Meet Vanessa Martens, a current San Joaquin College of Law student who took an unconventional path to law school. From skipping college and taking the Baby Bar at 18 to starting law school at 20, she’s learned a lot in a short time and it’s paying off for this future attorney. Learn more about Vanessa, including how she overcame her initial intimidation starting law school, why she’s so passionate about criminal defense and how proud she is to work with a full team of SJCL alumni at Mugridge Law Firm.
Tell us what your road to law school looked like.
When I was in high school, I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My mom always expected her children to strive for greatness and asked that we choose a white collar profession. While I had not exactly known what my future was going to look like, I thought it was a great idea to kind of look around and see what I was missing! At the time, my mom had really tried pushing me into the law career because she knew I loved law shows and movies like Drop Dead Diva, Legally Blonde, and Suits. Her initial push rubbed me the wrong way because I just didn’t see myself in that role. When I actually started studying and looking into it, though, something clicked for me.
Once I realized that law was really like a puzzle, I actually enjoyed the art of arguments. After I made that realization, I was hooked and I knew what I wanted to do. I was so gung ho about law that I decided to skip my undergrad and attack law school head on. I took a few CLEP tests, which let me enter this online law school called Oak Brook. After my first year with them, I took the First Year Law Students Exam, also known as the Baby Bar. Once I passed, I knew then that I really wanted to continue my journey into law school, just not online. I was not big on the solo-learning style. I need the social and community aspect of school in order to thrive in any educational setting. I couldn’t teach myself about law, I needed real-life professors and study group!
So, I went on a mission to find the perfect school for me and I finally found San Joaquin College of Law. SJCL had everything I wanted, from physical professors to a flexible academic schedule. Not to mention the best part, it was local! I live in Fresno and I really enjoyed the atmosphere when I went to visit the actual school itself. I met with Dean Atkinson and Joyce Morodomi and they were so amazing and accommodating. At first they were hesitant about letting me attend law school at 20 years old because they were taking a gamble on me, but luckily the board voted to let me attend and they welcomed me to the San Joaquin College of Law community. Ever since then, I've truly enjoyed my time here at SJCL.
What were your feelings during the first year walking into a law school without even having a college campus experience?
I was so intimidated my first year because not only was I a first year attending law student at San Joaquin College of Law, I was also considered a hybrid student because I’d already finished some units with the online school. So, right off the bat, I was an “in-betweener” in uncharted territory, with no “class” to call my own. I started school and there were people who were a couple of years older than me who had been to this school since Day One. They’d already established that comradery and bonded over the stress of law school together. So I was beyond intimidated because to me, these people went and got their Undergrad degree, took the LSAT, and were overall generally accomplished.
Walking into SJCL I definitely felt like a little fish in a big pond. The idea of having a law school professor when I only had dealt with highschool teachers was a big step. Not to mention the success and age of my classmates. All of the factors were almost too overwhelming to handle. If it weren't for the amazing community of SJCL, I don't think I would’ve been able to handle it. If it was another school like Harvard or Yale, I probably would’ve dropped out because the typical community regime is that of fierce competition and “dog eat dog” mentality. At SJCL, not only are the professors willing to treat you like a person and not a student ID number, but the students themselves are very warm and welcoming.
What did you do to overcome those fears and immerse yourself into law school?
Honestly, Cindy Arredondo and Brittany Hieng really took me under their wings and made sure to reinforce to me that everyone is equal at SJCL. That is because as 1L’s, we’re all starting school over again. If it weren’t for them, I don’t think I would be as far as I am today. With time I also made other study group friends who became huge pillars of support! I really leaned into my community of people at SJCL and that really benefited me. The students of all classes are so open and willing to help in any situation, and the professors never shy away from going above and beyond to reinforce their teachings. Professors come up to you in the hallways and start talking to you about life, which is nice because you don’t always have to schedule time with them and track them down just to talk to them. They're more than willing to talk to you and sometimes they’ll even pull you aside and say “Hey, I noticed that you're struggling with this class or you're giving me a weird look, how are things going?”
It's really awesome to have professors that are so willing to just give time and attention to the students and even the students themselves are willing to help other students. It's a very welcoming community and I never felt afraid to actually ask questions when I didn’t understand a concept. I love that SJCL really promotes that kind of environment with their teachings and policies.
How much of an impact do the smaller class sizes and accessibility to professors have on your law school experience?
With fewer students, the professors get the chance to remember our names. Not to mention small class sizes help them pay attention to our responses in class and really see who’s paying attention and who’s struggling so they can help them. With a smaller class size, it gives you a chance to really bond with each other, discuss deeper issues, and also be able to ask questions that can help the entire class.
How important is it to make connections like those with your professors and peers while you’re in law school?
It’s so important and I know some people look down on “making connections” because they think you’re just trying to get ahead and get a job. This can’t be farther from the truth. Community is key when dealing with finals and your law journey. Without a solid study group it can be pretty tough to prepare for finals. Even beyond school related topics, there are a lot of emotional and mental obstacles that students will have to deal with from the stress of law school. No one is better to talk to than someone who is going through the exact struggles as you. After law school, I know we’re all going for similar legal positions and want to be district attorneys, defense attorneys, etc., but don’t let that stop you from making friends along the way!
If you study hard, make connections in school, and apply for a job one day, the recommendation you get from a former professor or the good word your former classmate puts in for you at the law firm you’re applying to can make a big difference. So it’s important to start making those connections now and I know SJCL also encourages that because these are your future legal colleagues. They promote respect for your fellow students now and that will carry over into your future colleague relationships.
How does it feel knowing you'll have a law degree that gives you the freedom and flexibility in your career to work in any industry you choose?
