HLS in Focus

Q: Why did you go to law school?

A: There were two primary reasons that I decided to head to law school after working in government and politics for nearly five years.  First, while working for the Missouri Governor, I realized that my liberal arts education had taught me to read and write, but had not equipped me for the type of rapid decision-making that a fast-paced political job requires. I worked for two Chiefs of Staff who were especially good at analyzing an issue and instantly developing a plan of attack.  I recognized that the lawyers I worked with were generally better at breaking down complex situations into their component parts and addressing each in an orderly and methodical way, and hoped that law school would help me develop that skill.  Second, in a business where job security is limited to the length of a term in office, I saw first-hand the value of having a law degree after the Governor lost his re-election bid.  The members of his administration with a law degree had a much easier time finding new jobs than those who were not lawyers.  I calculated that three years of law school would provide a type of safety net that will likely be useful at some point in the future.

Q: What attracted you to HLS?

A:  The other students.  When I finished my 1L year at Northwestern and left to spend the summer in the US Attorney’s Office in Boston, I had every intention of returning in the fall. However, while I was at the USAO in Boston, I became friends with a great group of HLS students who were also interning there, and when my 1L grades came back better than I expected, they convinced me to throw in a transfer application.  Based almost entirely on their representations that HLS is a great place to be, I decided to transfer when I was accepted.  They weren’t wrong, and today, several people from that group are among my best friends.

Q: How was the assimilation process for transfers at HLS?  What activities did you participate in?

A:  It was a little easier for me than most transfer students, because I had a group of friends from the summer who felt somewhat responsible for taking care of me (since they had convinced me to apply to transfer and to make the move when I was accepted). However, I quickly found an even larger group of friends.  A key benefit of the large student body at HLS is that you can pretty easily find a group of people who are interested in similar issues and activities – be it exploring the bars of Cambridge or helping elect a candidate to office. HLS is such a large place that you don’t need to participate in activities just because everyone says you should. There are plenty of clubs, organizations, and opportunities to explore the things you are actually interested in, which is a huge advantage over most other law schools.

Q: You are now working for the Congressional Oversight Panel, which is Chaired by HLS Professor Elizabeth Warren.  How did that happen?

A:  I am in my current position as a Senior Advisor for the Congressional Oversight Panel (COP) because I went to HLS.  I did not take a class with Professor Warren, and did not know her when I was there.  However, a classmate of mine is now a fellow at HLS, and when he heard that she was looking to hire staff at the COP, he sent my resume to her (with what I assume was a strong recommendation).  A few interviews later, I was hired.  I should mention that whenever Professor Warren introduces me, she always makes a point of noting that I was not courageous enough to take her class – a characterization that I largely do not dispute.

Q: Any other thoughts would you have for someone who is considering applying to transfer to HLS?

A:  If you’re like I was in law school, and you’re not sure you want to be lawyer, HLS is a great place for three reasons.  First, because it is so large, you will find a group of people who are also skeptical about the traditional law student path, who will support and encourage your interest in exploring other potential opportunities.  Second, the culture at HLS highly values people who are willing to buck the pressure to head for a law firm and instead pursue a career in government or public interest.  Third, the HLS degree will open doors in unexpected places in a way that no other degree can.  It’s no guarantee, but you will meet a large number of extremely smart, motivated people who will almost certainly be helpful in a variety of unforeseen ways over the course of your career.  It’s an opportunity that’s worth the effort of a transfer application.