INDUSTRY
and alumni) and “the product [education] felt real from the first time he visited campus." Hewitt says an important part of his career is his alumni network. “Anytime I had a question about law school, career path or life in general, the alumni I have met over the years have been extremely generous in their advice and counsel,” he said. Hewitt’s favorite part of his job is finding solutions to specific problems. His least favorite part is the convoluted nature of legalistic careers. “I believe attorneys have a way of making the simple complex for the average person and I think it should be the other way around,” he said. Hewitt’s advice to aspiring lawyers is to “be involved in things you are passionate about and surround yourself with people that work hard.”
MEGAN DUTRA
Agricultural Science, minor in Agribusiness, ’06 Megan Dutra graduated from Cal Poly and then from the San Joaquin College of Law in 2010. Currently she is the inhouse counsel for Maricopa Orchards, LLC. Dutra was inspired to become an attorney during her time at Cal Poly. “I took a course called “Issues in California Agriculture” where professionals from the agriculture industry enlightened us on many of the issues facing agriculture and advised us of their roles within the business…Listening to their stories made me want to pursue a career in agriculture law and water law. I enrolled in law school and ended up doing just that,” she said. Dutra felt Cal Poly’s internship requirement was instrumental in preparing her for law school and for her career in law. Dutra’s favorite part of the job is working with farmers. “Working in-house for a farming company is extremely fastpaced and more exciting than one would think,” she said. Dutra advises aspiring law students to clerk during their time in law school to gain on-the-job experience before graduation.
DIANE CODERNIZ
Dairy Science, minor in Agricultural Communications, ‘07 Diane Coderniz attended law school at University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and graduated in 2011. She is currently an associate attorney at Baker Manock & Jensen, PC (BMJ) in Fresno, California — a title she has held since the beginning of her career. Coderniz grew up on a dairy in Dos Palos, Calif., where her love for agriculture began. Though she has a passion for the industry, she knew from a relatively young age she wasn’t interested in the production aspect. “Before I started college, I decided I would attempt law school after college. I wasn’t sure where it would take me, but my passion is agriculture, and I wanted to assist the industry from a legal angle,” Coderniz said. She chose Cal Poly for her undergraduate education because she wanted to compete in dairy judging. She said, “Cal Poly’s team is the best in the nation if you ask me.” She felt welcomed on campus and knew it was the right choice after she attended Open House. Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing approach helped Coderniz stay focused on solutions for her cases. “The friendships and connections I made while at Cal Poly are life long and have allowed me to stay involved in the agricultural industry while focusing on learning the legal profession,” Coderniz said. Her favorite part of the job is working with farmers and ranchers. She shared her background in agriculture allows her to relate to agricultural clients on a more personal level. Coderniz encourages aspiring lawyers to “read a lot!” and says “don’t worry about majoring in pre-law during your undergraduate career. Instead, spotlight your interests and major in a subject on which you would like to focus your legal expertise.”
By Emma Morris agcircle 43