Alumni Spotlight: Jacqueline Ravenscroft ’11
Jacqueline Ravenscroft ’11, a partner at Tobener Ravenscroft, is working to help Los Angeles residents fight back against post-disaster rent gouging following the recent fires. In response to reports of landlords illegally inflating rents after recent fires, she authored a comprehensive legal toolkit to empower displaced tenants.
The resource breaks down California’s rent-gouging protections under Penal Code Section 396, equipping renters with the knowledge and steps needed to challenge unlawful increases. This important toolkit was shared by Marketplace, the public media program.
Ravenscroft’s work exemplifies how legal advocacy can provide real, immediate support to vulnerable communities in times of crisis. Tobener Ravenscroft is a tenant-rights firm with offices in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose.
Her conversation with the UC Law San Francisco Alumni Association follows.
Q: What has been one of your proudest professional accomplishments, and how did your time at UC Law SF contribute to it?
A: The professors, clinics and classes at UC Law SF taught me how to use the law to correct economic inequities. In my work today, I am lucky to be able to fight for a lot of wonderful people who faced horrible housing situations. There is often a significant imbalance of power between a tenant and landlord. I love when my efforts flip that script, allowing my clients to move up, and sometimes even purchase stable, healthy, and safe housing.
Q: What advice would you give to current students or young alumni navigating their careers, especially in today’s legal landscape?
A: Talk to as many lawyers as you can. Attend school mixers and industry events and reach out to alumni to have coffee. Talk to people about what they like about their job, area of law, the people they work with or serve, and the culture of their industry. Get a sense of what their typical week looks like. There are a lot of rewarding and financially stable careers outside of traditional areas of law.
Q: What’s one thing about you—whether personal or professional—that might surprise your classmates or colleagues?
A: I went to a two-room elementary school in a remote mountain community. We lived completely off the grid!