Her Story
About Jessica
Jessica Bertolini is entering her final year at Cornell Law School and has accepted a return offer to join Decker LLP as an associate in the firm's Boston office upon graduation. She is pursuing transactional law through her summer internship and will rotate through various transactional areas before selecting a specialty. For her experiential learning requirement, she works with the juvenile justice system, advocating for minors facing long sentences. Bertolini earned her bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University, where she completed majors in philosophy, English language and literature and writing, and French while participating in the honors program and serving as a paid teaching assistant. She is a member of the Cornell women's law coalition and has received a scholarship from the Northern District of New York's Federal Court Bar Association. Outside her studies, she volunteers with the Court Appointed Special Advocates of New York State (CASA) program, focusing on child welfare cases, and has a history of volunteering with animal shelters including the Humane Animal Treatment Society of Isabella County and the Chemung County Humane Society/SPCA.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jessica
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
For undergrad, don't focus as much on the name or brand reputation of your school. Go to the place that makes the most sense for you. When it comes time for grad school, that's when you should start to think about the reputation of the school, alumni networks, and things like that.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Take chances and apply for opportunities even if you think you might not be qualified. Broaden the scope of what you think you deserve. Don't underestimate yourself, maybe overestimate yourself a little bit. Take shots and apply for things because you're probably going to get more of them than you'd think.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Artificial intelligence provides both challenges and opportunities in the legal field. It can increase efficiency and catch mistakes but has potential for disasters like AI hallucinations if not used correctly. Learning to navigate it properly is important and Cornell is adapting by teaching AI use in legal writing classes.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Helping other people and being straightforward and honest with people. Being upfront makes everything easier and helps get things done and receive grace from others. Keeping an open line of communication changes dynamics in a positive way.
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