From Legal Aid to Breakthroughs in the Cannabis Industry, 3L Takes Multi-Layered Approach to Moving Public Interest Initiatives Forward
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Access to opportunities afforded to 3L student Jocelyn Landeros-Diaz allowed for her to build a diverse background in public interest law. Crediting the professors and strong UIC Law network for preparing her for a career in the legal industry, Landeros-Diaz describes her law school experience as “formative and interactive.”
“Some of the best classes I’ve taken was where the professors would extend the lesson beyond the textbook and taught real life examples,” she said. “They also practice law, so they have access to networking opportunities and are more than happy to help with internships.”
Landeros-Diaz began to make her impact in public interest as an intern with Telemundo at NBCUniversal Studios. It was this experience that opened her eyes to the versatility of the legal industry. Working with news anchors and investigative reporters to mediate and solve consumer scamming cases allowed her to see how much legal aid is needed in those types of situations.
Landeros-Diaz expanded on her public interest experience as a legal aid for Cabrini Green Legal Aid. There, she served as a volunteer at the Daley Center Help Desk once a week and provided assistance with criminal record expungement for individuals classified as indigent. In her 3L year, Landeros-Diaz also utilized her expertise to provide support to the Cook County Public Defenders’ Office in the juvenile division.
“I love to work with juveniles because it is a more rehabilitative system than it is for adults, which tends to be more punitive,” she said. “I like that the focus is on getting kids what they need.”
At UIC Law, Landeros-Diaz was able to exercise her breadth of knowledge, taking insights she gained from her internship experience and work within multiple law school programs to start her own mission-driven student organization, the Cannabis Law Society. After connecting with a law school alum who currently works in the cannabis industry, Landeros-Diaz was inspired to create the organization that would work to help individuals who still face legal scrutiny in cannabis related cases and to de-stigmatize professionals looking to be advocates in the industry. The organization was also designed to provide education into the aftermath of the “war on drugs”.
Landeros-Diaz credits many UIC Law programs for providing her with the skills needed to be successful in her legal endeavors. She highlights the Herzog Trial Competition from her 2L year for getting her comfortable with public speaking and strengthening her oral arguments, as well as the mentorship she received as a student clinician in the Fair Housing Legal Clinic, encouraging her analyze and never stop asking “why”.
Post Spring 2025 commencement, Landeros-Diaz plans to prepare for the bar and focus on obtaining a license so she can continue to move her public interest work forward.