For those who hold a law degree, the paths are many.  Three members of the Class of 2001 talk about their fledgling careers before they began full-time work and half-way through the first year of their careers

Young, Patricia

English

Digital Commons @ UM Law

«..•. •- •.-•• 11, .31THREE GRADUATES FROM THE CLASS OF 2001 ARE CHARTING THEIR FUTURES WITHOUT THE HELP OFHOW-TO MANUALS, ATLASES OR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEIR STORIES ILLUSTRATE THAT FOR THOSEWHO HOLD LAW DEGREES, THE PATHS ARE MANY.Graduates from the University ofMaryland School of Law are find-ing that employment opportunitiesabound-in diverse and sometimes non-traditional areas.Of the Class of 200 1's 237 graduates,97 percent are either employed, pursuingadvanced degrees or are not seekingemployment. Sixty-six entered privatepractice, 43 are judicial law clerks, 32entered government or other public serv-ice, and two are chief operating officers,one for Empower Baltimore ManagementCorp., another for a health care consult-ing firm in Virginia.In the profiles that follow, threemembers of the Class of 200 1 wereinterviewed as they entered the legallandscape and again seven months later.Their career choices illustrate that a legaleducation is what you make of it.Summer 2001CHANGING LIFESTYLES ANDPRIORITIESJennifer Emig is one of the 66 graduateswho entered private practice, but this maybe the only category in which she can beplaced. After a three-and-a-half week tripto Europe, this high-energy youngwoman comes home to a moving vanwaiting to take her belongings to her nextresidence (there have been 13 in 10years). Plus, she is preparing to take thebar exam and completing the transitionfrom full-time student to professional.PATRICIA YOUNGVenable, Baetjer & Howard, LLP, isher employer, yet she retains her studentstatus. Emig has two classes to completeto earn her master's degree in businessadministration (MBA) from theUniversiry of Baltimore. She plans todon cap and gown yet again inDecember 200 1.Is she ready for all that awaits her? Yesand no. "I'm totally not ready. I'm jetlagged-a mad woman," she exclaimswhile putting lipstick on and speakingon her cell phone in her parked car asshe watches the movers load the van. Onthe flip side, "There is a certain euphoriathat comes with graduating and attainingfinancial independence. All these changesare positive-changing lifestyle and pri-orities," Emig acknowledges. And shehas a relatively new boyfriend to add tothe mix.Her lifestyle will change dramatically.As a new associate practicing corporatetransactional work in the health caregroup, business division at Venable,Emig expects to clock a 10- to 12-hourday. "I originally wanted to do generaltransactional work, but the market isstagnant," Emig explains. "I had severaljob offers, but I chose Venable becauseof its excellent reputation, the collegialityin the firm and their willingness to workwith people's schedules and interests."Her interests are plentiful. An athletewho works out four to five times a week,she is training for a marathon and play-ing on a women's soccer team. For thepast few years, Emig has paired withPam Shriver on her charity tennis tour-nament, helping with event planningand promotions. Having once consid-ered a career in public relations, thetennis tournament is one extracurricularactivity with which she hopes to stayinvolved.FROM TUSCANY TO BALTIMORETO ERIEOut of 43 graduates who accepted judi-cial clerkships, Craig Mason is the onlygraduate to be selected to the U.S. Courtof Appeals for the Third Circuit. Heapplied for the federal clerkship on awhim, "I thought it would be kind offun," says Mason.Mason's casual attitude is a direct con-trast to the competitive nature of clerk-ing for the Court of Appeals. There areonly 11 circuits, thereby making theslots more competitive and prestigious.For approximately every 300 applicants,only one is chosen. Regarding judicialclerkships in general, the School of Lawranks above the national average with 24percent of the Class of 200 1 clerking,while just 12 percent of all law graduatesnationwide clerked in 2000.After graduating from GettysburgCollege (Pa.) with a major in English lit-erature, Mason was an officer in the U.S.Army for five years, completing tours ofduty in Germany and Tuscany. The mili-tary offered him a chance to travel anddecide what to do next. "I knew I want-WWWLAWUMARYLAND.EDU 32ed a job that required me to use mymind," Mason explains. He had consid-ered attending law school or becoming aprofessor.Mason says his decision to come toBaltimore from Tuscany may be yetanother stall tactic. "Attending theSchool of Law was a part of my gradualprocess of putting off the ultimate deci-sion," Mason asserts.Aside from thinking the one-yearACHIEVING BALANCESome graduates attend law school andearn law degrees, never intending tobecome practicing attorneys. That isTisha Edwards: a social worker, a wifeand mother of two small children andthe chief operating officer (COO) forEmpower Baltimore Management Corp.Edwards entered graduate school as aJD/MSW dual-degree candidate. With asays, "it is striking the balance. I want tobe the best mom I can be, give 110 per-cent to work and still find time formyself" Oh, and she is studying for thebar exam.Edwards is quick to give credit whereit is due. "My husband makes this hap-pen. He is there for the kids, for me, andhe creates time." Edwards recognizes thevalue of family. She is the first in herfamily to hold a degree, let alone three.Graduates are pursuing theirclerkship for the Hon. Richard Nygaardin Erie, Pa., would be fun, Mason knewit would