A Q&A with UCI Law 3L Student Jason Grimm
Jason Grimm is currently studying in Washington, D.C., through UCI Law's UCDC program. His externship is at the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice.
What has your UCDC experience been like?
My experience with UCDC has been really great. I live about 15 minutes from my office, just a short bus ride from where I live in Washington D.C. I go into the office every day to meet as many Department of Justice lawyers as possible. I'm given substantive assignments every week and I am consistently asked if I want different types of work or if I want to participate in strategy meetings and negotiations.
The work has been challenging and educational, which I appreciate. Everyone I work with is nice, smart and willing to meet with me to discuss serious topics, like career plans, or fun activities, like what museum I should go to that weekend.
Our UCDC seminar class, which meets once a week at the UCDC building near Logan Circle, is great because it allows me to interact with other University of California law students who are also participating in the program. We get to hear from amazing speakers, like the Solicitor General of the United States, nearly every week, and we talk about our respective jobs and how we have tackled job-specific problems. Professor Lehtman (who runs the UCDC Law program) is amazing!
What's your favorite part about externing at the USDOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division this semester?
I have two. First, everyone I work with is an exceptional environmental lawyer who wants to be there doing this kind of work. I learn a lot from them and in turn, I can contribute a lot based on the assignments they give me and my unique background. Second, the assignments are all litigation-related (because I am in the Environmental Enforcement Section), which I appreciate because I want to do litigation.
What are your future career plans?
I want to work in environmental law (public interest, government or law firm - I expect to move between all three at some point in my career) before ultimately taking the bench. I want to do litigation, but I also enjoy agency and commission practice, community organizing and advocacy work. I am not set on a particular type of judgeship, but I would enjoy being a trial court judge.
What drew you to the UCDC program?
I went to UC San Diego for undergrad and had a lot of friends participate in UCDC and work on the Hill. I wanted to do that as an undergrad, but I was an environmental chemistry major and could not take a semester off from lab classes because I would have needed to delay my graduation.
When I started at UCI Law and learned that there was a UCDC Law program, I talked with other UCI Law students who had participated and decided I wanted to join. There are not the same required classes in law school as in undergrad, which allows you to customize your curriculum a lot more. I really enjoyed being in the Environmental Law Clinic at UCI Law and decided to double down and essentially do that type of work full time for a semester in D.C.
What's your favorite part about living in Washington, D.C.?
It is a cliche, but all the free museums and other opportunities are my favorite thing about living in D.C. It is great because you always have something fun to do and it's never far away. I have enjoyed a bunch already and I can't wait to see more during the next two months of my externship!