Written by: WSCL Marketing Team
Olivia Adel Mikhael isn’t the typical student who always knew they wanted to be a lawyer. Her path to the law started with a workplace experience that made her want to understand the rights and duties of both employers and employees and how they are enforced. Her desire to understand is what led her to employment law, and to Western State College of Law.
Now a part-time 3L with plans to graduate this year, Olivia made sure her law school experience was full of practical opportunities, mentorship, and hands-on learning. Through externships, clinics, and mock trial, she has developed a clear sense of direction in her legal career. She also grew a genuine appreciation for the support system she found at Western State.
Her story is one of persistence, purpose, and making the most of every opportunity she had.
When a Difficult Experience Becomes a Career Path
Before law school, Olivia worked for several years. During that time, she ran into a challenging situation with an employer that left a mark. “I had a difficult experience as an employee,” she explains. “That inspired me to learn more about what regulates the relationship between an employee and an employer.”
It began with an interest in understanding the rules: what protections exist, how they’re enforced, and how the employer–employee relationship is structured. “I want to understand why the rules exist and what they mean; that’s always been important to me,” she says. “I don’t just want to be told what to do.” With this, her passion for the law began to grow.
A few jobs later, she realized she needed more; she wanted to go to law school. And her experiences made employment law the obvious choice. Today, she sees the field more broadly, understanding the challenges and responsibilities that both employees and employers carry. “It’s surprising that sometimes employees don’t know their rights,” she says. “And a lot of employers don’t know their duties either, especially in small businesses. A good lawyer can help both sides understand what the law requires.”
The Externship That Set Olivia’s Path
One of Olivia’s defining moments in law school was during her 1L year when she got an externship with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) through Western State’s Career Development Department, led by Assistant Dean Deirdre Kelly, and Director James Gilliam. This externship was what set the tone for her path through law school. “I got that externship through the Career Services Office,” she says. “Assistant Dean Kelly and Director Gilliam helped guide me and set me on the right track.”
Before she interviewed for the position, Olivia reached out to James Gilliam for help. He came through. “I emailed Director Gilliam and told him I had an interview,” she explains. “He called me and helped me prepare. They’re very, very supportive.”
The externship with the EEOC strengthened her confidence and confirmed that Employment Law was what she wanted to do. “For the first time, even before I took an employment law class, I was exposed to how employment cases are handled,” she says. The daily writing required of her in the externship significantly strengthened her writing skills.
The externship also opened new doors for opportunities she received later, including her selection as a 2025 Employee Justice Fellow and Summer Clerkship Award Recipient through the FAIR Foundation (Foundation for Advocacy, Inclusion, and Resources) and the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA). “It was all made possible because of the EEOC externship,” she says. “It put me on the right track. Having the opportunity to do this at Western State allowed me to start early.”
Learning In Action With Clinics and Mock Trial
Olivia also took advantage of Western State’s hands-on learning opportunities, like the Immigration Clinic and mock trial program.
Through the Immigration Clinic, she got to work directly with clients, an experience that was really formative during her law school journey. “It gave me the opportunity to be a certified law student and practice law under the supervision of a licensed attorney,” she says. “I even appeared in court one time. That was really awesome.” Working with real clients, she explains, helped her understand what legal work is like in a way that a classroom can’t. “You don’t want your first time doing something to be on the job,” she explains.
Mock trial offered a different kind of growth. Through that program, she gained courtroom experience. She also got to experience just how invested Western State’s faculty are in the success of their students. “The professors really care,” she says. “They came to competitions and supported us every step of the way.” This was also a stark difference from what she saw with the students from bigger law schools at the competitions. “At other schools, students were on their own, without their professors,” she says. “But we had that support.”
Olivia’s hard work as an advocate paid off. She was one of the Top-8 Oralists for the First-Year Moot Court Competition and later competed in the Spring 2025 Negotiation Competition. A strong law student, she earned Honor Roll and Dean’s List recognitions and is in the top 30% of her class.
