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Jillian Aja
May 2007
Jillian Aja is a first
year law student
who has repeatedly shown
her
dedication to the VLP
Advocates
program. Not only did
Jillian
volunteer for numerous
sessions
at the Child Support
Project at
Superior Court, she
substituted
for other students and
has
committed to becoming a
volunteer coordinator for
the
upcoming year. Jillian
is an
active member of the law
school’s
Community Service Board,
Phi
Alpha Delta, the Student
Bar
Association, the Law
Women’s Association and Students of Arizona Health Law
Organization. When
working with clients, Jillian balances the need for
compassion and efficiency
with ease. She has aided countless clients during
this academic year.
Jillian grew up
about 30 miles west of Phoenix. She did her undergraduate work
at the University
of Arizona majoring in family studies and agricultural
communications.
She has always been interested in family and environmental
issues. Before
entering law school Jillian worked as a Program Manager for
One-On-One
Partners, Inc., where she served at-risk youth and coordinated
mentoring
programs. In conjunction with this, she also worked as a special
events coordinator
and case worker. Her dedication to One-On-One Partners
continues despite
her heavy load at present.
Jillian says that
her view of the legal system has changed since entering law
school: “I have
learned to think not just about the law but about the policy behind
it. I have begun
to think about the rules and whether they serve the interests of
those they affect
or if there is a need for change and improvement.” Jillian cannot
pick a favorite
professor but she does feel that all the stories about the Socratic
Method and
intimidating professors were overblown. Her experience has been
challenging but
she is pleased to be “attending a school where student success
and happiness is a
top priority.”
When Jillian is
not in school or volunteering for the VLP, you may find her
watching reality
TV, which she considers “a great way to escape the harsh
reality of law
school.” She considers herself a regular at Rosa’s restaurant
and loves to eat
out. When she finds the time Jillian also enjoys baking,
reading non-law
related books and spending time with her family. Her favorite
vacation
destination is her family’s cattle ranch in northern Arizona. She
loves
to sit on the
porch with a great book, listen to the rain on the tin roof or smell
the fresh hay in
the barn. She says that her time spent there has provided a
much needed
respite from the hustle and bustle of law school.
When asked about her
experience with the VLP, Jillian comments:
“I have always been very involved in the community and in school
activities. Although I knew I would be very busy my first year, I
wanted
to make
sure that I was still involved in giving back to those in need.
When I
first heard about VLP it sounded like the perfect opportunity
to make a
contribution while gaining first hand legal experience at
the same
time. My experience with the VLP has helped me to
maintain my
perspective and not get lost in the world of black letter
law and
casebooks like many 1Ls often do. Being an attorney is
not just
knowing the rules and how to apply them, it is also about
listening
to your client so that you can use the rules and case law
to
effectively advocate for your client’s best interest.”
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Past Outstanding Volunteer
Student Awards |
