Her Story
About Lauryn
I am a paralegal with two years of experience in the legal field, specializing in plaintiff's side litigation. My main area of expertise is assisting attorneys when it comes to litigation, working across DC, Maryland, and the federal court system. I focus on streamlining workflows and helping bring cases to life, building cases from the ground up. I hold a paralegal certificate and am currently studying for my bachelor's degree. I have received training in client advocacy from the Democratic National Party and IGNITE, an organization that trains young women in policy and case advocacy. I attend Howard University and am involved with the Howard University Democrats and the Black Women Pre-Law Society. I am also a Court Appointed Special Advocate with CASA, where I monitor a young child's situation and send findings to the judge regarding his case. I am currently working on a fellowship with the Martin Luther King Memorial Foundation, focusing on advocacy for children in foster care.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lauryn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a very curious person, and I go out of my way to get things, which I think serves me really well in my career. I'm not afraid to investigate and explore. My curiosity drives me to dig deeper and find answers, and that willingness to go the extra mile has been key to my success in the legal field.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to explore your interests. You never know what you'll discover. I think, coming from school and younger years, you're only exposed to so many professions. So really taking the time to explore your interests while you can is a big deal, and then you'll fall into something that is well-suited for you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Honestly, don't expect perfection from yourself. Really do your hardest to enter the rooms that you want to be in, because there's never going to be a perfect moment. You just have to take advantage of the opportunity you're given. Don't wait for everything to be perfect before you step forward.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
On the opportunities side, people come from a lot of different backgrounds in the paralegal field, and there are so many avenues you can take. It's really important to step up to the plate and find where you fit in. Some people, like myself, come from an academic background, while others worked their way up from legal secretary or legal assistant to paralegal. People take different avenues, so that's a great opportunity. It's an academic field where you do need to be bright, but you can come from different backgrounds. You can even use it as a way to support yourself in school. As for challenges, the hours can be difficult. There's the feeling of being overworked and feeling like you can't leave work even when you go home because of the nature of the industry. But I think it's a team effort. You have to advocate for yourself in those instances, and your leadership has to also respond in a healthy way as well. It takes a team effort to solve that issue.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is definitely most important to me. I also value speaking up and advocating for yourself and others, advocating for what's right. And I would say having a strong community and building and maintaining that community is essential to me in both my work and personal life.
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