Kalisa’s experience at Pacific McGeorge — and beyond
1. Looking back at your LLM experience at McGeorge (2008–2009), what has stayed with you most?
McGeorge School of Law gave me a way of seeing law that has shaped everything I’ve done since: law as a system that builds institutions, not just a
1. Looking back at your LLM in Transnational Business Practice at McGeorge School of Law, what did that experience mean to you personally and professionally — and how has it shaped your approach to international work?
Language, cultural understanding, and a good sense of humor always helps and, especially when displayed by a
1. What motivated you to pursue an LLM degree in Transnational Business Practice at McGeorge nearly ten years after completing your JD?
In fact, I embarked on my journey toward earning the LLM degree in Transnational Business Practice at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law years earlier. In August
1. How did your LLM coursework reshape the way you approach cutting-edge legal challenges and how have you put those insights into practice in your current role?
The LLM coursework at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law deepened my appreciation for comparative legal analysis and the interplay between legal frameworks and global
1. What triggered your desire to study an LLM, and why McGeorge School of Law?
I launched my career on the corporate team at DLA Piper in St. Petersburg, Russia. Getting in took grit; thriving there took even more. That team taught me how to think and deliver like a lawyer. From day one I
1. Looking back, which professor, clinic, or course at McGeorge School of Law most influenced your professional thinking, and why?
I didn’t know any lawyers growing up, the ones I knew were on TV in criminal law procedural dramas, and that’s what I thought being a lawyer was. But in the summer of my first year
My time at McGeorge School of Law’s Elder and Health Law Clinic was a defining experience in my legal education and career. It allowed me to build on my foundation of service from my time in the Marine Corps while deepening my dedication to serving vulnerable populations with compassion and diligence.
In the Marine Corps, I served on the military
“PDSAs are a tool from the Transformational Change Partnership that we have integrated into our work and decision-making at our agency. We often ask our clients to help develop PDSAs so we can incorporate their change ideas into our system.”
– Placer County Behavioral Health Professional and TCP Participant
The value of continuous quality improvement
Transformational change in public systems
Participating in the Elder and Health Law Clinic was a defining experience in my legal education. I joined the clinic to gain practical experience in estate planning and elder law, building on my background in financial planning and wealth management. While I expected to work on trusts, developing estate plans,
I have a JD because I graduated from law school. I’m licensed to practice law because I passed the California Bar Exam. But, I’m an attorney doing some good in the world because of the McGeorge School of Law Elder and Health Law Clinic.
Going to law school and passing the Bar Exam are important (critical!)