Ryan Lockhart (JD and Honors Lawyering Program 10)

Ryan being promoted to Staff Sergeant following completion of Airman Leadership School.

Tell me something special or interesting about your background before you went to law school?

I was interested in law enforcement, and my undergraduate degree is in Criminal Justice. I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a security police officer. It was a good experience, and it's where I really became an adult. I did everything from patrol duties to guarding nuclear weapons. I also moved around a bit, and was stationed in Germany for awhile.

Why did you decide to go to law school?

After the Air Force, I worked as a correctional officer in a jail, where I had the opportunity to speak with defense attorneys and to hear inmates' stories. These conversations piqued my interest in the law, but the decision to apply to law school was made rather abruptly. Fortunately, it was the right decision!

Tell me something special or interesting about your law school experience.

Law school is great. As a "reentry" student, the first semester was tough for me. I took it as a challenge and really pushed myself both to do my best and to be curious about the law. I've thoroughly enjoyed my experiences in law school. I had Professor Stanley for Characterization of Income and Expenditures, and she helped me see that Tax Law can be very interesting, so I now plan to pursue my LLM in Tax. I was also fortunate to be accepted into the Honors Lawyering Program (HLP) after my first semester. The HLP summer was rewarding, and it allowed me to work full-time for the U.S. Attorneys Office during my second fall semester. I'm curious about how government works and how the underlying policies are developed. This combined interest in government and policy makes the Tax program a good fit for me. I'm also interested in politics, so you may see my name on a ballot some day.

What is your greatest source of motivation/support as you work towards your JD?

First, I'm the first person in my family to graduate from college. I'm very proud of making it through this unchartered territory. Second, I have a strong personal drive to succeed. I knew that returning to school would be tough, but I took it as a personal challenge. I'm a bit older than some students. I feel ready for professional life, and I feel an imperative to get it done now.

Being in HLP meant that I was surrounded by other hard workers, and I liked that. I don't think I'd be where I am today without HLP-it helped me see the forest for the trees. Representing a client hit me full in the face and really prepared me for a career as a lawyer

What is your favorite thing you do when you are not at law school?

Every spring I go fishing with my dad and my brother; sometimes more often. My fiancée and I are house hunting right now. It might not be my favorite thing to do, but it takes up most of my spare time. We live in Walnut Creek and hope to stay in that area. That will give me the flexibility to work in the South Bay if I get my dream job of working for the San Jose office of the IRS.

What message/advice do you have for your fellow law students?

Don't be discouraged. There are ups and downs in law school just like in life. Use this time to improve yourself. Try different types of courses until you find the field that interests you the most. My future father-in-law is a U.C. Berkeley alum and he encouraged me to attend GGU because of its great reputation among Bay Area practitioners.

Jody Lerner thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Ryan and thanks him for his time and insights. She also thanks him for his service as the student representative on the HLP Committee.