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Esther Esho

Hometown:
Highland, CA

Professional Interests:
Labor and Employment Law; Entertainment Law; Toxic Tort Litigation

Student Organizations:
Black Law Student Association (Co-President); Student Bar Association (Director of Fundraising); Entertainment and Sports Law (Student Programing Chair); First Generation Professionals Program; Women's Law Society; In Vino Veritas

Extracurricular:
Law Review; Moot Court

UCI Law Clinic:
Workers, Law, and Organizing Clinic

Pro Bono:
Street Law (Student Leader); Homeboy Industries; Saturday Academy of Law

Housing:
UCI Graduate Housing (Ask me about living on campus!)

Meet Esther:
When I was looking at what law school to attend, I valued community and support. I understood that school would be competitive, but I didn’t want to participate in a toxically competitive and unsupportive school. When I met current UCI Law students, I instantly felt welcomed and supported, people offered me outlines and even old textbooks before I was even a student, and that’s when I realized UCI was unique. In undergrad, I worked in the entertainment department, and I thought after I graduated, I would work at an artist agency. However, I took a seminar on toxic torts and the environment and decided to apply to law school. At UCI, I have been able to join different student organizations to explore entertainment and media law, environmental law, and toxic torts. There is a club for everyone, and it is nice to have diverse options when exploring the different areas and practices of law.

I am leaning toward Labor and Employment law after my externship at UCR’s general counsel. Employment law is very diverse and is like reality TV. I did a lot of work with ADA, Title IX, and discrimination and harassment; every day was a new topic I could learn about. I am excited to keep exploring this practice to see if it’s right for me and meet people along the way.

I highly recommend that incoming or protective students find a non-school-related hobby that they like doing and maintain it. One way I have been able to have a “healthy” school/work/life balance is by exploring a new coffee shop every weekend. My favorite coffee shop in Orange County is Contra Coffee, it’s very millennial in a positive way, and I get a ton of work done.

The advice I have for applicants and admitted students is a lot of the time, your path in law school will not follow the “traditional or normal” way. There are many ways to end up in the same place, and it is essential to avoid adding additional stress if things go differently than planned initially. You will end up where you need to be! :)