Inns of Court from a Law Student’s Perspective

In the words of Jon B. Streeter, Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, “law school is tough, you have to find things that make it interesting and enjoyable.” I heard these words in my first year in law school, on a field trip to the Court of Appeal. As law students, we all know or quickly come to realize that the study of law can become overwhelming at times. Long study sessions, lectures (some very interesting; others not so much) and the never-ending reading that we “have” to do. That is the typical life of a law student.

However, what if I told you that being a law student can at times be interesting and enjoyable. Imagine a learning environment where you get to dress up, have a cocktail, a decent meal and learn the law in a comedic type environment, among some very talented judges and attorneys, where no homework is due and yes, you guessed it, where you don’t have to read an excess of 100 pages of text every week. This place I talk about is not imaginary. It is actually a thing.

I am talking about the Robert G. McGrath American Inn of Court. I joined the Inn late into my second year of law school after hearing one of my classmates Alex, talking about It. It quickly became one of my more exciting undertakings as a law student. Not only was I able to land my first job as a law clerk, but the experience as a whole enabled me to break out of my shy shell, figure out what I really wanted to do as a lawyer all while adding to my knowledge of the law. Additionally, I also found out that some judges can actually drop some rap bars, some lawyers can double as actors and that if underdog needed a double, I would do just fine in that role.

All in all, I think the Inn is a great character builder for students aspiring to be lawyers. If I was to get a do-over, I would join over and over again. I have made some great friends and acquaintances who I know I will be able to rely on in the future and through my career as a lawyer. Further, many lessons I have learned at the Inn have become applicable and beneficial in practice. As a student and a future lawyer, I highly recommend becoming a member.