Article On Tawni Takagi The Former Moot Court Team Member For The University Of West Los Angeles School Of Law, San Fernando Valley And Information About National Criminal Procedure Moot Court Tournament, Southwestern Law School, Legal Problems Analysis And More.

1. STUDENT PROFILE www.lawcrossing.com 1. 800.973.1177
Tawni Takagi: Former Moot Court Team Member for The
University of West Los Angeles School of Law, San Fernando
Valley
[By Mary Waldron]
Tawni Takagi, a University of West Los Angeles School of Law, San Fernando Valley, student who has just graduated is
at a turning point in her career. She and teammate Steven Ibarra carried their moot court team to victory last October,
placing second in the “written brief” competition at the National Criminal Procedure Moot Court Tournament held at
the University of San Diego. Now Takagi is preparing to take the California bar exam this February while she continues
working as a substitute teacher.
When Takagi graduated from California State Takagi was accepted to the school and studied of her classmates to study the country’s law.
University, Northridge, with a degree in there for three and a half years. Warming up The experience not only broadened her pool
political science, she knew that she wanted to the other students was a bit of a struggle of knowledge while expanding her perspective
to continue in the arena of law but was not for her during the first year, primarily because on the law, but it also allowed Takagi to
so sure about spending an arm and a leg of clashing schedules. Once other students’ strengthen friendships with her classmates
before she knew whether she would enjoy schedules were settled and she became active while earning elective credit for school.
the rigorous study of law school. After on the school’s moot court team, however,
considering various esteemed law schools Takagi was able to make more friends and Takagi developed a real love for dealing with
in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, Takagi establish some close relationships. criminal appeals while working with the moot
was accepted to Southwestern Law School court team, which encouraged her to work
right out of Cal State Northridge. She had to During her time at the law school, she was also toward a career that involves brief writing.
rethink her options when she realized that able to visit China for three weeks with five She likes to analyze legal problems and tackle
the tuition costs would be enormous. Takagi Constitutional issues. The summer before
decided to work as a substitute teacher until she and her moot court team earned their big
1. What do you do for fun?
she made up her mind. win at the National Criminal Procedure Moot
A. I do like to go out with friends to Court Tournament, Takagi began preparing
After reevaluating the situation a couple bars to drink and dance. Anything to for the event after taking a class in criminal
of years later, Takagi began looking at law not think and not read is good appeals. Once she had her case for the
schools again-but this time, she was careful enough for me. competition, she dove into it, creating her
to look for schools that accommodated her written brief in the first month of preparation.
needs in terms of location and price. She 2. What CD is in your CD player right After the written portion was submitted, she
did some research and applied to only one now? began working on the oral presentation. At
law school this time: The University of West the competition, she and her teammate
A. I recently purchased a Cat Power CD.
Los Angeles School of Law, San Fernando gleamed in the “written brief” section,
Valley. The law school’s tuition was within 3. What is the last magazine you read? winning second-place honors.
her price range at only $695 per unit, and the
campus was only 10 minutes from her home A. I think I read some law journal. It One of Takagi’s favorite aspects of attending
in Chatsworth, CA. Having seen the effects of was really boring. The University of West Los Angeles School
long commutes to law school on her friends, of Law was having opportunities to see and
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Takagi was not prepared to choose a law hear presentations made by the faculty
school that was out of the way. “That was A. Xena: Warrior Princess and other professionals on their lives and
just something that I didn’t want to have to go careers. She was particularly inspired by
through. There’s enough pressure, especially 5. Who is your role model? the career journey of one of her former
during your first year; you just don’t need A. I’ll say Madonna. professors, Ralph Novotney. He began his
anything added to it,” she said. career as a public defender and branched
out into teaching. Novotney’s passion for
PAGE continued on back

2. STUDENT PROFILE www.lawcrossing.com 1. 800.973.1177
law was something that really stuck with ON THE NET
Takagi, enriching her wn determination and
dedication to the field. The University of West Los Angeles School
of Law
www.uwla.edu
Takagi is also considering pursuing a public
defender position or even a teaching position
University of San Diego
within the field of law. Regardless of what
www.sandiego.edu
she chooses to do once she passes the bar
exam, Takagi has options within the legal California State University, Northridge
field-a fact that critics of the school may try to www.csun.edu
dispute. “I was glad with the decision I made.
I could have gone to an ABA-accredited
school. This is just more intimate. It’s
less stressful. People are friendlier, less
competitive,” she said.
PAGE