Jacquelyn Zuniga-Calderon ('24)
Legal Aid Center of San Diego
Born and raised in San Diego, Jacquelyn Zuniga-Calderon ('24) long had a professional goal to return to her roots to live amongst her entire family. During her time at Boyd Law, she externed for the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada during the summer and fall of 2022, and she wanted to see how she could apply this experience in her Southern California hometown. Her next externship opportunity at the Legal Aid Center of San Diego brought Jacky the chance to work in San Diego during the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024 semesters— taking two online classes and gaining six externship credits during her final semester of law school.
Of her experience at the Legal Aid Center of San Diego, Jacky says, "I worked in a lot of clinics, including the expunging clinic, domestic violence/restraining order clinics (which included elderly abuse), unlawful evictions, and the conservatorship clinic. Throughout all, I really found the experiences to be invaluable, as I worked with individuals one-on-one, provided legal information, helped individuals file forms, and overall helped people get through tough situations." She shares that providing legal help and guidance helped people feel better while she learned so much.
Jacky notes that her externships helped strengthen her communication skills, and they also helped her understand the crucial need for attorneys, specifically Spanish speaking attorneys. Even though she is bilingual, Jacky was inspired to learn more legal terms in Spanish and provide translation help. "My writing skills also improved, and I was able to help individuals structure and tell stories in the expungement clinic. If someone were able to get their criminal records expunged, it would be life changing. For domestic violence temporary restraining orders, it was helping someone get out of a bad situation," she remarks.
Currently, Jacky is in the process of studying for the California Bar, with plans to sit for the Nevada Bar exam in a couple of years. She hopes to work for a law firm after passing the bar, and hopes to continue helping Legal Aid, "I really enjoyed helping everyone; it was rewarding to see how the clinics definitely assisted people in need."