A swearing in ceremony was recently held for up and coming attorney, Rachael Bennett in Judge Angel Bermudez’s courtroom at Southwest Justice Center. 

Bennett was born in Santa Monica and raised in Murrieta. She graduated in the spring of 2015 from Pepperdine University School of Law and passed the bar in November 2015. 

Bennett has chosen to return home to continue her life-long dream of practicing law. She joins her family at the firm, Bennett and Bennett. 

 In college, Bennett double majored in political science and international studies. When she went to law school part of her studies focused on business and entrepreneurship. 

Although recently sworn in Bennett has been gaining valuable real life, real work experience working her way through law school.  After the summer of her first year of law school, Bennett did an externship with Judge Angel Bermudez and Judge Sherrill A. Ellsworth at The Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. 

At the end of her second year in law school, Bennett worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in downtown Riverside. At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she helped work on a homegrown terrorism case, an extradition case involving sending a person back to South Korea and a Habeas Corpus case. 

During her third year of law school, Bennett worked part-time as a law clerk while taking 18 units per semester. 

“I believe that working and learning on the job helped me pass the bar and helps a law student prepare for real life,” said Bennett. “It was stressful working and going to school but it was a valuable experience.” 

 Rachael is thrilled to follow in her parent’s footsteps and work in the family business. Attorneys, Greg and Kelly started Bennett & Bennett, APC in 1998. Attorney Kelly Bennett was also the first and only woman to serve on Murrieta’s city council. 

“I enjoy family law. I like being able to see first-hand how we can help a family,” said Bennett. “It is such a personal job to help people at such a personal level.” 

Bennett is representing the next round of up and coming attorneys in Southwest Riverside County. As a millennial, she said, “My generation has had the most access to education and information than any other generation. We need to hold ourselves to high standards, to prepare properly for our cases and fight for our client.” 

“I want to raise the bar in representing our clients,” said Bennett. 

The Bennett and Bennett law firm believe in “servant leadership,” and the newly sworn in Attorney Rachael Bennett plans to continue that tradition by working with existing programs or starting her own that gives back to the community.

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