In October 2022, UC College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) first-year law students Simon Luu and Jaqueline Mejía-Cuéllar were honored as the 2022-2023 Wilson Sonsini Foundation Diversity Scholars at the California ChangeLawyers Next Gen Awards in Los Angeles, California. The annual event celebrated the latest cohort of scholars, who collectively are first generation, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and others whose lived experiences and identities are significantly underrepresented in the halls of power.

Please see below to learn more about Simon and Jaqueline, as well as the ChangeLawyers Diversity Scholarship Program.

Simon Luu

Growing up as a gay, first-generation Asian-American, Simon often felt like an outsider, facing unique challenges and discrimination in both his personal and professional lives. As he discovered how important lawyers are to society and underrepresented identities, he decided to pursue a career in law. Simon earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and business administration from the University of Southern California in 2020. He previously served as the director of public policy for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, spearheading public policy change to combat violence against the Asian-American community, and has been a researcher of both local and global political issues at various institutions.

What led you to pursue the study of law?
As I learned over the years what it means to be a lawyer, I realized what an important role they play within our society. Lawyers have the tools to defend themselves and others, and therefore can advocate for their clients and beyond. I enjoy the intellectual rigor in learning about the law, and am interested in debating the most pressing, complex issues of our time. Moreover, I want to represent my identities.

How would you characterize your law school experience so far? What’s been the biggest surprise? The biggest challenge?
My law school experience so far has been great. I’ve made new friends, been academically challenged, and engaged in stimulating discussions. People often talk about how much reading there is in law school, but I didn’t think that was real until my second or third week. Sometimes, I feel like there’s so much reading that I don’t have time for anything else I want to do. The biggest surprise is how welcoming and supportive the professors and staff are. On many TV shows, they portray law professors as distant and terrifying, especially when it comes to cold calls. However, all my professors are extremely understanding and are willing to work with students.  

Are there any specific areas of the law that interest you at this stage?
I have litigation experience, but still want to experience the transactional side of law. Though I’ve only completed one semester of law school, I hope we will be taught more about the different practice areas because there are so many interesting topics. I want to experience more of them before I commit to a particular area.

Do you have a sense of what career path you want to pursue following law school?
I have worked as a litigation paralegal at a Big Law firm and would love to go back to a similar environment because I enjoy working in high-pressure situations. Not only are the complex legal matters interesting to me, but I also think there are great resources provided to navigate those issues on behalf of the most well-known people and companies. In addition, I’m interested in firms that have great diversity and strong pro bono opportunities. I would love to further my passions of increasing diversity and civil rights through pro bono work.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Wilson Sonsini Foundation Diversity Scholar?
It means a lot to have been selected as a Wilson Sonsini Foundation Diversity Scholar. It is nice to know that other people believe in me and are actively supporting me. Law school is daunting, but having the Wilson Sonsini Foundation’s monetary support and Wilson Sonsini as a partner makes my professional experience much more approachable. I am grateful to my firm mentor, Doug McManaway, for sharing his expertise with me.

What advice do you have for students who are considering law school or a legal career?
One big piece of advice I have for future law students is to be sure you want to go to law school before doing it. If you are even thinking about any other career choice, you should pursue that before going to law school. Law school will always be there, but once you decide to go to law school, you have to give it your all and it may be hard to succeed if you do not have your “why.” 

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I really enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and snowboarding. I recently got a season pass to snowboard in Lake Tahoe, so I have been trying to get out to the slopes as much as I can, but it has been hard with school. I also enjoy playing with my dog, Astro, who is a German Shepherd. We usually go to Golden Gate Park and play a little game of fetch.

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“It has been a pleasure mentoring and getting to know Simon. He is ambitious, thoughtful, and committed to his studies. I can’t wait to see how Simon will apply the wisdom gained from his unique professional and personal experiences to the law.”

—Doug McManaway, mentor to Simon

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 Jaqueline Mejía-Cuéllar

An Oakland native, Jaqueline Mejía-Cuéllar is the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. She earned a B.A. degree in political science from Yale University in 2016. Before attending law school, Jaqueline advocated for immigrant and reproductive justice rights at the National Immigration Law Center, FWD.us, and If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice. She has a unique perspective as a Latina from a working-class background with six years of nonprofit work experience.

What led you to pursue the study of law?
I decided to come to law school to do more client-facing work. I enjoyed the advocacy work I did at immigration- and reproductive-justice-focused nonprofits, but I realized I could make a bigger impact as an attorney. There are not many Latina attorneys and I want to enter the legal field to increase women and Latino representation. I also had amazing mentors who were using their law degrees to make a positive impact on the world, and that inspired me to apply to law school.

How would you characterize your law school experience so far? What’s been the biggest surprise? The biggest challenge?
I have loved law school! I am an active member of the First-Generation Program at my school and I have found a supportive community through the Legal Education Opportunity program and the campus affinity groups. One challenge was adapting to different teaching styles and managing my time efficiently. Although my law school journey to date has not been easy, I am excited to learn about new areas of law. One of my favorite things is learning from professors who come from compelling, diverse careers, including serving as a clerk for judges, working in private practice, and working at nationally recognized public interest organizations.

Are there any specific areas of the law that interest you at this stage?
I am an aspiring litigator and I am especially interested in appellate work. I am part of the Appellate Project Mentorship program and I was matched with two wonderful appellate lawyers, one in private practice and another at a public interest organization. I have been so fascinated by their work and hope to work on appellate matters in the future. It is still early and I am keeping an open mind about different practice areas!

Do you have a sense of what career path you want to pursue following law school?
I am interested in working in private practice after law school. I would also like to clerk for a federal judge in the future.

What does it mean to you to be selected as a Wilson Sonsini Foundation Diversity Scholar?
I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a Wilson Sonsini Foundation Diversity Scholar. My firm mentor, Malavika Lobo, has been a great resource and such an inspiration for me! I come from a working-class Latino household. Both of my parents are immigrants and I am the first in my family to graduate from high school. When I was growing up, I never knew any attorneys who looked like me or shared my background. Thank you to the Foundation for making my law school journey possible and connecting me with a wonderful mentor.

What advice do you have for students who are considering law school or a legal career?
I would encourage students who are considering applying to law school to persist. The application process can be a daunting task, especially for students who come from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the legal field. I would recommend reaching out to attorneys who work on issues or in practice areas that they are interested in. Attorneys are excited to speak to students and to share their law school journeys.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I enjoy traveling whenever I get the chance! It is always fun to explore a new city and to stroll around neighborhoods to try new restaurants. I also like to try out new recipes in the kitchen. I use my Instant Pot at least once a week. The last two dishes I learned to cook were chana masala and saag paneer.

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“It’s been a pleasure serving as a mentor for Jaqueline. I’m always inspired by fellow first-generation law school attendees and their drive and passion for advocacy, and Jaqueline is no different. I feel honored to have supported in her in her journey to lawyer-hood.”

—Malavika Lobo, mentor to Jaqueline

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The 2022 Next Gen Awards, held on October 19, 2022, recognized the newest cohort of ChangeLawyers scholars. Supported through contributions from law firms and other donors, the ChangeLawyers’ Diversity Scholarship Program provides financial support to diverse students who are starting their first year at an ABA or California accredited law school with a commitment to practicing law in California and who have a financial need and a desire to make an impact in the community. The Wilson Sonsini Foundation has provided support for the program since 2008.

To learn more about California ChangeLawyers, please visit http://www.changelawyers.org.