by Leeor NetaAssistant Director of Public Interest Programs
Last week, GGU was proud to host a panel of very talented civil rights lawyers, all of whom came to share with us their advice on pursuing a civil rights career. The five panelists—Linda Lye, John Scott (GGU JD 76), Reggie Shuford, Jessica Stender and Virginia Villegas—each took turns answering questions from the moderator, Professor Marci Seville, and the assembled students. A complete list of the panelists, including their biographies, is available here.
Linda Lye, who works on students’ rights, free speech and technology issues for the ACLU, advised students on the many arenas in which to practice civil rights law, including nonprofit organizations, private law offices, and labor unions. Virginia Villegas and John Scott talked about how they created their innovative practices, while Reggie Shuford and Jessica Stender talked about how empowering it was to represent people “who don’t know their rights.”
All of the panelists agreed that it was most important for aspiring civil rights lawyers to get nuts-and-bolts litigation experience and training.
Afterward, everyone congregated in the GGU Center to enjoy food and drink and, most of all, each other’s company. GGU students and alumni can view a video of the panel discussion on LCSonline. For more information about this and other events, please contact Leeor Neta at lneta@ggu.edu.