A Supportive Community For Everyone
As a part-time student with family responsibilities, Olivia couldn’t get deeply involved in student organizations. Still, she says the support from faculty and administration really made a difference for her. “The professors are always willing to give advice and mentor you, even if you’re not their student,” she says. “If you reach out, they always respond.”
She recalls her 1L Torts professor, Susan Keller, as someone who set high standards for her students but also genuinely cared about their success. “She was tough, but fair,” Olivia says. “After I was selected for the 1L moot court competition, she emailed me just to congratulate me, even though I was no longer her student. That meant a lot.”
Years later, Olivia still applies the legal analysis techniques she learned in that class. “It’s something I took from 1L and still use now,” she says.
She also credits former Professor Tina Schindler as one of her mentors who always supported and guided her. “She was always accessible and generous with her guidance,” she says.
Balancing Law School, Family, and Life
Doing a law degree as a part-time student while managing family responsibilities is incredibly challenging. For Olivia, it all came down to keeping focused and setting her priorities. “You have to know what matters most and protect that time. Everything else falls into place when your priorities are clear,” she explains.
As a 1L, she had to sacrifice many extracurricular activities to prioritize where she put her time. “I had to be ruthless with my time. Social media, social events, I cut it all out. It came down to two things: family and school.” Time management became essential to her. Law school is notoriously one of the most difficult fields, and having personal responsibilities makes it even harder. This was true for Olivia. But she also sees the bright moments in the whole law school journey. “There are hard moments, but there’s also so much to enjoy,” she says. “You have to find joy in the journey, not just the destination.”
She also emphasizes how important it is to step outside of your comfort zone. “Don’t play it safe in law school,” she advises. “It’s a good opportunity to fail and get back up. That’s all part of the learning experience.” Law school, she says, is a time when students can make mistakes before stepping out into the real field. For her, growth came from taking on challenges, even when she knew they would be tough. “If there’s a skill you’re unsure about, seek out the class or the externship that challenges it.” she says. “Because once you graduate, the stakes are much higher.”
A Strong Foundation for Her Future
Through her time at Western State, Olivia has also come to appreciate the school’s long history and strong professional network. “I learned that the school has a really well-connected alumni network,” she says. “That can open a lot of doors for job opportunities.”
She also takes pride in Western State’s legacy in the region. “It’s the oldest law school in Orange County,” she says. “So many Orange County judges are Western State alumni.”
For Olivia, the part-time program was very meaningful because it’s what made her own legal education possible. “Western State’s part-time program made it possible for someone like me to attend law school,” she says. “Without that, I wouldn’t have been able to go to law school.”
Now, with graduation approaching, Olivia is focused on building a career in employment law. Her time at Western State, from the EEOC externship to the Immigration Clinic and mock trial, has given her both the confidence and the practical skills to move forward. In August 2023, she was awarded an Exemplary Public Service Certificate in recognition of her work serving in the public sector as a law student.
Along the way, she’s discovered that the most important lessons often come from the challenges you face along the way. “Learning isn’t supposed to be comfortable; that’s how you grow,” she says. “But the rewards are worth it.”
Olivia’s international experiences, like studying abroad, give her a broader, more global perspective. She studied at Renmin University of China in Beijing on an academic scholarship and is fluent in both Mandarin and Arabic, giving her the ability to connect with people across cultures.
A Law School Experience Built on Opportunity
Olivia Adel Mikhael’s journey exemplifies the kind of experience many Western State students share: one built on practical training, supportive mentors, and opportunities that have a positive impact on their career paths. From her first externship interview to her fellowship in employment justice, each step of her law school journey has been shaped by the guidance and support she got from professors and administration at Western State.
As she prepares to graduate, Olivia carries the confidence she earned from her practical experiences, the discipline she developed through the challenges she faced, and the support of her mentors who invested so deeply in her success.
For prospective students considering Western State, her advice is simple: take the opportunities you have. Embrace the uncomfortable moments. Growth doesn’t happen by playing it safe, and the work you put in now is what will prepare you for the responsibility that comes next.
