Major: Public Policy Analysis
Profession: Attorney at Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne PLLC
Hometown: Signal Mountain, Tennessee
What are you doing now?
I am a trial attorney in Houston, Texas. While my primary practice consists of commercial litigation and disputes (think businesses fighting other businesses), I’ve also had the chance to work on some rewarding pro bono cases, including a challenge to Kansas’s death penalty statute under its state constitution and a class action lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for its mandatory solitary confinement policy for men on death row. As a litigator, I’m constantly exposed to new issues and industries. My days are pretty varied: One day I might be in court arguing a motion, the next day researching a client question, the next day meeting with witnesses in preparation for trial, and so forth. The switch-up in routine keeps me engaged–I feel like I’m always expanding my knowledge and learning new skills.
How did you get there?
I had no idea what I wanted to do when I came to Pomona, other than a vague intention to “work in international human rights.” In my first semester as a Sagehen, I became involved in a homeless outreach program through Claremont Christian Fellowship, and my focus shifted from promoting international human rights to addressing the needs of people in my own community. The desire to advocate for the unhoused people I was working with on a weekly basis led me to declare a public policy analysis major. I liked the idea that a policy change or implementation can impact a large number of people with relative speed; it seemed like a more direct path to the solutions I wanted to see.
As I continued to learn from incredible educators like Professors David Menefee-Libey, Ann Quinley, John Seery and Pierre Englebert—all of whom I highly recommend taking a class with if you can!—my policy focus narrowed to prison reform and juvenile justice. After interning with refugee rights organization Asylum Access (founded by fellow Sagehen Emily Arnold-Fernandez ’99) and the Children’s Defense Fund my junior and senior years, I knew I wanted to go to law school.
While I originally anticipated taking my law degree and heading straight to the nonprofit and policy world, taking a year off between Pomona and Vanderbilt Law School to work at a large commercial firm gave me a new perspective on implementing change through atypical paths. The intense environment of commercial law sharpened my skills as a lawyer, giving me the tools needed to effectively litigate the civil rights issues I am passionate about.
When I graduated law school and began working at a large international firm, I carved out a reputation for myself as the go-to advocate for prison reform. To my surprise, I found I was able to work on the issues that were most important to me while maintaining a commercial practice. The two proved symbiotic; taking on pro bono cases allowed me to get into the courtroom earlier in my career than most junior attorneys in a firm of that size, and the attention to detail valued in commercial practice made me a better lawyer on those pro bono cases. I have since left my first firm in favor of a smaller litigation boutique, but I’ve continued to build my practice with a mix of commercial and civil rights work.
How did Pomona prepare you?
While I had always been told I was “smart” growing up, I was reluctant to challenge the statements that authority figures put before me as facts, be those statements historical narratives, scientific theories or some other parcel of data. Pomona pressed me to think critically and push back on the information presented to me. Under the guidance of my professors and peers, I learned to investigate with excitement and curiosity, looking for alternative explanations and forming my own opinions and theories rather than leaning on what I was told. Not only has this critical thinking been invaluable to me as a litigator, but it instilled within me a desire to continue learning after leaving the classroom setting.
I could point to countless other ways Pomona prepared me for life post-college—good study habits for law school, a deep desire to find and foster community, wonderful friends and a cheerful contentedness with being a lifelong nerd, to name a few—but it is this academic curiosity, and those who encouraged me to pursue it, that make me most grateful to be a Sagehen.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I love being an attorney, and I have a hard time picturing myself doing anything else. In five years, I hope I’m still litigating and still advocating for prison reform and improvements in the criminal legal system. I’m also extremely lucky when it comes to my friends and mentors. I hope these people are still in my life in five years and that many more will have joined the circle!
Any advice for current or prospective students?
Don’t let someone else tell you who you are. While it’s important to acknowledge both your strengths and weaknesses, there are countless ways to be effective in the career you choose–find the path that works for you and dig in. I also think it’s important to acknowledge that growth often requires discomfort. I’m nearly 10 years out from graduating from Pomona, and, while I have a lot more confidence in my choices and abilities than I did even five years ago, I still have days where I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. Everyone does (although it took me awhile to realize that). Take a beat, lean on your mentors and friends and keep going.
On a more lighthearted note, don’t sleep on the Outdoor Education Center (OEC)! I loved every single camping, climbing and kayaking trip I went on, and the knowledge the OEC team offers makes getting outside accessible to all, regardless of your prior experience. Have fun!