I’m never one to think much about “my future.” The mere concept seemed too silly, too forced, too elusive for me to comprehend, let alone plan for in any meaningful way. Whenever I’m asked about that amorphous beast, I brush off inquiries with a simple, “Oh, probably law school,” with little substantive thought to support such an answer.

So when I heard about a recent OCS workshop entitled Exploring Careers in Law and Law-Related Areas, I saw an opportunity to challenge my assumptions and seriously explore what a future in law might have in store. To guide my reflection were four experienced panelists:

-     Lexie Kuznick, deputy legal counsel, Joint Committee on Revenue at the Masschusetts State Legislature;

-     R.J. Lyman, senior partner, Goodwin Proctor LLC

-     Ben Hron, special counsel, McCarter & English LLP

-     Jennifer V. Avdeh, associate, Foley Hoag LLP

To be sure, no single set of circumstances led this panel to law school. Ben matriculated to Harvard Law School immediately after college, but he was the only panelist to choose this path. (He later expressed regret for not doing so.) Jenn took a few years off to work in financial services; Lexie spent a year with AmeriCorps; and R.J. spent five years working on energy and environmental issues.

Yet here they were, lawyers all, albeit on very different paths. For example, Lexie had pursued a public interest career, though law hadn’t been on her radar. However, her time at AmeriCorps and a fellowship at the Urban Justice Center in New York City led her to realize that knowledge of the law enabled new and greater levels of public interest work, and for that ability, she attended law school, despite her reservations about the material.

Jenn had been an English and political science major in college; she recommended that prospective lawyers “try on” the career through internships and other opportunities as she did. Similarly, Ben had maintained a handful of academic interests, including science and business; he eventually settled on law as an opportunity to combine these interests by working for particular kinds of companies.

Despite their differences, the panel agreed on the importance of thoughtful decisions. As Jenn explained, “Law is no longer a fallback career. Know why you want it.” R.J. shared perhaps the most poignant advice with the attendees, explaining that in a stack of resumes, what sets you apart is the self-knowledge of who you are and where you are in achieving your professional goals. The importance of conscious decision-making could not be understated. “Don’t do anything without a reason,” he implored. “Make deliberate decisions.”

—Nicandro Iannacci, ‘13