Upon entering law school, like most students who were in the same boat as I was, I had absolutely no idea in which field I wanted to practice. Towards the end of my first year, it dawned on me that I had worked in jobs involving children and families for years and that was probably the best path. This summer, I took a position as an extern at the Public GuardianÆs Office, child abuse and neglect division. I was reluctant, at first, to take this position because I was unsure of how I would fund my summer. The fellowship from the Society of Women in Law helped a great deal to compensate for the lack of income I would be receiving and allowed me to worry less about funding and concern myself more with my work.

After accepting the position at the Public GuardianÆs Office, I began to get the same reactions from people I discussed the job with. They would all comment on how demanding it would be and how heartbreaking. Mostly, I took the position because I wanted to see if I could separate work from my private life and be able to handle the emotional aspect of the job.

After spending two months at the Public GuardianÆs Office, I can honestly say that the experience changed me. I am positive that this is the field of law I wish to pursue. It takes a special kind of person to pursue a career in family law; juvenile law especially. The attorneys I worked with this summer embody the qualities of people who would excel in this field.

I cannot say that there were times that I was not angry or upset about the way a case turned out. I can say that this experience opened my eyes to a field of law drastically different from what I had seen. Until taking this position, my only experience with the court system was from watching oral arguments before the seventh circuit. I understand now that there is so much more to law than big time litigation and multi-million dollar law suits.

The attorneys who I interacted with on a regular basis struck me as not being in the field for monetary purposes. Their job was something they were truly passionate about. That is what I mean by saying that it takes a special person to do this type of work. It takes one who is compassionate, hard-working, and at times relentless. My experience this summer taught me to be all of these things. I am grateful for the work I was able to do and the knowledge I now have of an entirely different area of the law. Mostly, I am grateful that this summerÆs experience gave me direction. I can now gauge the rest of my law school career in this direction in hopes that this field is one I will excel in and, most importantly, help others through.

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