There is something that feels divine sitting inside a law department while simultaneously studying the law…

“The universe has a way of conspiring to place you exactly where you need to be to learn what your next chapter will require.”

In my law lectures, I am learning how to research legal issues, analyze rules, identify authority, understand cases, and communicate my opinion through legal writing. There is a blessing in the lesson.

At work, I get to see something equally important: what it takes for a municipal legal department to actually function to benefit the public good.

Everyday, I see the correspondence, records, deadlines, requests, administrative processes, and people behind the legal work.

I am learning that the practice of law is not sustained by legal knowledge alone; but it also depends on organization, accuracy, communication, professionalism, and respect for the people entrusted with each part of the process.

Working as a Legal Secretary, while continuing my legal education, has changed the way I think about professional development.

I once viewed work experience and education as two separate categories. One happened at work, the other happened in school. Now, I see them as interconnected as I’m growing to become the woman I was designed to be.

The classroom teaches me the law. The workplace teaches me how the legal profession moves. The two work together harmoniously.

As a neurodivergent black woman working in the law and studying the law, the lesson I hope to share is simple: do not underestimate where you are because it does not yet carry the title you are pursuing. There is purpose behind every footstep. Pay attention to the lessons as they manifest around you.

There may be more education happening around you than you realize.

Sometimes you are the person to witness a problem, so you can be a part of the solution. There is a difference between an invitation and a divine assignment. Your position is designed to transform you and change your perception. The assignment is not coincidental, but strategic in your preparation.

Sometimes You Are Placed in the Room Before You Are Given the Title

One of the greatest lessons I am learning is the value of proximity.

“Never underestimate the season that is teaching you how to function in the position you are preparing to hold.”

Working inside a law department gives me the opportunity to observe how legal professionals communicate, manage responsibilities, respond to problems, organize information, and serve the public.

I can observe which professional habits make work easier for everyone, and which habits create unnecessary complications.

That kind of learning cannot always be assigned from a textbook. Observational learning can become your greatest professor.

If you are a woman working as a legal assistant, paralegal, secretary, clerk, intern, administrative professional, or in another legal-support position while pursuing a legal career, resist the temptation to view yourself as simply waiting for your "real" career to begin.

Look around.

Listen.

Ask appropriate questions.

Study the workflow.

Find mentors.

Learn the terminology.

Notice how experienced professionals handle difficult situations. Observe how a matter travels through an office from beginning to completion.

You may already be standing inside one of your most valuable classrooms.

A good lawyer should understand the law. A great leader should also understand people.

Document Everything and Remember That Professional Communication Can Become Part of the Record

Law school teaches students to think carefully about words.

Working in a legal environment has reinforced another lesson: think carefully about records.

“The desk you sit behind today may be preparing you for the table you will sit at tomorrow. A good reputation and impeccable record matters.”

Emails, memoranda, notes, correspondence, case-management entries, records requests, calendars, and other written communications can matter later.

For that reason, one professional habit I am developing is to communicate as though my words may eventually need to speak for me when I am not in the room.

That does not mean writing every email like a legal brief. It means being accurate, professional, clear, and intentional.
When appropriate, confirm important conversations in writing. Maintain organized records. Use dates. Avoid writing emotionally when a factual response will accomplish more.

Before sending a message, consider whether you would be comfortable explaining it later if someone unfamiliar with the situation read it without additional context.

"Document everything" should not mean creating unnecessary paperwork or recording information you are not authorized to retain. It means understanding the value of a reliable professional record and following the confidentiality, privacy, records-management, and ethical requirements applicable to your workplace.

In law, memory can become disputed. A contemporaneous record can provide clarity. Document with intention.

Be a Student Everywhere You Go

Perhaps the most important lesson I am carrying from Legal Secretary to law student is this: be a student everywhere you go.

“Your career is more than a collection of titles. It is a collection of lessons, relationships, experiences, and moments that shape who you become. It’s all apart of the journey.”

Not every teacher will stand behind a podium.

Some lessons arrive through mistakes. Some come through mentors. Some come from watching excellent leadership. Others come from witnessing behavior you know you never want to repeat.

Sometimes the lesson is hidden inside an ordinary assignment.

Ask yourself:

• What is this experience teaching me about communication?
• Who is teaching me about leadership in this situation?
• What is this teaching me about organization and strategy?
• Who is teaching me about working with clients?
• What is this teaching me about the lawyer I will eventually become?

That mindset transforms a legal job and every lesson in law school into professional development.

Faithfully Legal,
Rev. Dr. Dorthea Enrique Thomas
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Reverend Dr. Dortheá Enriqúe Thomas is an award winning public servant, legal professional, organizational leader, and spiritual counselor who has dedicated her life to transforming people, policies, and communities from the inside out.

Professionally, she currently serves as a Legal Secretary with the Detroit Law Department and previously worked as an Office Management Assistant with the Detroit Police Department. In those roles she serves as executive operations and legal administration with precision, professionalism, and genuine care for the community she serves.

Beyond government service, she is also an Interfaith Minister and the Founding Director and Lead Spiritual Counselor of Modern Soulful Living Ministries. The organization focuses on healing arts, education, personal development, mental health, and spiritual wellness. Through that work she helps individuals and organizations grow, heal, and reach their highest potential.

As a published author she has written and published more than a dozen books. As a certified digital journalist she has contributed to platforms like Give a Beat, Sierra Club, Patheos, Fierce Truth Spiritual Magazine, Mom’s Clean Air Force, and Mom’s Rising, often highlighting conversations around spirituality, justice, and community health.

Her leadership journey includes impactful roles such as Deputy Director at Detroit Action, Communications Coordinator with Give a Beat, Just Transition Organizer with Climate Justice Alliance, Detroit Organizer with Sierra Club, Environmental Justice Fellow with the NAACP, and Climate Fellow with WE ACT for Environmental Justice. She also founded the Detroit Environmental and Water Alliance, a community organization focused on clean air, clean water, and supporting a just transition toward a green economy.