Amid Orientation Week’s networking mixers, inflatable axe-throwing contests, donut trucks, and a student organization social, substantive sessions underscored the importance of valuing the journey, keeping an open mind, and supporting one another in the pursuit of a law degree.
“Everything that I’ve been able to accomplish in my nearly decade of practice started right here,” said Yungmoon Chang ’16 in her remarks to students entering the Hybrid JD Evening Program. “The things that you learn here will take you as far as you want them to in practice.”
Meanwhile, professors encouraged an open dialogue in class. “You’re going to be learning to raise issues from several points of view,” said Professor Albertina Antognini during “Commitment to Justice and Empathy” as part of first-day-of-orientation session “What Are Law School Classes Really Like?"
“This should be a place where you articulate, learn, and disagree. To fully understand any concept, you must understand all its facets,” continued Antognini, who joins LLS this semester from the University of San Diego.
Her remarks set the tone for the Aug. 11 week of programming welcoming new students to the JD, LLM, and MLS programs, helping them to prepare them for their first year as Loyola law students. Other sessions included “Year in the Life of a Law Student” with upper-division students, "Fundamentals of American Law," “Discovering Your Legal Self: Professional Identity Exploration,” and “Connecting On and Off the Court,” a panel on judicial civility with practicing and retired judges.
In her remarks, Fritz B. Burns Dean Brietta Clark urged new students to turn to each other for support and to take advantage of all the opportunities Loyola offers. "I hope that what you find at Loyola is that while we are engaging in the hard work, you are also feeling the joy, you are feeling the meaning, and you are feeling the reward," she said.
Alumna Chang echoed her sentiment: “Be a support for your peers,” she said. “Lean on each other because you’re all going through the same thing together. There’s nobody who will understand better what you’re about to go through over the next four years than the people in this room.”
Ibiere Seck ’07 also spoke about her time as a student. Seck gave words of encouragement and inspiration, describing how an admissions brochure featuring trial attorney and alumnus Johnnie Cochran ’62 brought her to Loyola from Seattle.
"I moved to L.A. not knowing anyone but knowing I was going to be stepping into a tradition of advocacy, excellence, and most importantly, impact," Seck said. "You are now in a place where you have the opportunity to fall in love with the law."
Several sessions were focused on creating and cultivating community in law school. In small groups, or “pods,” students engaged in activities to get to know each other, challenge their own assumptions, and practice civility and compassion.
Professor Patricia Winograd led a session on building a culture of inclusion. She encouraged the students to take stock of the myriad identities that comprise their community to foster a culture of respect and dignity for each member. “I want to encourage you to think about slowing down your thinking, seeing the full picture, and not rushing to judgment,” she said.
The Loyola Social Justice Law Clinic held its own orientations for students working in its clinics, including a trip to Dolores Mission Church and Homeboy Industries for students in the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic. Students in the Juvenile Justice Clinic visited the East L.A. Courthouse and joined the Youth Justice Education Clinic for a roundtable with leaders from Hoops 4 Justice, a nonprofit the clinics partner with regularly throughout the semester, on the most effective ways to connect with and support the incarcerated youth that they will serve. Interactive sessions and in-depth discussions introduced students in the Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic, the Loyola Project for the Innocent, and the Collateral Consequences of Conviction Justice Project to the types of work each clinic undertakes.
Follow #LLSOrientation posts on Instagram, where photo highlights are available. The first day of the fall 2025 semester is Aug. 18; more information is available on the academic calendar.