
Joshua Johnson ’26 gained a whole scholarship to go to UC Legislation SF as section of the California Scholars Plan.
This story is part of a collection of profiles on users of the incoming JD class of 2026 at UC Law San Francisco.
When Joshua Johnson ’26 acknowledged an offer to show up at UC Legislation San Francisco on a whole scholarship this 12 months, he arrived just one stage nearer to fulfilling a longtime desire.
Because age 7, Johnson mentioned he understood he wanted to be a law firm. He often beloved to argue, and as a teen, he grew passionate about challenges of civil legal rights and felony justice. But right before he could get to legislation university, he initial experienced to defeat hurdles.
Elevated by a one mother with two brothers in Inglewood, California, Johnson reported he knew spending for higher education would pose a obstacle. Which is why he begun his post-superior college education and learning at a community college around dwelling ahead of transferring to Morehouse College or university in Atlanta, where by he analyzed psychology. He attained a number of scholarships to assistance cover the value.
“Affording college was usually heading to be an concern,” he reported. “I was blessed that I acquired numerous scholarships to offset that.”
Johnson, 24, was acknowledged into UC Regulation SF’s California Scholar Method, which enrolls and financially supports California college students who graduated from Traditionally Black Faculties and Universities (HBCUs) and the American College in Armenia. Introduced in 2018, the plan produces a pipeline to the authorized career for all those students.
“Programs like this make me truly feel I’ll be harmless, handled pretty, and get the exact accessibility to assets and quality education from an institution that would like me to be here,” Johnson mentioned.
Johnson is also a member of UC Law SF’s Authorized Education and learning Option Plan, which offers academic support and means for all those who have get over sizeable disadvantages to obtain an excellent legal education and learning. “Law college is a entirely new entire world to me, so I’m grateful to have that advice coming into it,” he reported.
As an undergrad, Johnson pursued many things to do to enable prepare him for law faculty. He interned for a county judge in Atlanta, competed on the Moot Court docket workforce at Morehouse, and invested a summertime advocating for prison justice reform with a New York-based nonprofit, Campaign Zero.
Most a short while ago, he realized about the issues of functioning a significant court docket technique as a judicial fellow at Placer County Superior Court this past summertime. It was portion of the Money Fellows System at California Condition University, Sacramento. Though there, Johnson was mentored by the court’s CEO. He investigated the want for a little statements night time court docket and drafted a plan memo that led to a enhance in fork out for court docket-appointed psychologists and specialists.
“I realized how the court deals with issues like workers shortages and spending budget deficits whilst nonetheless making sure that absolutely everyone receives access to justice,” he mentioned.
Wanting to the upcoming, Johnson said he hopes to apply criminal justice and civil legal rights after regulation university, but he’s open to acquiring other locations of desire although at UC Legislation SF.
“I really do imagine in accessibility to justice for absolutely everyone and the fairness of the courts and our lawful process,” he mentioned. “That’s why we need packages like California Scholars that develop spaces for individuals these kinds of as myself and customers of marginalized communities to bring about improve.”
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