Shi "Porter" Yang, JD
Shi “Porter” Yang, JD, grew up in a rural town in Taiwan and didn’t start learning English until he moved alone to Australia to pursue an education when he was 12. During the last 13 years, Yang completed his middle and high school education in Australia, earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in three majors — political science, criminology, and sociology — from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s (FDU) Florham campus in Madison, N.J., and earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
At FDU, Yang received a Student Pinnacle Award, the highest honor the university bestows on a graduating student. The award recognizes one student from each FDU campus who has demonstrated academic excellence, public service, and commitment to the university. He also participated in the University Honors Program, won a Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, and served as president of the Student Government Association.
After graduating from FDU, Yang spent a year as legal assistant specialist/paralegal with Riker Danzig LLP in Morristown, N.J., an experience that he says affirmed his passion for litigation work.
Upon arriving in Baltimore in 2017, Yang became actively involved in the Carey School of Law community. He was the head coordinator of the Peer Advisors Program, welcoming prospective and incoming students to the school; a member of the National Trial Team, competing in tournaments throughout the country; and a student attorney at the Immigration Clinic, helping clients with a variety of legal issues.
Yang also gained work experience in private and public legal practices during his time at Carey School of Law. He interned for Court of Special Appeals and Circuit Court for Baltimore City judges, clerked for a U.S. Senate committee, served as a faculty research assistant, and worked for Jackson Lewis PC during his second-year summer.
With his unique personal experience and training at Carey School of Law, Yang says he can’t wait to influence the professional community with his diverse perspective and work ethic. He graduated from Carey School of Law in May, is studying for the bar exam, and expects to become a U.S. citizen in 2020.