Hometown and Undergraduate School:
Atlanta, George Washington University (BA in International Conflict and Security Resolution).
Campus Activities and Organizations:
President: International and Comparative Law Society; Member: Intellectual Property Law Society
Why did you choose to study law?
There are two reasons: most importantly, I wanted to understand the way we construct our system. As a lawyer, you learn how and why the rules exist. With that extra knowledge, you are then given certain rights to help others. The second reason feeds into the area I am most interested in, which is working on post-conflict reconstruction in developing countries. If I want to be involved in assisting others on how to best rebuild their country, based on their unique requirements, I must first learn the basis of the rule of law.
How would you most like to make an impact in your chosen field of law?
There is a dualism in how I would most like to have an impact. I want to be a part of the construction of countries. I want to witness and possibly participate in that process. But, I also want to see the individual impact. I will be able to help my friends navigate the legal process and make their lives easier.
What is your favorite thing about being in law school?
My favorite thing about being in law school is the Socratic Method in small upper level classes. You read about interesting areas of the law and then get to have super qualified professors discuss them with you. It allows for you to understand not just the rule, but also the logic behind it, which provides a deeper understanding of a specific area of interest; ranging from urban growth management and environmental protections to the legal constructs of non-profits and LLCs.
If you could be invisible for a whole day, where would you go and why?
Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing about my day. I would still go to study my student organization’s office, go to a new place for lunch, and go to class (probably a bit less prepared because I wouldn’t worry about being called on). Maybe, I would go to random undergraduate classes because I would not bother the teacher and could learn something new.
What are your favorite attributes of Georgia State tradition or the College of Law?
I love the willingness of the teachers to provide support. They do not, and should not, coddle or hold our hands through school and the real-world. However, they are always more than willing to answer any question I have. Each professor that I have asked for advice has discussed realistic and targeted solutions to my questions. I was surprised to both find out how open the professors were and how devoted the teachers really are to the students.
What advice would you give to incoming law students?
I was given this advice and I thought it helped. Law school is like living in a foreign country and you don’t know the language. You have to both learn the culture of the country (the law we learn in class) and the language to communicate it (the legalese we use; such as peppercorn consideration or privilege). Therefore, concentrate on what is important. The Rules. Know the rules that come out of the cases you read. Everything flows from that. All the work the teachers ask you to do stem from their desire that you drill down to what the legally significant facts are that turn the case one way or another.
Have you had an internship/externship or other legal work experience? Please describe briefly, if yes.
For my first year of school, I attended the part-time program at night and worked as a Law Clerk during the day at a law firm, Johnson and Freedman. I helped support the attorneys’ draft court documents and filed paperwork with the court. During the summer, I both attended summer school and interned at the non-profit The Institute for State Effectiveness. I provided research assistance and helped draft a manual for self-governance that will be published and distributed in the near future.
What is the best career preparation advice you’ve received from Career Services Office?
Reach out to everyone. Email anyone you are intrigued by. Find networks that allow you efficiently reach out to those people. I took that advice and reached out to over 50 local and international individuals and organizations. Because of that advice, I met with over 30 local attorneys, which allowed me to create a mentorship program and lecture series for the student organization I am president of. Because of that advice, I opened dialogues with over 10 international organizations, which allowed me to have multiple research-based internships.
