Doug Mulliken ‘23
Hi Doug, thanks for coming on Hot Bench! Where are you Zooming in from and what time is it?
Capetown, South Africa—I live in the Muizenberg neighborhood. It is 6:33 p.m., South African Standard Time.
That’s a six hour difference! What are you doing in South Africa?
The short version is I moved here two years ago because my wife is from here and I had a postdoctoral fellowship at a nearby university. And then, COVID meant the borders were closed when law school started, so I was unable to leave the country to come to the United States.
Do you have plans to come to Charlottesville?
Yeah, I am trying to when borders open. Probably after Christmas, we’ll get to Charlottesville and get settled in before classes start in January.
What’s your wife’s name? How did you meet?
Her name is Inge Jansen. We met when I first moved to South Africa in 2010. We were both at a friend’s going-away party; we met at a dingy bar called Gandalf’s, which is a goth-metal bar. My wife struggles with the fact that she met her husband at a bar like that.
Where are you from?
San Diego, California. I grew up down the street from where they filmed Top Gun.
When did you start thinking about law school?
For practical purposes, probably the day after Donald Trump was elected. My dad is a lawyer and my brother went to law school, but I didn’t think of it as something I could do myself until that election. I was working on my Ph.D. when it happened, and I wasn’t going to stop, so I finished it and then prepared to switch to a career that would allow me to have a practical impact and contribute to society in a different way.
What is your Ph.D. in?
Hispanic studies and film studies.
Do you speak any other languages?
Yes, Portuguese and Spanish. I lived in Spain for a year, and Argentina for about five months. My Portuguese is pretty rusty now.
How does law school compare with other forms of graduate schooling?
The big difference between a Ph.D. and law school is that with the Ph.D., you have to figure it out on your own. One positive thing about law school is that if I read something and I don't understand it, I’m not stressed about it—I know we’ll discuss it in class.
How is taking classes entirely online?
Generally, it’s been fine. It feels like night school, but in terms of learning the materials, it’s fine. I think the big difference is how much harder it is to meet other students. If people don’t talk in class, I don’t really know who they are. And because there are fewer interactions, it’s hard to know who’s who.
Have you been able to get involved with clubs?
Yep, I’m a 1L rep for LALO and we’re having our first meeting this week. They co-sponsor a volunteer program with farmworkers and I’m excited to get involved when I get to Charlottesville. I’m in a couple of other groups, but it’s hard via Zoom. My wife joined UVA Spouses and she was on a Zoom meet-up and enjoyed meeting with them.
Let’s do a lightning round!
Favorite food?
San Diego Mexican food.
Favorite place in Charlottesville? (If you have one?)
I do have one! I’m a fake double ’Hoo—I have a Master’s from UVA. My favorite place in C’ville is a restaurant called Maya.
Favorite place in Capetown?
The beach.
Anti-Stress Hobby?
Before the pandemic, I used to play rugby and cricket.
Pet peeve?
When technology doesn't work the way it’s supposed to.
Favorite word?
You can’t print it, but ****. Another word would be welp.
Fun fact about yourself?
I’m the oldest person in the 1L class. At least I think so . . . I haven't met another thirty-seven-year old yet. Also, I have a tiny dachshund named Max.
What’s one movie that left an impression on you?
The first movie that left a big impression on me is an Australian movie called The Year of Living Dangerously from the 1980s, starring Mel Gibson and Linda Hunt. After watching that film, I wanted to be a foreign correspondent, but by the time I got to college that was a dying profession.
If you could pick one song to play in the background of your life, what would it be?
“Vivo” by Gustavo Cerati.
What’s your spirit vegetable?
Onion, but not for the Shrek reasons.
Do you care to elaborate?
Onions are the greatest vegetable. They mix well with every kind of cuisine. We should all aspire to be as versatile and adaptable as onions.
Where’s a place you’ve never been, but would like to go?
Russia. I’d love to do the Trans-Siberian Railroad. I find Russia fascinating because I grew up in the tail end of the Cold War. The Russians were the bad guys, and then they were the good guys in the ’90s, and now they’re the bad guys again.
If you could make one rule that everyone had to follow, what would it be?
“Think about others more than we do.” I think we lack that these days— thinking about others. And everyone struggles with it.
Is cereal a soup?
No. And a hotdog is not a sandwich.
---
dgm8p@virginia.edu