Claire Anderson, UCI Law Class of 2021 LL.M. Graduate, First in Program to Receive Pro Bono Honors
The University of California, Irvine School of Law (UCI Law) is proud to announce that Claire Anderson, a 2021 graduate from the law school’s LL.M. Program, is the first LL.M. student to graduate with Pro Bono Honors. She has completed more than 110 pro bono hours in her one year at UCI Law, and has plans to reach 120 hours very soon.
“She has been an amazing volunteer, assisting the Orange County Public Defender’s Office and also working with a group conducting research for International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW),” said Anna Davis, Director of Pro Bono Programs at UCI Law. “I am in awe of her spirit and generosity and I am so proud of all that she has accomplished during her time at UCI Law.”
"Claire took full advantage of the unique resources available to her as a LL.M. student at UCI Law,” said Khary Hornsby, Assistant Dean for LL.M. and International Programs at UCI Law. “Along with her incredible Pro Bono work she represented her peers as a member of the Student Bar Association, our student governing body. Additionally, Claire and her classmate, Busra Sahin, served as the first-ever LL.M. staff members of UCI’s Journal of International, Transnational and Comparative Law. Claire’s intellect, work ethic and dedication to service allowed her to be a true pioneer during her time at UCI Law."
"It is vital that I acknowledge my educational privilege by actively assisting underserved communities,” explained Claire. “Access to legal representation should not depend upon privilege, or lack thereof. At UCI Law's Pro Bono program, we not only see the barriers but work tirelessly to break them down, striving for equal access and justice."
More about Claire Anderson
Claire was the LL.M. Class of 2021 commencement student speaker. She graduated with a Bachelors of Law degree with Honors having written her thesis analyzing the socio-legal conclusions of same-sex couples and single parent rights to artificial reproduction, before going on to complete her legal education at the Northumbria School of Law, U.K. There, her law clinic team was awarded with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, held as the highest form of national recognition for work of outstanding excellence and positive impact. She has since immigrated to the United States and worked in warranty & commercial litigation for two of the top Fortune 500 automotive manufacturers. Claire intends to use her LL.M. to continue in pursuit of her passion for litigation.
More about the UCI Law Master of Laws Degree Program
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree program at UCI Law offers a first-rate legal education to lawyers, judges, government officials and others wishing to become educated about the legal system and practice of law in the United States. The law school offers a general LL.M. program that can be tailored to each individual’s interests, thus uniquely equipping students with the knowledge and skills to excel in today’s global legal community, whatever their personal and professional goals may be.
The program is a one-year, full-time, 24-credit course of study in advanced legal topics, designed for lawyers trained outside of the United States. Students are required to take one course: Introduction to American Law. For the remainder of their courses, students select from a broad range of courses across the upper-level curriculum. Dedicated staff are available to assist students in planning their course of study and, if desired, ensuring that students’ coursework meets the eligibility requirements of the California, New York, or other state bars.
More about UCI Law's Pro Bono Program
UCI Law’s Pro Bono Program is a reflection of the school’s deep commitment to public service and experiential learning. The school encourages each student to participate by providing legal services to underserved communities and causes while supervised by an attorney or member of the Law School faculty.
Collaborations with more than 20 law firms over the past six years have helped UCI Law to significantly increase services to low-income clients, while also helping to alleviate the caseloads of local legal services providers. UCI Law students have directly parlayed their roles as pro bono project volunteers into post-graduate paid positions. UCI Law alumni in private practice have been extremely active pro bono volunteers, and of course many graduates have gone on to careers in public interest law. Several alumni have joined the ranks of attorneys who supervise UCI Law student pro bono work.