Profile
Profile
Theresa’05 took a two-year detour after college to decide if law would be the right career. Born and raised in New Jersey, she worked for two large New York City law firms 
as a paralegal specializing in corporate transactional work. From the experience, she not only learned the ins and outs of life in a large firm but she learned something about herself as well: She liked the intensity of the workload and the challenge of working with complex transactions. Attending law school was the natural next step.
Theresa chose to attend William Mitchell for several reasons, including its size, its emphasis on practical lawyering skills, and its high bar passage rate. When she graduates this spring, Theresa plans to return to the East Coast to practice in corporate transactional work again, this time as a licensed attorney.
“When researching schools, William Mitchell stood out because of its small size. It seemed like the administration and faculty made a sincere effort to listen to its students. Having gone to a large school in undergrad (Rutgers University in New Jersey), I felt that law school was an endeavor where individual attention could make or break my chances of success in the future.
I applied to schools outside of the New York/New Jersey area because I wanted to strike out on my own. I knew I wanted to live in a metropolitan area so I researched different parts of the country. The Twin Cities stood out for its diversity, culture, and strong economic performance.
The thing that surprises me about law school is how humbling the experience has been. At first, it is intimidating to be surrounded by so many brilliant, accomplished people. Eventually, you realize there is a common thread amongst us all: our passion for learning and strong work ethic. The greatest reward has to be the ability to confidently feel part of such a great community of people. It shows just how far you can come in such a short period of time.
Currently, I am taking classes to prepare myself for a career in corporate transactional law. My most valuable experience so far has been my participation in the Tax Planning Clinic. For two semesters, I assisted nonprofit organizations with incorporation, drafting bylaws, and applying for tax-exempt status with the IRS. Through the experience, I learned important lessons about self-accountability, social communication, and practicing within the scope of services. Needless to say, my clinic experience opened my eyes to what is expected of me in real practice.
Clinics are not the only way to gain practical experience at William Mitchell. The school offers an impressive selection of classes that are specifically geared towards practice rather than theory, such as Advocacy, Negotiating and Drafting Business Agreements, and Tax Research. These classes have proven to be pivotal in making decisions for my future. When I first walked into law school, I had an interest in transactional practice. I knew the environment that these types of deals were set in and the level of stamina necessary for success. After taking a variety of trial-based and transactional-based classes, I now know that I want to work in transactional practice because it is more compatible with my personality. I would not have such a clear idea of my career path had I not had the opportunity to see what each type of practice entailed.
After graduation, I hope to practice back home in the corporate tax field, armed with what I learned at William Mitchell. It’s hard to believe how fast law school is going. Not so long ago, I was anxiously trying to decide which school offered both a quality education and personal attention to its students. I feel that William Mitchell has lived up to my expectations and I am glad I chose to begin my legal education here.”