UC Davis School of Law Greets 50th Entering Class

UC Davis School of Law greeted its 50th entering class on August 16 at the Welcome BBQ honoring the Class of 2018. King Hall faculty, alumni, students, and staff gathered on the Moss Patio at the UC Davis Buehler Alumni Center to greet the newest members of the King Hall community in an informal setting prior to the beginning of Intro Week, five days of academic and social activities that take place before the beginning of regular fall courses.

The event included remarks from Dean Kevin R. Johnson, Assistant Dean for Admission and Financial Aid Kristen Mercado, Alberto Roldan '92, Chief Administrative Law Judge and Executive Director for the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, and Law Students Association President Samantha Mandell '16.

Facebook Photo Gallery: Welcome BBQ

"I want to congratulate all the new students who are here tonight," Dean Johnson said, greeting the new class on a typically warm Davis summer evening.  "You've joined a great law school and a greater law school community.  You've selected a perfect place to study law."

"This is a special class, not just because of the qualifications of the students, the things that you've done, the places you've been, and what you're going to do," Dean Johnson continued. "It's also a special class because it is our 50th class at UC Davis School of Law."

Dean Johnson talked about the impressive credentials of the new class, which posted a median GPA of 3.51 and median LSAT score of 163. About half the incoming students identify as people of color, and 48 percent are female.  About 40 percent are graduates of the University of California, but the class also includes students from as far away as Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, Alaska, Texas, New York, Illinois and many other states, as well as China, Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

Alberto Roldan encouraged the new students to begin thinking of themselves as "colleagues" to their professors and alumni, reminding them that soon they will be expected to take on the responsibilities of legal professionals.  He also encouraged them to "embrace" their years at King Hall.

"King Hall prides itself on being a school where, instead of it being a cutthroat environment, you are invited to compete academically, but in a professional and collegial way," said Roldan.  "That's what makes you stand out as a King Hall graduate when you go into professional practice.  Practitioners can look at you and know that you had a first-class academic experience, but at the same time you were in an environment that taught you to be collegial, professional, and ethical practitioners of law."

Kristen Mercado said she quickly came to appreciate the unique nature of the King Hall community after arriving at UC Davis from the University of Chicago Law School in 2011. "It's rare to be part of an organization where everyone is there not because they have to be or because they have no place to go, but because they want to be there. It's rare to be somewhere where people sincerely care about one another, regardless of their title or their position in the school.  It's rare to be someplace that is so dynamic."

Samantha Mandell closed out the presentations with remarks that included a list of the "Top Ten Things You Need to Know about Being a Student at King Hall." Her tips for new students ranged from jokes about "Legally Blonde" and free food to more serious advice such as "don't be afraid to ask for help."

"You've just become part of the best community I've ever had the privilege of being a part of," Mandell said. "You're going to love it."