Jake Hernandez
2L; Admissions Ambassador
Hometown:
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Professional Interests:
Health Law; International and Comparative Law; Public Interest;
Student Organizations and Extracurricular Activities:
Latinx Law Student Association (Chair), Native American Law Student Associaton (Co-Chair), Public Interest Law Fund
Clinic:
International Human Rights
Housing:
On Campus
Pro Bono Projects:
Innocence OC, Saturday Academy of Law, Street Law
Meet Jake:
As a first-generation law student, the path to law school was completely foreign to me. With the help of countless mentors, supportive friends, and my amazing family, I ended up at UC Irvine Law.
Growing up, I was never a good student. Up until my senior year of high school, I rarely got any A’s and came close to repeating grades many times. As the disappointment of being accepted to no colleges came and went, I found myself studying art history in community college. 3 years later, I graduated from UC Berkeley with high honors. While it took me some time, I finally found the agency to do the things I wanted to do.
2 years off for life experience quickly turned into 5 years of working in the nonprofit field. I loved every minute and met some of the most heroic people I’ve ever encountered. While I had a blast and learned so much, I knew that, to fulfill my potential, I needed to go to law school.
Since my arrival in 2023, I have been stunned by the plethora of resources that are available to students. I am routinely shocked, yet empowered, by the work that first-year students are allowed to do in their pro bono projects. As I slowly zero-in on the types of law that interest me most, it becomes more and more clear what responsibility comes with being a lawyer. I look forward to helping others find this responsibility and am excited to serve as an ambassador this year.