It's mind boggling to me what you can do with a law degree. When I first started out, I figured you have to pass the Bar and become an attorney and that’s all you could do with a law degree. But in reality, you can use that law degree for so many things. You don't have to take the bar and become an actual trial attorney. You can become a professor, a politician, or even use that knowledge to help create your own business. Even the possibilities after taking the bar are vast! It's fascinating how I can be a criminal defense attorney one day and then a probate attorney the next. If you’re a doctor or engineer, you’d have to have different certifications or specialties and most likely go back to school if you want to switch industries. So I really think it’s amazing that a Juris Doctor degree is so versatile.
What’s something you’ve learned in law school that no one told you about or you weren’t prepared for?
Going to law school, I knew reading was going to be a huge part of it and everyone expects that. But the comprehension goes beyond just memorizing the material. Many people spend hours memorizing the law and have the ability to recite it at the drop of a hat. If you don’t understand how to apply what you have memorized, though, then you won’t be able to succeed. I guess when I signed up for law school, I thought it would be just as easy as putting a rule down on a paper and calling it a day, but there's a lot more to it. You have to think of every single thing before it's even a problem. You have to sit down, read an issue pattern and spot all the issues there, which requires far more than just remembering a rule.
It's kind of like a formula because you have to remember which issue it is, plus the rule, plus how to apply said rules to the facts to get your final answer. No one prepares you for that kind of thinking and I guess that's why it's so imperative for the first year of law school to be the toughest year. They really want to make sure that you can handle that kind of thinking because learning how to legally analyze issues is like learning a whole other language. Not to mention that each test has a ton of different issues that have their own formula! Professors try to make sure you understand the concept so well that even without your notes or having the rule right in front of you, you can at least formulate a semi-correct rule with amazing analysis. If you can handle that, then you should be able to take on the bar!
How important is self care as you’re going through law school?
I think it's just as important as the time that you spend studying. Make sure that you’re taking care of your mental and physical health because it's so easy to get sucked into the void of studying and outlines. Some people give up exercising or watching their favorite show because they think studying should take up all of their time. It's something no one really thinks is a big deal until it is taken away. Then they realize that it really does affect them. Burnout is real and if you continually do nothing but law, your brain will get exhausted and won't be able to process anything or retain information. It starts to get really confusing because you're not even mentally aware enough to handle that stress, so I truly believe personal care is just as important as making sure you're doing well on your studies.
What advice do you have for maintaining a healthy work school and life balance?
If you're a planner, get a schedule and literally block out 30 minutes a day or however much time you do need. If you have four or five hours of studying planned in addition to classes, then try to fit an hour bath for yourself or time to play video games or bake or whatever. You need to treat that part of your schedule just like you would treat your studies and constantly remember to take that time for yourself.
What’s your dream legal job or what area of law are you interested in?
Criminal defense is where I ultimately would love to be. That's my dream and that's where I am currently, so it's kind of perfect to truly sit in that environment and get to see everything while I’m still in school. I will say being on the criminal defense side is sort of tough. Criminal defense is consistently misunderstood by other people because they'll ask “why defend criminals?” or say “They belong in prison, why do you want to let them out!” It seems that people have forgotten the most common legal principle in Criminal Law, “innocent until proven guilty.” Part of the law is going through the legal process and actually determining what was done and to what degree! Sometimes a witness who misidentifies the defendant as the person who killed their son or a person who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and these innocent people are sent to jail.
Without defense attorneys, there would be no one to make sure that the defendant has maintained their legal rights throughout the process or to ensure that their side be heard before the jury! There's plenty of times where we are the only defense between this person's life and getting put in jail. Even if they're not serving a life sentence or being put to death, it’s still tough if they are being punished beyond what Justice requires. A person who was convicted of a felony crime, but only committed an infraction or misdemeanor, would then have to struggle with finding a job, housing, and even certain personal liberties such as gun ownership because of the wrongful felony classification.
So being able to help people, even if it might be considered small to us, is life-changing for them and that’s why I enjoy criminal defense. If the District Attorney has a strong case, then it really doesn't matter what I do. But if there's something weak in the case or if a procedure wasn't accomplished correctly, I'm there to catch it. I think that’s why I've always loved the idea of being a criminal defense attorney, in a way we are these people’s champions in the battle of law.
Tell us more about your experience in criminal defense and some of the work you’ve done while you’ve been in law school?
I had the wondrous experience of working with Attorney David Mugridge at his criminal defense firm. He truly believes in the hands-on method of teaching. Right off the bat, he allowed me to handle certain motions and research for clients. It wasn’t long before he asked my to assist him and Attorney Mark King in a death penalty trial. They let me go to court with them as a certified law clerk, and there I was able to watch and interact in a real trial setting. I was even allowed to read a few stipulations in front of the jurors and had been asked to be sworn in and assist one of the witnesses with her testimony! It was such a wonderful time being “behind the scenes” of a case and being able to interact with the court staff and the Judge. I was also given the opportunity to go to a traffic trial and dispute a speeding ticket under the supervision of Mr. Mugridge. I was a bundle of stress and nerves to say the least! Still, it only reaffirmed my passion to pursue criminal defense as my end goal.
What advice do you have for future applicants who are interested in law school and thinking about a law degree?
Don’t be intimidated by your first class, the professors, the atmosphere or anything. Just throw yourself into it because it's worth it. Don't be too scared to take that chance, don't think that you're not smart enough or you won't be able to make it, just go for it and I know it'll pay off.
Want to learn more about San Joaquin College of Law, attend a virtual forum or set up an appointment to discuss your law school future? Contact our Assistant Director of Admissions, Francisco "Javier" Rosas, or our Director of Admissions, Diane Steel, today!