Meet Outstanding Graduate: Jenny Bagger '22

Jenny Bagger is the Class of 2022 Valedictorian.

Class of 2022 Valedictorian Jenny Bagger said she was drawn to attend UC Law SF because of its location in the heart of San Francisco and proximity to federal district and appellate courts, the state Supreme Court, local government, company headquarters and non-profit organizations.

“As a student, there is much to learn in class, but supplementing in-class learning with experiential learning outside of class provides useful context for how legal issues arise and are resolved in the real world,” she said. “The proximity to these places and the emphasis on experiential learning in the curriculum and within the Hastings community are exceptional and important aspects of Hastings that appealed to me as an applicant.”

After graduation, Bagger, a native of Westfield, New Jersey; will clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for Judge Paul G. Gardphe and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for Judge Paul B. Matey before joining Lowenstein Sandler’s Litigation Practice as an associate.

While at law school, Bagger was involved in numerous activities and organizations. She took a leadership role as an Executive Articles Editor at the UC Law SF Journal and published a student note on personal jurisdiction in the post-pandemic world. Bagger also participated in the Startup Legal Garage, a yearlong program combining class work with fieldwork for technology startup clients under the supervision of leading Bay Area firms. “This program provided unmatched hands-on experience and gave me a strong foundation for understanding and working on issues that corporations face today,” she said.

During her second year, Bagger served as a teaching assistant and discussion group leader, where she helped first-year students adjust to law school by sharing her own advice and insights, “It’s a great feeling to hear from students that a piece of advice I gave them helped them in some way.”

She said she wanted to go to law school to help others resolve real problems through legal analysis and logical reasoning. “I owe my success in law school to my diligent work over the past three years, to my curiosity in the subject matter and my eagerness to learn more, to my professors and peers who created an engaging learning environment, and to my incredible support system, who encouraged me every step of the way.”

Bagger credits her law school accomplishments to Hastings’ “uniquely strong and supportive community of professors who are eager to help students understand complex legal concepts and land their dream jobs.” She also highlights the importance of belonging to a community of students who “support each other through the challenges of law school and celebrate each other’s successes.”