open a lot of doors for him.The irony isn't lost on him as he states,"This opportunity will probably com-pound my confusion."But Mason stands at the ready. Withrelocating, the bar exam and employ-ment all just a month or less away, heretains his cool composure as he rattlesoff what he expects out of his 60-hourwork week. Mason anticipates travelingto Philadelphia to hear oral argumentsabout one week out of the month. Theremainder of his time will be spentpreparing the judge to hear cases, heexplains, by writing memoranda andopinions and, "more writing," Masonpredicts.33 JD MAGAZINE SUMMER 2002minor in social work from Georgia StateUniversity, Edwards was eager to earn anadvanced degree (or two). What is typi-cally a four- to five-year program,Edwards conquered in three, "I'm a pret-ty urgent person," she admits. In spite ofhaving a husband, a young son and ababy on the way at the time, Edwardssays, "I felt I could handle somethingmore accelerated."To fulfill an internship requirementfor her graduate studies, Edwards was aresearch/staff assistant for six months forEmpower Baltimore, an organizationthat works with Baltimore City'sempowerment zones (downtown urbanrevitalization). Upon graduating in May2001, she was named COO.Edwards manages the operations ofthe corporation, its $100 million grantfrom the U.S. Department of Housingand Urban Development, a $1.3 millionadministrative budget and a staff of 40."The work is not so difficult," Edwards"This [her JD and MSW] is my mom'sand my grandmother's too," she proudlystates.Her COO position with a nonprofitorganization places Edwards right whereshe wants to be. "This is just the rightopportunity to propel me toward mylong-term goal," Edwards says, workingwith nonprofits across the city, buildingthe organizations' capacities. Ultimatelyshe would like to have her own consult-ing firm.So why earn a law degree? "My lawschool education is an opportunity forme to leverage what can happen withincommunities. I'm a social worker withthe skills and knowledge of a lawyer,"says Edwards.MARCH 2002EXPECTATIONS V. REAL WORLDWith a half-year or so into their profes-sional careers, Emig, Mason andEdwards evaluate their current status andthose adjustments, be it physical or men-tal, that require constant vigilance.Emig, as anticipated, finished herMBA and graduated in December 200l.She passed the bar exam in November,KEEPING OPTIONS OPENMason, prior to his clerkship, predictedhe would be writing in abundance-andhe is. He spends an incredible amount oftime researching. What he didn't antici-pate is the amount of focused intellectualenergy he expends on reviewing appellatecases. "I have never thought this hardabout something," Mason says. "I spendan entire week working on a single case."THE JOURNEY CONTINUESIn approximately six months, Edwardsmay not have a job with EmpowerBaltimore. She knew her COO positionwould be phased out at the end of 2002.This only further ignites her passion forusing her skills in a non-legal capacityfor nonprofit organizations, Edwardsaffirms.A position may end, but the journeydreams in a variety of places ...was sworn in on Dec. 11, and was pro-posed to on Dec. 12. Her proposal madefor headline news in The Baltimore Sun.Emig continued her work with PamShriver's annual charity tennis tournamentand, during the event, Shriver called Emigto center court where her boyfriend mether on bended knee. He presented herwith a tennis ball cut in half and when heopened it, there was a diamond ringinside. "I was so shocked," says Emig.What isn't shocking is her schedule.As expected, she works a 10- to 12-hourday but finds time to play in the firm'sbasketball league as well as volunteer atlocal elementary schools. What Emigcan't seem to find time to do is the laun-dry. "The realities of the workingworld," she laughs, "I miss working outand visiting with my family and friends."Mason is surprised at the variety ofcases that he sees.The appellate jurisdic-tion includes Pennsylvania, New Jerseyand Delaware, and he reviews habeascorpus petitions, federal drug and criminalcases, and civil cases. Judge Nygaard sitsevery six weeks, and for every sitting,Mason explains, there are 12 cases.Since Mason has completed morethan half of his clerkship, his next movemay be to Washington, D.C., and thelarge law firm of Wilmer, Cutler &Pickering. (Yes, he passed the bar exam.)Mason says his caseload would be "acrossthe board," again giving him that multi-faceted edge. "I will probably litigate,but I'm keeping my options open."continues. Her quest to strike a balancebetween family and career is a bit moreharried when studying for the bar exam,again. "There are various benchmarks indetermining professional success,"Edwards notes. "Passing the bar is a per-sonal goal, I'm not dependent upon it formy livelihood," she says. "I like to thinkoutside of the box. Having a law degreedoes not equal being a trial attorney orcorporate attorney. It is hard to not dowhat everyone else is doing, but youhave to hold onto your dreams andthink creatively about what it means tobe an attorney."Graduates are pursuing their dreamsin a variety of places and in a variety ofpositions and, in doing so, are spreadingthe name and reputation of theUniversity of Maryland School of Lawfar and wide. Holding a law degree, theyare discovering, is only as limiting astheir own imaginations. •WWW,LAW,UMARYLAND.EDU 34

A Lawyer\u27s Landscape

NELLCO Consortium Legal Scholarship Repository

https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1137&amp;context=jd

A Lawyer\u27s Landscape

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