A 2020 graduate of Texas A&M University School of Law, Alexandra (Ally) Lizano is now a junior associate in Downey Brand’s Environmental Law Practice Group in Sacramento, California. Lizano discovered her passion for environmental law while she was pursuing her degree in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning at the University of California, Davis. She shared that she “knew that [she] found the right career path” when she took an environmental law class during her junior year – she immediately signed up for the LSAT when she completed the course!
During law school, Lizano dove headfirst into every opportunity she could to develop her interests and experiences in environmental law. She undertook many impressive endeavors, including co-founding the Ag Law Society at A&M Law. Lizano loved being able to host events and continued to expand upon her Agricultural Law knowledge by working with the National Agricultural Law Center as a research fellow during her 2L year. Lizano notes that law school is a great time to explore opportunities and she “really encourage[s] law students to not shy away from having specific interests.”
Lizano honed her legal writing and research skills as Executive Editor of the Journal of Property Law, where she “loved the mentorship aspect of that position and getting to know staffers and their interests.” She continued expanding upon these skills by researching the legal and regulatory framework for groundwater desalination and reuse in the Natural Resources Capstone class. However, her accomplishments during law school did not come without important lessons. When asked what advice she would offer current students, Lizano stated that “if you think you need a break — you probably do!” She also advises to “manage your course load, find a few experiences that you are passionate about, and make time to take care of yourself!”
Lizano spent her summers during law school back home in California. During the summer after her first year, she worked with the Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division; during her second summer, she was a summer associate at Downey Brand. Following that clerkship, Lizano was offered a full-time position at Downey Brand, and she now works in environmental litigation and regulatory advising as a junior associate in the environmental law practice group. When asked about what a typical workday is like, Lizano said it “might involve reviewing or drafting discovery, drafting motions, and/or researching various state and federal laws.” Now that Lizano is back in California, she loves being able to spend more time with her family and friends, and she enjoys taking day trips to her favorite spots, like Napa, San Francisco, and Lake Tahoe. Lizano encourages students to prioritize their well-being while in law school, and offers a key takeaway: “the best way to build a foundation for a sustainable career in law practice is to start developing healthy habits and boundaries while you’re in law school.”