Recent Alum Interview: Julia Shurman Pursues Law at Duke After English at UC Davis

English Department alum Julia Shurman is currently pursuing a JD/LLM at Duke University School of Law. She holds a BA in English and Political Science from UC Davis, and will soon complete a Master’s in International Relations from King’s College London. She has held a legal internship at the Eighth District Court of Appeals, where she researched and drafted bench memoranda and observed court proceedings. As a UC Davis senator, she managed an $18 million student budget and collaborated on legislative and event initiatives. Additionally, she served as an editor for the Davis Journal of Legal Studies, providing critical feedback on legal articles. Julia is also an active member of advocacy groups, contributing to disability rights and environmental protection efforts.

First off, congratulations! How are you feeling about your first few months at Duke?

Duke has been great so far! It’s my first year of law school, so there is a lot of work, and it can be a stressful environment, but I’ve enjoyed getting to meet other students and learn about the law. 

What inspired you to pursue law with an English major?

Since starting at UC Davis, I always knew that I was going to pursue law. I felt that as an English major, I would learn important skills that I could utilize in a legal career like analysis and writing. I’m interested in international law, and I grew interested in it through my Political Science courses at UC Davis. 

Were there any skills developed through your English studies that were most valuable in preparing for law school / during the LSAT preparation and application process?

I feel that reading comprehension and knowing how to analyze various types of texts were some of the most helpful skills. Reading comprehension was especially helpful for the LSAT, but being able to analyze written works and understand various perspectives and arguments are skills I use every day in law school. 

Did any particular courses, projects, or professors in the English department significantly influence your path to law, either through mentorship or skill-building?

I think every class and professor is helpful in its/their own way. My best advice is to use your judgment on what interests you and what courses you think would be most valuable. I always tried to prioritize taking courses with subjects that interested me because I knew I would be more excited to go to class and complete the work, and so I’d likely learn better as a result. 

What advice would you give to current English majors considering law school?

Definitely do your research on the type of work you will be doing in law school and in a legal career. I think a lot of English students are told law is a great option because it involves lots of reading and writing, which is true, but legal texts and legal writing are very different from anything most students have been exposed to before. If you don’t like those styles, then you probably won’t like law school and legal work