My Path to Law

Support and sacrifice paved the way for teen mom to eventually become a lawyer

The label “teen mom” can carry negative connotations. No one would expect someone who came from a poor background and had a child before she even became an adult to beat the odds and accomplish her dream of becoming an attorney. By sharing her story, lawyer Jasmine Grant wants others to know that they are capable of so much more than what society may believe.

Aug 1, 2020 1:20 AM CDT

Lawyer fights for human rights in the nation of Georgia

“Being a female lawyer in Georgia is a constant struggle against stereotypes. Many people brag about our cultural traditions for respecting women in my country, but in reality, these traditions are used to marginalize women from community decision-making,” writes Anna Arganashvili, a human rights lawyer.

Apr 1, 2020 2:20 AM CDT

Choice and Fate: Why I’m glad my first job offer was rescinded

When I finally had the opportunity to encounter the solo practitioner who rescinded my job offer, he approached me first, stating something like: “I am glad to see that you landed with Plunkett Cooney, it’s a really good firm. I withdrew the offer because you deserved a job like this and needed to wait for it to come along.”

Feb 1, 2020 1:20 AM CST

Surmounting hidden disabilities: Challenges need not be barriers

During law school, Emily Cox struggled with countless seizures, numerous medication changes, and having her license to drive rescinded. But she was fortunate to be in a school that cared about her disability with an administration that made sure she had the resources she needed to succeed.

Nov 1, 2019 3:10 AM CDT

Lawyer with autism finds her voice

With the help of her parents, Haley Moss overcame the stereotypes associated with autism to become a published author and a lawyer.

Sep 1, 2019 2:30 AM CDT

A natural migration: Descendant of immigrants works to protect civil rights

Many migrant men, women and children are fleeing their homelands to seek safety from violence. My maternal and paternal family members migrated to the United States from Mexico in search of opportunity and with hopes of realizing a dream.

Jul 1, 2019 2:20 AM CDT

State appeals judge challenged biases as first person with cerebral palsy to argue before SCOTUS

Nobody, except my mother, perhaps, thought I could become a lawyer. I was born in 1963 with cerebral palsy, which, even after many surgeries and much physical therapy, left me with only one functioning arm and a severe speech impediment.

Jun 1, 2019 1:40 AM CDT

Straddling two identities as a lawyer and DACA recipient

Zain Sayed is an employment attorney in Illinois, one of only about 10 states that admit DACA recipients to the bar.

May 1, 2019 2:35 AM CDT

Beating the odds, lawyer mentors at-risk youth

Charla Claypool, a member of the litigation department of Lewis Rice in St. Louis, notes her work mentoring and guiding youth, especially at-risk young women.

Apr 1, 2019 1:50 AM CDT

Legal director of Lambda Legal has spent her life pursuing LGBT rights

Sharon McGowan is the chief strategy officer and legal director of Lambda Legal, which is committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and individuals living with HIV.

Mar 1, 2019 1:50 AM CST

This lawyer's blindness led him to a tech-focused law practice

Looking back, I was extremely fortunate but too oblivious to realize it. When interviewing for associate positions, I was usually asked, “How can you practice law being blind?” I think most who asked that question didn’t have a clue. At the time, however, I thought they were just asking for my strategy.

Jan 1, 2019 2:40 AM CST

JAG Corps captain’s journey took him from Bushido to the bar

Shane Blank’s law career was influenced by Bushido: The Soul of Japan, a book written by Inazo Nitobe in 1899. The samurai code inspired Blank to embrace adversity, join the the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps and discover in law the ways of the warrior.

Dec 1, 2018 2:15 AM CST

Finding a home in the law

In seventh-grade English class, I was introduced to a book about John Peter Zenger, the reason I have been giving my entire life to wanting to become an attorney.

Oct 1, 2018 1:50 AM CDT

Embracing the possibilities of law grads from nontraditional backgrounds

Those of us who have had challenges on the way to working in the legal industry must speak up about their own experiences to inspire others. At the University of Exeter, a program called Pathways to Law supports high-achieving students from nonprivileged backgrounds as they finish school and start the process of applying to university.

Jul 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT

Structure from a chaotic beginning

My path to law has been shaped by legal institutions that brought order to a chaotic upbringing. As a child, family law brought safety from domestic violence that motivated my parents’ divorce. That early ancillary primer on criminal justice provided orientation for my adolescence when witnessing the prosecution of my two siblings for murder charges, and it shielded against physical abuse due to my sexual orientation.

Jun 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT