Can teaching help you get into law school? The short answer is yes. How? By preparing you to be the advocate society needs—a lawyer who speaks with authority, stays calm in a crisis, and takes action to protect their clients and communities they serve.

We interviewed six Teach For America alumni now working as corporate litigators, in-house counsel, government attorneys, and federal clerks. They shared how the classroom gave them the skills and foundation to drive change in the justice system, no matter what type of law they practice.

Teaching Made Me a Better Critical Thinker

In the classroom, Miranda Hernandez and Geoffrey McGee learned great critical thinkers don’t just solve problems—they reframe them.

Miranda Hernandez (Miami-Dade ‘17)

“I grew up in the 305, attending Miami-Dade public schools. My mom was a Cuban refugee. My dad is from Miami Beach. Because I was attuned to the importance of justice from a very young age, I always wanted to be a teacher and a lawyer.

After graduating from UC Berkeley, I returned home to teach. Having a similar background to my students made a huge impact. I saw the opportunities I never had in those classrooms, which pushed me to rethink how I taught complex ideas.

I remember I had to teach a unit on human anatomy while getting my master's in education and social change. Instead of relying on worksheets, I partnered with the University of Miami’s medical school to bring in organs for my kids. They put on gloves and handled them side-by-side with medical students. Because of that 'hands-on' creativity, they scored the highest in the district for that lesson.

Today, as a litigation associate, creativity helps me break down concepts in the courtroom. Just like in the classroom, during a trial, you use exhibits and demonstrations to translate complex ideas. I always say: if you can explain something to students, you can explain it to a jury. My years in the classroom trained me to be creative, organized, and to explain very complex things simply in a way that a judge or a courtroom appreciates.”

Geoffrey McGee (New York ‘18)

"I applied to Teach For America as a junior at UNC Chapel Hill because I wanted to stay connected to learning. Many of my own role models were teachers, and I wanted to encourage others to love school the way I did. Transitioning from student to teacher felt like a natural step for me.

My placement was at a Mount Sinai Cares program, a hospital school in New York City. It became an unexpected foundation for critical thinking. My students entered and exited unpredictably based on their health; some would disappear for weeks, while others graduated mid-year.

Those shifts taught me that I couldn't just get up and 'do' a lesson—I had to practice and pivot constantly. Every day required a new plan or a new way to explain a concept to make it make sense. I spent hours breaking down difficult ideas to ensure they were accurate, yet still fun and interesting.

I use that same process in my work today as a Deputy Attorney General for New Jersey. Agencies often come to me with shifting regulations and real-time policy questions, asking how proposed changes will affect workers. Just like in the classroom, I’m the ‘middleman' between the information and people who need to understand the legal system. I have to translate the law into something quickly accessible and actionable for my clients."

Teaching Made Me a Trusted Advisor

As educators, Dorothy Summers and Ebenezer “EB” Jesse discovered being an advisor first starts by understanding people deeply.

Dorothy Summers (New York ‘12)

"Growing up in the South Bronx raised by my mother, I was taught that to whom much is given, much is required. I always felt that if you have a little bit more than others—whether that’s resources or knowledge—giving back is a responsibility. After graduating from Binghamton University (SUNY), I joined the 2012 New York City Corps to teach early childhood education in my own neighborhood. It was a true full-circle moment.

In the classroom, I quickly learned that many parents carried what I call ‘school hurt’—painful memories of being dismissed or misunderstood by the system. I remember preparing to discuss whether a student should repeat kindergarten. I could feel the parent bracing for judgment. I realized then that my role wasn’t just to teach, but to demystify the process. I chose to slow down and explain the next steps plainly so the family knew and understood they had real choices.

That practice of checking my assumptions and centering the person in front of me became the foundation of my legal career. Today, as a staff attorney at Youth Represent, I advocate for young people (most of them 19-25 years old) with involvement in the criminal justice system who have experienced the same systemic harm. I take my time breaking down legal jargon. I even draw charts. I do this so my clients have autonomy; I want them to feel empowered to make the decisions that are right for them."

