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.
This just in: From their annual list of Top 100 Jobs, U.S. News and World Report ranked “Lawyer” at #9 for 2022.
Just a step below Statistician at #8, and two steps above Physician at #11, the basis for the ranking was an overall score calculated by assigning points to several job factors. The factors included: pay, intellectual stimulation, advancement opportunities, and the degree of demand for the skill set, among others. The jobs were further ranked in sub-lists within categories like Best Paying, Best in Health Care, Best in Business, etc. “Lawyer” came in at #18 for Best Paying – based on a median annual salary of $127,000.
One has only to glance at SJCL’s online Job Board to see how many law firms and agencies are seeking to fill open attorney positions in the Central Valley. Often times, a job listing is re-posted more than once because it has gone unfilled for more than a month. And it seems paralegals are just as hard to come by, as noted by local attorneys like Glen Gates (Law ’78), who says his firm has had trouble filling paralegal positions as well.
From an undeclared undergrad at Fresno State to a successful San Joaquin College of Law student who's leading our LawSUIT student organization, 3L Cindy Arredondo has worked hard to put herself through law school. Learn more about your LawSUIT President, including how she navigated law school as a strong single mom, how she discovered her passion for helping others, and why it's so important to make sure your cup is full throughout law school.
Throughout its 52-year history, SJCL has been known as an atypical law school. As a small graduate school unknown even by some locals, we have always radiated a positive energy of nurturing and collaborative support, rather than the customary fierce competition found in most law schools.