As she wraps up her studies at LSU Law and looks forward to launching her legal career this summer, 3L Phiyen Phan will proudly graduate in May as a second-generation immigrant and the first in her family to earn a professional degree.
“My circumstances really show that anyone with any background can accomplish the same things I have and earn a J.D. degree,” Phan said. “It shows that if you work hard, you can do whatever you want.”
Phan enrolled at LSU Law through the 3+3 Program, an accelerated degree program that allowed her to earn her bachelor’s and law degrees in just six years. The program’s financial advantages and fast-paced learning environment made it an “unmatched” alternative to the traditional path through college and law school, she said.
“Growing up, I always wanted a challenge, and I liked the faster pace of the 3+3 Program,” said the Breaux Bridge native. “People who go through the four-year undergraduate track take electives that are not always tailored to their degree, but I was able to take classes I enjoyed and knew would be beneficial to me.”
When she started law school in 2020, Phan didn’t know anyone with a background in law. The usual challenges that come with being a first-year law student were soon exacerbated by the pandemic, which significantly altered the law school experience for Phan and her classmates. Navigating the additional challenge of being an Asian woman in the legal field posed an even bigger challenge, Phan said.
“I didn’t have any law knowledge or experience coming to LSU Law, but I figured it out and I made it—and even excelled at it,” Phan said. “The biggest reward so far has been finally getting to a point where I am starting my career and knowing that I had the tools to do it.”
Despite the disruptions brought on by the pandemic, Phan said the Class of 2023’s unprecedented experience ultimately brought them closer together. As they prepare to take final exams for the last time, Phan and her classmates have tried to make up for lost time by engaging in as many social events as possible at the Law Center.
As president of the Society for Asian Lawyers over the past two years, Phan has been instrumental in helping the student organization reestablish its membership and programming after having been relatively idle throughout the pandemic. The organization regularly hosts events and programs that bring the entire Law Center community together in support of Asian students at LSU Law and in celebration of Asian culture.
Society for Asian Lawyers President Phiyen Phan poses with a member of the Southern Lotus Lion Dance Association at the close of this year’s Lunar New Year celebration at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center.
One event that has grown very popular over the past two years is the annual Lunar New Year celebration, which has included Asian food and a special lion dance performance on the Law Center Plaza for everyone at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. At this year’s celebration, the plaza was packed with more than 100 LSU Law students, faculty, and staff. Phan said she has been moved by all the positive feedback she’s received about the event and the LSU Law community’s outpouring of support.
“My favorite moments at LSU Law have been sharing my culture with others,” she said. “In my years as SAL president, I’ve tried to display Asian culture and experiences for LSU Law.”
After graduating in May, Phan will begin her legal career at Bradley Murchison in New Orleans, where she will practicing medical malpractice defense as an associate. She had an internship at the law firm last summer, which Phan had secured during the LSU Law Fall On-Campus Interview Week in 2021.
As a recipient of the Conrad S. Adkins Memorial Scholarship and the Professor David W. Robertson Scholarship, Phan said she can’t thank donors enough for providing the financial support that has helped her reach her full potential at LSU Law.
“Without funding from generous donors, I would not be able to attend LSU Law,” Phan said. “I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to reestablish SAL and share my culture with this community, and I wouldn’t have the opportunity to obtain the post-graduate job that I have accepted.”
