{ prima facie } the Temple Law newspaper

On pro bono work, non-traditional legal careers, the dean search, and balancing career and family...

By Kristin J. Jones

Prima Facie sat down with Prof. Jaya Ramji-Nogales for her perspective on issues facing students and Temple Law. Prof. Ramji-Nogales came to Temple two years ago after deciding that academic writing would allow her to address more issues than the confines of legal briefs. More importantly though, she wanted to advise young lawyers on how to “survive law school and find fulfilling and rewarding law jobs.” Here is a snippet of the wisdom that she wants to pass on to students:

On Pro Bono Work

My first piece of advice is to keep pro bono work in mind as you’re looking for a firm, and select a firm that has a serious commitment to pro bono… Once you’re at the firm, attach yourself to a partner and/or a senior associate who take pro bono work seriously and will bring you into interesting cases and support your interest in pro bono work. Remember that you will likely be working more hours than your colleagues who are not involved in pro bono (and that can be a lot of hours!) but the rewards, experience, and value of the work make it more than worth the extra effort!

On Non-traditional Legal Careers

The most important advice I can give is to choose a career in law that will make you happy and fulfilled, whether that’s in a law firm, working for the government, at a public interest organization, or in an entirely different realm. Use your summers to figure out what area of law you enjoy working in, and then work in and perhaps after law school towards getting a permanent job in that field… When I was [working in a refugee clinic in South Africa], the institutions to process refugee claims were just being set up, so as a proceduralist with a passion for refugee law, it was a wonderful time to get involved and make a difference… I see far too many unhappy lawyers who simply followed the path of others rather than thinking hard about which law job would be right for them.

On the Dean Search

There are four main attributes I’d like to see in a dean: a commitment to maintaining the law school’s mission of broad access, continued support for and focus on teaching of the highest quality, an emphasis producing serious scholarly writing, and a proven commitment to diversity in the student body and faculty.

On Balancing Career and Family

Both my husband and I have chosen careers that, while demanding and rewarding, are relatively flexible in terms of allowing us to work from home and have as much time as possible with our children. That’s certainly not the only approach; many friends have successfully chosen different options, ranging from part-time work at a law firm, to full-time work at a government job that is less demanding in terms of hours, to full-time law firm work and a lot of child care and household assistance… You have to think hard about what will work for you and your partner/spouse and keep that in mind as you both sift through your career choices.

This semester, Professor Ramji-Nogales teaches Civil Procedure 1 and Refugee Law and Policy. She is currently working on three research projects focused on immigration and international law issues, including transitioning a recent article on the disparities in decision-making in the asylum process into a book with expanded findings and proposals for change.

Thanks so much to Professor Ramji-Nogales for talking with Prima Facie!