found alumni doing amazing things across every industry and practice area in Oregon. I have really enjoyed my time at Lewis & Clark Law so far—the faculty and staff are brilliant and kind, which I think is the best combination of traits.
What sparked your interest in studying intellectual property law? I became interested in intellectual property law after taking classes from Professors Lydia Loren and Tomás Gómez-Arostegui and learning about their time in practice. In the summer of 2020, I had a great experience as a law clerk at an intellectual property law firm, which deepened my interest in studying intellectual property law and led me to sign up for just about every IP class offered at Lewis & Clark Law during the 2020-21 school year.
Any advice for students considering intellectual property law? Do not let the fact that you do not have a STEM background deter you from taking an intellectual property law class. There are many IP career opportunities out there for us humanities and social sciences majors!