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Something Blue: Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession - Collective Wisdom of 2019
By Molly Timko • December 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School
As a 2019 Ms. JD Writer in Residence, I had the privilege of interviewing some truly inspirational first-generation lawyers/lawyers with blue-collar roots. I learned about their unique paths to law school and the legal profession, and the challenges associated with becoming the first person in their family (or possibly in their community) to become a lawyer. These women also shared some great advice, which I compiled below. It is my hope that first-generation attorneys will continue to share their stories and mentor and support other trailblazers who are climbing up the ladder. Collective Wisdom of 2019: You Can Do It! “You deserve to be where you…
Setting Yourself Up for Success on the Bar Exam from Day One
By Alexandra Echsner-Rasmussen • December 19, 2019 •Law School, Other Law School Issues
Studying for the bar exam is no small task. Countless hours are spent reading, answering practice questions, reviewing practice questions, and the study cycle continues. At the onset of your designated preparation period, it is always a good idea to consider the following items because, if overlooked, they could result in being detrimental to success and ultimately, bar passage. Environment. How is your study environment? Do you need absolute silence or do you prefer to have background noise? Do you value organization or do you work well with a bit of clutter? Whichever is best for you, be sure to…
Your First Criminal Law Case: How to handle it?
By Douglas Parker • December 03, 2019 •Law School
Doing anything for the first time can be a nerve-racking experience. Handling a criminal law case for the first time is no exception. Imagine having someone else’s criminal record and future in your hands. The thought is enough to make anyone’s head spin. Being nervous is completely normal and is nothing to be ashamed of. Even the top criminal defense attorneys still experience this, especially for clients with a previous criminal record. If you are facing your first criminal law case, know that being nervous is natural. However, ask long as you keep your head clear, everything will be fine.…
Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession - An Interview with Jennifer Frankola Crawford
By Molly Timko • December 02, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Internships and Clerkships, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
For this month's post, I am thrilled to feature my fellow CUNY Law alum, Jennifer Frankola Crawford. Jennifer is an experienced attorney, arbitrator, and human rights advocate with blue-collar/working-class roots. As an arbitrator, Jennifer hears cases and renders decisions based upon New York State’s Insurance Law. In addition, Jennifer maintains an active practice in education law, representing families of children with learning disabilities and developmental delays. Further, Jennifer engages in pro bono work involving human rights issues, including handling immigration/deportation cases, and she collaborates with other lawyers to design and host CLEs. In this interview, Jennifer describes how her family's history, including her parents' immigration to the United States, influenced her career trajectory. She also offers excellent advice to first-generation…
The Best Career Advice I’ve Been Given: Watch Your Feet
By Gabriella Dionise • November 22, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
I’m clumsy by nature. Not the cute clumsy, where you fall into a handsome man’s arms, but the stub your toe and break it kind of clumsy. I quickly found that I could either live in steel-toed boots or watch my feet as I walked. My favorite summer sandals don’t come in steel-toed options, so down I look. Growing up, this was my parents’ greatest annoyance. They would take me to an art museum, and I would stare at my feet, to the beach, and I would stare at my feet, to a beautiful view, and I would stare at…
Something Blue: Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession – An Interview with Devon Holmes
By Molly Timko • October 31, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School
For this month's blog post, I am excited to feature my interview with Devon Holmes, Esq. Devon is a first generation legal professional from Hazard, Kentucky. Devon serves as an attorney for Social Security Administration's Office of Appellate Operations and she is passionate about public interest law. In this interview, Devon explains how growing up in Appalachia helped shape her career trajectory. She also shares thoughtful advice to first generation law students. Could you tell Ms. JD blog readers about your background and what prompted you to apply to law school? I was born in Hazard, Kentucky, a town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. My parents were a…
Bar Classes, Clinics, Electives, & More
By Caambridge Horton • October 25, 2019 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Curriculum and Classroom Dynamics
Law school is an interesting experience, to say the least. While in law school, it feels as though time is moving at a glacial pace, but before you know it, the time has flown by, and you are closer to the finish line than you realized. With this being said, class selection is crucial because there are a plethora of classes to take in only a short amount of time. Three years seems like a long time until you realize that it is not nearly enough time to take all of the classes you are interested in and that are…
Taking Care of Your Future Self During an 80-Hour Week
By Marisa Tashman • October 23, 2019 •Ms. JD, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues, Features, Superwomen JDs and What You Can Learn From Them
Like many young ambitious women in the wake of Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” movement, I often have to make choices between two options that are both necessary: “sleep or work out?” “meditate or call my mom?” Beginning my career as a litigator at a large law firm in Los Angeles, I’ve been forced to make these choices all too often, eventually transforming into a thought-cycle of not being balanced enough, which inevitably transforms into being hopelessly imbalanced. Layer on psychosomatic GI issues, migraines, and an unexpected back injury, I turned to a wellness “industry” filled with preachers on becoming perfectly…
Healing Hurt With High Heels: How One Aspiring Law Student Helps Others Heal from Domestic Violence
By Roberta O. Roberts, Esq. of Grace for the Grind™ • October 12, 2019 •Law School, Pre-Law, Issues, Sexism, Sexual Harassment, and Other Forms of Discrimination, Other Issues, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, [1] so this article shares the story of a pre-law student who started her own nonprofit organization for survivors of domestic violence after surviving domestic violence herself. I am honored to share this conversational interview I had with Ronshanda “Nikki” Chaney about how she found purpose from her pain and in turn helps others heal through her novels and organization, Heel My Heart. --- Nikki, thank you so much for taking time to answer questions for me as the October member spotlight for Grace for the Grind™ Career Mastermind! Let’s start off with…