Law School Love

Law school is known for its rigorous workload, demanding professors, and competitive atmosphere. For three couples at Rutgers Law, it also became the place where they met, fell in love, and built lasting relationships. Their stories offer a unique perspective on how law school can be more than just a stepping stone to a career—it can be the foundation of a lasting partnership that endures well beyond graduation. Their journeys through law school in Camden and Newark not only shaped their careers but also helped them navigate the highs and lows of life together.

Jennifer Alfonso (née Monge) ’21 and Armando Alfonso ’22

Jennifer Monge and Armando Alfonso attended Rutgers Law School on different campuses—Monge in Newark and Alfonso in Camden—but their paths crossed one evening at the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (HBA-NJ) Scholarship Gala. “She seemed nice and had a great sense of humor, not to mention she looked stunning,” recalls Alfonso. Monge says, “Armando was the perfect gentleman, made me laugh, looked good in a suit, and was very observant.” So, when he asked her out, she said yes.

On their first date in New Brunswick, the pair strolled through Rutgers’ Cook/Douglass campus, spending hours talking and getting to know one another. It wasn’t long before they became inseparable—or as inseparable as a couple can be while attending law school about 90 miles apart. “We would constantly check up on one another and provide words of encouragement and affirmation to make sure we were both continuing down the path to finish school and progress with our lives together,” Alfonso says.

As first-generation law students, this support was invaluable. “We are both extremely close with our families, but law school and the commitment it requires was something foreign to them,” Monge says. “It was critical to have someone I could rely on to be my rock and to understand the late nights and sacrifices necessary to succeed.”

The couple deepened their bond during a nonprofit law course in the Dominican Republic, where they joined fellow Rutgers students to build a home for an elderly couple. The COVID-19 lockdowns further strengthened their connection. While quarantined, they embraced the chance to slow down, have meaningful conversations, and discover shared hobbies like cooking and playing board games.

Today, their Rutgers roots remain a cornerstone of their lives. Alfonso is a program specialist for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is vice president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County’s Board of Trustees. Monge is an associate at Lowenstein Sandler LLP and is a part of the mortgage and structured finance group, where she represents clients in asset-backed securities and servicing funding as well as secured and unsecured credit facilities. She is also active in the firm’s pro bono practice and is a board member of the HBA-NJ. “It truly was serendipity that we met,” she says. “All the stars aligned for us to attend law school at the same time, to receive an HBA-NJ scholarship the same year, and for me to happen to just sit next to him at the gala. I thank my lucky stars!” The couple welcomed a baby girl in January 2024.

Rebecca Valencia-Sun ’10 and Xiao Sun ’11

For Rebecca Valencia-Sun and Xiao Sun, Rutgers Law School was more than a launchpad for their legal careers—it was also where they met and formed a lifelong partnership. The couple first crossed paths during Rebecca’s 2L year on the Newark campus. As treasurer of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), Rebecca was in the atrium one fall day handing out flyers to recruit new members.

"I approached all the Asian people I saw," she laughs. Xiao, who had just started his law school journey as a 1L student, was happy to connect. “I remember being happy she approached me because I was looking to join clubs, meet people, and grow my network on campus,” he recalls. “Law school is not easy, but Becca was easy to talk to and our friendship grew through our involvement in APALSA.” Over time, during dinners, meetings, and other club gatherings, that friendship organically transformed into something more. “He made his intentions clear one day,” Rebecca recalls. “I was glad about that because I wasn’t sure if we were on a date or just having lunch as friends!”

Navigating law school as a couple had its benefits. Rebecca, being a year ahead, became a guide of sorts for Xiao. She offered advice on classes, supported him during the daunting journal process, and shared her notes. "She had impeccable notes and beautiful handwriting, compared to my chicken scratch,” Xiao quips. Xiao, in turn, became Rebecca’s rock during her bar exam preparation. “I still believe law school is the best time to meet your partner,” she says. “We got to experience it together and support one another along the way.”

The pair married in 2014 and have two young sons. Xiao is a shareholder at Orloff, Lowenbach, Stifelman & Siegel and president of the Rutgers School of Law–Newark Alumni Association. Rebecca, who initially focused on tax law, found her niche as an attorney advisor for the Social Security Administration. “Attending Rutgers Law School was the closest I’ve been in my life to feeling like I found my calling,” Xiao says. “Right away, I knew it was the right decision. At Rutgers, I found my place, my people, my closest friends, my wife and, obviously, it led us to where we are now professionally.” 

Gina Warren ’04 and Wesley Schnell ’04

Gina Warren and Wesley Schnell like to say they’re opposite sides of the same coin. Though they share a birthday and entered Rutgers Law School at the same time, they each took a very different approach to the experience—while Warren was a dedicated student, Schnell jokes that he was “a Jersey guy from Salem County who barely graduated high school.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that the first time they met, they didn’t exactly hit it off. It was their 1L year, they were acquaintances through some common friends, and one day found themselves on the same train platform headed to Rutgers Law School’s Camden campus. “I asked her if we were in the same constitutional law class, and thought that would spark all kinds of great conversations,” recalls Schnell. “She simply said ‘yes,’ and turned right back around.” Warren has a different perspective: “He failed to ask an open-ended question,” she says, “and I don’t think we spoke again for at least another semester!”

Things began to shift when they were assigned to work on a project together during their 2L year. “I helped Gina relax and have fun, and she helped me get a little more focused,” Schnell says. The two became fast friends, then best friends, and eventually, something more. Their relationship deepened during their 3L year when they moved in together and took a trip to Venezuela. That shared love of travel has since taken them to nearly 50 countries around the world. “The benefit of going through law school with your partner is that you’re not alone,” says Schnell. “After a long day of classes, you can talk to someone who knows exactly what you’re going through.”

The pair got engaged in 2006 (in the courtyards outside the Louvre in Paris), married later that year (in Barbados), and welcomed a son in 2009 (named Atlas, who—true to his name—has already visited 40 countries and speaks three languages).

Today, the family lives in Houston. Warren is a professor of law and the A.L. O’Quinn Chair in Environmental Studies at the University of Houston Law Center, and Schnell is chief legal officer of a tech company. “We both think very fondly of Rutgers Law and what it has done for us,” Warren says. “Most of my colleagues went to a top five elite law school, but it’s worth saying that’s not the only path. You can get where I am no matter what school you attend when you’re engaged with the community and have the kind of support Rutgers Law provides.”