I had the privilege of working at the Elder and Health Law Clinic at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law in the summer and fall of 2024.

I learned the importance of an estate plan and how it can give security to the individuals and their families who walk through the clinic doors. Estate planning is not one-size-fits-all — where every plan illustrates the client’s family dynamics, wants, desires, and entire lives all wrapped in legal documents. Understanding how crucial these documents are for ensuring the client’s wishes are respected while balancing the sensitive and emotional nature of the process was an excellent learning experience to build my professional and personal skills.

The majority of my experience at the clinic involved drafting and reviewing various documents and personal assets of our clients. Initially, the process was overwhelming to try and deliver what the client wanted while learning the intricacies and details to consider while drafting these documents. However, with the help of my supervising attorneys Lacey Mickleburgh, John Cary Sims, and Melissa Brown, I became more comfortable and confident with identifying the important provisions and understanding the reasoning behind them. Learning from the supervising attorneys helped me grow my technical legal skills and gave me invaluable insights into the ethical and emotional aspects of practicing law. They additionally taught me how to properly balance myself with my work after experiencing a tough recovery from an injury.

During my time in the Elder and Health Law Clinic, I additionally took the course Elder Law and Social Policy with Professor Brown. The course dove deeper into the elder law field and encompassed many other issues, such as Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, and issues faced by our aging population. Working in the clinic gave me a broader understanding of how all the topics in the course intersect with estate planning and the larger picture of elder law.

The experience at the Elder and Health Law Clinic wasn’t just about my professional development — it was a personally enriching experience. Working as a team with the supervising attorneys to create a difference in the clients’ lives was incredibly rewarding. Helping the clients develop plans that would ease their burdens, give security to their families, and ensure their wishes were carried out gave me a deep sense of fulfillment. With the encouragement of the clinic, I received a scholarship to the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) Elder Law Conference, which I attended in fall 2024 and learned from attorneys across the state about developments in the elder law field.

The lessons I learned at McGeorge School of Law’s Elder and Health Law Clinic illustrate the significance of estate planning. Elder law has solidified my personal and professional path in estate planning. I cannot wait to bring security to my future clients.

By Kennedy Skinner, a second-year student at McGeorge School of Law.