I was one of those students who always thought “someday” I would go to law school. Life got in the way, though, and twenty years in the legal industry later, I found myself at an inflection point. I could continue on my current path, making a comfortable living but maxed out in my career, or I could consider something new.
In the spring of 2020, I began searching for graduate programs that would combine my legal experience and career interests. That’s when I stumbled across master’s degrees in law. I had never heard of these degrees before. All of my legal industry experience had been with lawyers, paralegals, and other assorted staff. Once I started digging into my research, I came away absolutely convinced this was the degree to take my legal career to the next level. It then became a matter of deciding which program was the best fit for me.
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s MSL program offered everything I could have hoped for in an MSL degree: online and part-time options, dedicated professors, and a top-tier reputation. As a mid-career professional, my plan was to harness the power of the MSL degree and Northwestern’s reputation to pivot in my existing legal career. What I found was so much more.
- A community of incredible classmates from across the globe who amaze with their achievements and intellect.
- Renowned professors who share their knowledge in an accessible way that has practical applications to our industry.
- Classes in intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and business law that can be tailored for any number of potential legal careers.
- Immersive activities within the law school community (many are livestreamed), such as student interest groups, speaker panels, guest lecturers, and professional development opportunities.
- A mentor in London who has been a source of encouragement and engagement
- The discovery of greater ambition for myself, my career, and the legal profession as a whole.
Currently, I work as an employment law compliance analyst for Paychex, a leading human capital management solution company with over 700,000 clients. In my role, I report on the latest legislative and regulatory developments that affect not only our clients but also our product and service offerings. I also make policy recommendations to strategically support the organization. The MSL program’s strong curriculum helped prepare me for the complexities of this role in compliance, in addition to providing me with strong subject matter expertise in regulatory matters.
I am leaving the MSL program with a re-energized career focus. I’ve also been able to form a tremendous network of connections who understand the value that MSL graduates bring to the legal industry and share a vision to push past the traditional boundaries and paradigms of the legal world to help usher in a new framework tailored for the multidisciplinary future of legal services.
