Announcing New CBL Scholars

Last summer, as the nation grappled with the twin crises of a global pandemic and the legacy of inequality and exclusion, the UC Hastings Center for Business Law (“CBL”) decided to take action to help build a better and more inclusive business community, drawing on Hastings’ and our alumni’s 140 year tradition of leading the business bar in San Francisco.

With the support of alumni and friends, including major gifts from law firms Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and Gunderson Dettmer, we created the CBL Scholars Program.  The CBL Scholars Program is a merit award created to develop a new generation of future leaders in business law. CBL will provide financial assistance, unique internship opportunities and hands-on academic and professional mentorship to students entering the business law community from disadvantaged educational, economic, social, or physical backgrounds and who have overcome adversity – including, but not limited to, those students enrolled in UC Hastings’ Legal Employment Opportunity Program. The CBL Scholars Program requires a commitment to pursue a career in corporate law, with a particular focus on the technology and venture capital ecosystem. This is a diverse field with many employment opportunities across law firms, corporations, investment funds, and the public sector.

We are thrilled to announce the first two students that have been selected as the inaugural CBL Scholars.  Each will receive a full-ride scholarship for their remaining two years at Hastings plus mentorship and support that will position them to thrive and become leaders in the business community in the Bay Area.

Jayshawn Anderson (Hometown: San Francisco, CA): Jay Anderson is a 1L studying business law with the goal of creating a social venture capital fund and promoting diversity amongst technology entrepreneurs. He comes to Hastings from Case Western Reserve, where he graduated with Honors in Psychology, and minors in Economics and Chemistry. He was drawn to law school by the desire to expedite the process of much needed legal reform as well as advocate for marginalized communities. Outside of school, Jay enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors, and cheering for the 49ers and the Warriors. He would like to thank his mother for inspiring him every day with her grit and perseverance.

Mounika Yepuri (Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA and Hyderabad, India): Mounika is a 1L at UC Hastings. She studied Political Science at UC Berkeley before working at Atrium LLP and Allen & Hatcher LLP as a corporate paralegal. Through these experiences, she was able to work with many startups, which inspired her to attend law school at the heart of the startup world. She hopes to work with emerging companies and venture capital in the future. Outside of law school you can catch her baking or running along the Embarcadero.

Jayshawn and Mounika embody all the qualities that will define future leaders in business law and we are thrilled to partner with them in building the CBL Scholars Program.

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The Center for Business Law at UC Hastings was founded with the mission of bringing together leading scholars, business leaders, practitioners, regulators and students to engage in the study, teaching and practice of business law at UC Hastings.

Contact:

UC Hastings Center for Business Law
200 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: 415-450-6388
cbl@uchastings.edu
https://cbl.uchastings.edu/