Student Q&A: Rising 2L Marcus Grimes

Rising 2L Marcus Grimes was recently featured in the UC Law SF Alumni Newsletter. Grimes is co-president of the Black Law Student Association (BLSA) at Hastings, and is one of the first recipients of the California Scholars scholarship, a three-year full-ride scholarship for Californians who attend a HBCU (Historically Black College or University). Grimes was also part of Black Hastings Speaks, a podcast series from the college’s Center for Racial and Economic Justice.

This summer, Grimes has divided his time, virtually, of course, between a summer internship at Morrison & Foerster, and Uber’s in-house legal department. At MoFo, Grimes worked with one of the firm’s attorneys prosecuting trademarks for a client and drafting goods and services identifications. At Uber, he is working with the company’s IP, Safety & Insurance and Cybersecurity teams.

Q: What led you to pursue a law degree?

A: I’ve wanted to be an attorney since I was 13 years old. I believe that at their core all attorneys are basically problem solvers. They tackle situations and fix problems for their clients, and after seeing just how many issues existed within society I wanted to join these attorneys. From recovering lost profits for a client whose trademark has been infringed to assisting those unfairly incarcerated, I believe the power provided by my future law degree is limitless.

Q: What experience have you appreciated the most since starting at UC Law SF?

A: Last year the Hastings La Raza chapter, along with other affinity organizations, organized a “Day at Law School” event where high school students from low-income backgrounds came to learn about what law school was about. It felt good to share my experience with these students and give them the confidence to know they could attain these goals. I appreciated being able to share, while also reinforcing my belief in the ability attorneys have to change the world as we know it.

Q: If you could choose any job after graduation, what job would you choose?

A: After graduation I’d love to work in IP Litigation, either within a firm or in-house with a company. Intellectual property is an area with numerous problems and the IP field draws from several different interesting areas of law. Having grown up engrossed in the technology world, I’m drawn to these issues. I would love to engage with these problems full-time and think outside the box.

Q: Who would you have dinner with if you could choose anyone (dead or alive)?

A: I’d choose to have dinner with Barack Obama. I believe that his insight as a former president and more specifically the first African-American president would be invaluable. I also believe the inevitable picture we’d take would make for a great talking point in any social setting!