Community and Economic Development Clinic: Wenny Zhu, 3L
From Laguna Niguel, California, Wenny immigrated from China at the age of 13 and studied English literature at Barnard College. She's currently the Senior Diversity and Outreach Editor for UCI Law Review’s volume 14 board and a member of the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association, Chinese Law Student Society, and OutLaw. She plans on practicing commercial litigation after graduation.
Q: What Matters to You and Why?
Doing real legal work and communicating with real clients is essential. It is easy to get lost in the books and exams as a law student and forget why you came here in the first place, but the work that I do in the Community and Economic Development Clinic clinic grounds me. The clinic helped improve my research and writing skills through tasks like drafting internal and external memos. It developed my leadership skills by working with other members of the teams, and honed my oral presentation skills through client interactions. Most importantly, I was able to connect with my clients and make an impact on their lives.
Q: What is the significance of the Community and Economic Development Clinic in your law school experience?
Being a part of the Community and Economic Development Clinic has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had since I started law school. Taking leads on real legal projects, cooperating with peers who have different work styles, communicating with clients who need and appreciate our service, and broadening my legal knowledge – no lecture can provide me with the same kind of growth. I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of litigation, corporate, and real estate projects, which expanded my horizon and helped me explore my interest.
Q: Can you highlight a few memorable experiences you've had in the clinic?
Since I joined the clinic, I have been on a team that serves the residents at a mobile home park in Fresno. Working with two local nonprofits and Fresno County’s Affordable Housing Program team, we are helping the residents incorporate as a Limited Equity Housing Cooperative and obtain financial viability to purchase the mobile home park. I had the opportunity to learn about the application process for federal and state loans such as the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. It was such a pleasure traveling to Fresno with my teammates and meeting the residents in person, and we gave a successful presentation that helped set the project in motion. We are hoping to negotiate with the current owner of the mobile home park and contract a Purchase and Sales Agreement on behalf of the residents.
Working with multiple parties on this complicated purchase is challenging but rewarding. Although the learning curve can be steep, the more I involve with the project, the more I feel my growth. Most importantly, meeting the residents and seeing how much the project means to them reminded me of the reason I wanted to be a lawyer. By doing real legal work with the clinic, I am actively making an impact on people’s lives.
Being a part of the Community and Economic Development Clinic has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had since I started law school.
- Wenny Zhu, 3L
Another project that I have been on since I started is the SABC team. Our client is Santa Ana Business Council, a nonprofit organization that aims at promoting business and community development in Downtown Santa Ana. I had the opportunity to review independent contractors' agreements, research the local municipal codes, and help provide legal support when our client’s main source of funding was abruptly dissolved. Recently, our team is working on helping the client transition from a 501(c)(6) to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which involves amending the organization’s organizational documents.
This project gives a taste of what it would be like to serve as an organization’s legal department. Our work mostly involves answering the client’s questions. While we do not participate in our client’s daily work, I was able to establish a good relationship with the client by attending SABC’s monthly board meeting. It was a great opportunity to see the inner working of a nonprofit, practice my communication skills, and connect with the local community.
Q: What advice or insights about your clinical experience would you offer to prospective students considering UCI Law?
Clinics are an important part of UCI Law education. I encourage all prospective students to read about the clinic, ask current students and alumni about it, and keep it in mind when making your law school decision.