​Ebenezer “EB” Gyasi (Greater Baton 
Rouge ‘13)

"I first considered teaching while playing football at Williams College. My captain, whom I deeply admired, turned down a prestigious finance internship to join Teach For America. That made me rethink my own path, and after graduation, I joined the 2013 Greater Baton Rouge corps as a middle school math teacher.

To be honest, my first 90 days were a disaster. My students would beat on their desks, ignore me, and openly test me. I didn’t know what to do. A fellow corps member suggested I try home visits and a ‘culture reset’ for my class. So I did.

Home visits helped me understand how instability outside of school shaped my students' behavior inside of it. During the reset, my students were blunt: 'You don’t sound like us. You don’t know us.' They felt I was talking down to them and teaching math in a way they didn't understand. I took all of this to heart and adjusted my communication and lessons. Once I did that, trust surged. Kids were even coming for extra help during recess. By spring, my class hit 97% of its growth goal!

Today, as a federal clerk, I use those same listening skills every day. I review briefs for clarity and study past opinions to understand a judge’s specific voice and aims. My judge trusts me to have an honest dialogue about the options before him. Learning to listen closely and understand people in their own context made me a great teacher, and it makes me an effective advisor now."

Teaching Made Me a Bold Advocate

For Julia Scalapio and Pierre Robertson, teaching taught them advocacy is the practice of seeing people fully and standing up for them when it counts.

Julia Scolapio (DFW ’20)

"I always knew my experience growing up in Florida public schools was not reflective of the whole world. Our schools were well-resourced, but I was surrounded by people who identified with the same race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. As a multiethnic person, I knew there were so many different perspectives to be seen and heard.  I wanted to repurpose my privilege and education to serve communities facing systemic barriers. That is what led me to Teach For America in Dallas after graduating from George Washington University.

While teaching in Dallas, I saw how quickly institutions can normalize struggle. I remember one of my first-graders who came to school sleepy and withdrawn. At recess, I learned she was navigating the strain of a parent in jail and gunfire outside her home. When I attempted to dig further and re-examine the situation at hand to support her learning, it seemed like there was a general consensus among her former teachers and staff that this is just who she is, and we cannot change her situation. This was not something I was willing to accept.

That moment taught me that true advocacy starts with refusing the easy answer. As a law student, I carried this lesson into my work at a pro bono legal clinic where I handled housing matters. I pushed my team to lead with cultural and emotional intelligence to not only earn our client’s trust, but to also re-examine the case from a new perspective. I realized that if you take a step back, just like I did with my student, you can find so many different ways to interpret a case and apply the law. Now, as I head into corporate law, I see advocacy as using my voice in rooms where decisions shape entire neighborhoods. It takes advocates in the room challenging others to think through the implications for every community."

​Pierre Robertson (Greater Tulsa ‘14)

"I grew up in Cleveland watching my mother practice criminal defense, so I learned early on that 'legal' and 'fair' aren't always the same thing. After graduating from Ohio University, I carried that awareness with me to Tulsa to teach, wanting to serve where the need was greatest.

In the classroom, I learned how powerful it is to advocate for someone based on what they are capable of, rather than what others assume about them. Every year, I pushed my students to do more than expected during their classroom presentations. I knew that whatever the bar was—low or high—my students would meet it because I had seen the hard work they put in behind the scenes.

That same instinct guides me now in capital defense at the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, where I represent people facing the death penalty. Earlier in my career as a public defender, I worked with a client who had rebuilt her life after addiction. She had gotten herself clean without a formal program and was doing fine until her arrest. I fought for her because I had evidence of who she truly was, beyond the charges. I knew that putting her in prison wouldn't achieve anything. Because of that advocacy, she was able to enter a modified program instead of losing the life she worked so hard to rebuild."

Adding Perspective to the Legal Profession

TFA alumni enter law school with a real‑world advantage. Firms and agencies want more than high grades—they want advocates who can lead, collaborate under pressure, and understand how policy impacts everyday people. Having worked alongside systems, alumni bring a grounded, human perspective that strengthens their advocacy.

They quickly become leaders in the legal field—supporting legal clinics, taking on pro bono work, and volunteering to help people understand their rights. Supported by our exclusive TFA law school partnerships and a nationwide network of justice‑minded alumni, they’re prepared to transform systems from within.

Pursue justice now.