From Engineer to Future IP Lawyer
When evening student Yungmoon Chang ’16 decided to pursue a law degree six years into a successful career as a structural engineer, she was intent on finding a law school that allowed her to continue working full-time while pursuing legal opportunities. Loyola Law School’s Evening Division Program fit the bill – and more.
Chang, now a law clerk at the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, capitalized on Loyola’s evening course offerings to design a schedule that allowed her to continue working full-time during the day. As she grew her legal knowledge, she transitioned from engineering to law firms, where she has held summer associate and law clerk positions.
After graduation, Chang will join the Intellectual Property Litigation group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She credits the Evening Program with allowing her to make the leap. “Evening students have the opportunity to transition to legal jobs while still in school, which greatly improves their chances of obtaining the jobs they desire after graduation,” she said. “I had a huge advantage in that I had experience working in a legal environment. Aside from the substantive knowledge that work experience gave me, I also had practical knowledge, like how to bill hours and interact with clients.”
Despite a full-time work schedule, Chang immersed herself in campus life. She participated in the Scott Moot Court competition, where she won Best Advocate and Top 10 Brief awards. She successfully ran for the presidency of the Evening Student Bar Association, joined the Intellectual Property Law Society, served as a Student Ambassador to prospective students and wrote for Loyola’s Jury of Peers student blog. She also took advantage of Loyola’s clinical opportunities, working at Loyola’s Center for Conflict Resolution to earn hours toward the school’s pro bono requirement.
Inside the classroom, Chang found that the evening program had a unique appeal. “Most evening students have varied work and life experiences, which creates a rich and diverse learning environment in classes,” Chang said.