Joining Teach For America before entering law school will make your professional career more meaningful and focused. By committing two years to teach in an urban or rural community, you will have a significant impact on the lives of children facing the challenges of poverty. At the same time, you will gain real-world insight into many of the social issues that our country's laws and public policies must address. From the first day of law school, Teach For America alumni recognize the value of knowing firsthand how abstract legal concepts and policies impact children and families in low-income communities. Additionally, the rigor of the corps experience inspires deep personal strength that fuels their drive for excellence in their legal careers. Finally, alumni state that managing a classroom of students—leading them towards ambitious goals—provided them the confidence, maturity, unique credibility, and the practical skills that enabled them to make a huge impact both in their personal and professional lives.
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My father is an attorney, but before he went to law school, he was a public school teacher. I was always fascinated by his stories about being a prosecutor, and I knew that I would go to law school. But I also knew that I wanted to get some real-world experience. I thought of teaching because of what my dad had done.
Honestly, before I joined Teach For America, I didn't realize to what extent the education system was in need of change. But after I'd been teaching for a bit, I realized there were structural and systemic issues in public education that had to be addressed, aside from what I was doing in the classroom. When I went for my master's in education, I focused on policy so that I could look at the bigger, overlying questions that were affecting our kids.
In law school, I definitely drew on the practical skills I gained from teaching: organization, how to hold people's attention, how to explain a complicated topic, and make it seem simple. And the amount of responsibility I had as a first-year teacher I wouldn't have received until my fifth or sixth year working at a large law firm. Most importantly, my teaching experience gave me perspective and maturity. I knew there were bigger things in life than whether I got an A or a B on my constitutional law final.
My experience in the corps also helped prepare me professionally. During law school, I got a very competitive internship at the Department of Justice, in their civil rights division. They had hired another Teach For America alumna a couple of years before who really impressed them, so that was the first thing they asked me about in the interview.
My ultimate goal is to work at a legal defense fund for an organization like the NAACP, or possibly for a government organization involved in education. There's a lot of pressure in law school to find the highest-paying job, without considering the requirements and what the job will allow you to accomplish. Teach For America gave me the ability to step back and think about what I really wanted to do with my law degree, instead of just being funneled into the highest-paying job. My corps experience honed my interest in law and public service and helped me realize I want to have a career where I can make a real difference in the lives of children today.
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Before Teach For America, I was the kind of person who planned things as I went along, but teaching showed me the importance of preparation, setting goals, and attention to detail.
I had never been a great student, but I did well in law school, and I credit that to Teach For America. The corps pushes and challenges you so much that law school seems simple in comparison. You go from being responsible for the education of 20 or 30 kids to being responsible for just your own education.
Along the way, I've gone through many interviews where I've been asked about my time in Teach For America. People know that corps members are doing something so worthwhile and gaining such unique experience. I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for those two years; I can say that with 100 percent certainty.
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The main impact Teach For America had on me was to solidify my plans to do public service. It really confirmed my interest in working in the field on a practical level rather than on a more abstract level. For me, that meant going to law school and applying that education to help make our society better. I honestly believe that, for me, going straight to law school from college would have been a mistake. I needed to learn more about the world, and about myself. Teach For America gave me that opportunity and helped me gain a deeper understanding of a host of issues-not just education but economic inequity, housing inequity, and familial issues. Working with people and seeing how laws and policies affect them every day gives you incomparable insight that will make your law school and professional experience that much more worthwhile.
Learn more about alumni effecting fundamental change
Click here to hear from alumni in law about how Teach For America has impacted their decisions and perspectives.
At Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP we know that Teach For America corps members and alumni have already met Teach For America’s rigorous standards, proven themselves in a challenging environment, and have the work ethic, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial spirit we value. We look forward to partnering with Teach For America to expand educational opportunity and to increasing the number of their alumni among our ranks.
- Monica R. Brenner
Manager of Legal Recruitment Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Many law schools, including 10 of the top 10 law schools, partner with Teach For America to offer special benefits for corps members and alumni, such as a two-year deferral and scholarships. Two-year deferrals allow students who get accepted to both Teach For America and law school to complete their two-year Teach For America commitment and then take up their place at law school. Schools recognize and value that alumni have gone through a highly selective process and have engaged in a challenging professional experience. Click here to search our complete database.
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