Personal Statement Critique?
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 7:11 pm
On November, 2, 2010, a new governor was elected in my home state of Wisconsin. Although I was not very involved in politics at the time, I was concerned with a series of legislative acts proposed by our state government. The recommended changes included nearly $2 billion in income and property tax cuts, substantial reductions in public worker pensions, health insurance, and collective bargaining rights. I felt like the living standards and rights of ordinary workers - people in my family, my friends, honest people who have lived in my community for generations - were being unjustly threatened by these proposed budget cuts.
My interest and involvement in politics did not change all at once. At first, I got involved in small ways. I talked to fellow students, I followed the debates and the protests, and I shared my opinions on social media. However, in the Summer of 2012, I volunteered as an election surveyor for the statewide recall election of our governor. Finally, I was able to put forth my own hard work and organizational abilities to the test. Through my service, I learned how to operate within the state government to improve the system and make it better for “we, the people.” I have no doubt that the two months I spent volunteering during the election campaign inspired my desire to become a lawyer. I spent many hours contacting local constituents to identify their preferred candidate for governor and fighting to gain as many converts as possible. On a daily basis, I engaged in conversations with Democrats, Republicans, Independents, as well as many of the politically apathetic. It was a tough, thankless job, but I was also truly enlivened by what I learned about the political process and my work to effect grassroots change. Social justice was being fought for – literally, one person at a time. Throughout this opportunity, I grew professionally, as well as academically and socially. My communication skills were tested and honed over the course of hundreds of hours speaking on the phone. The ability to persuade a neutral party to accept one’s view is especially cherished in the legal profession, and I discovered that I actually thrived on this type of debate. For instance, with one undecided voter, I explained both the benefits and drawbacks of each party’s stance on the budget cuts. After going back and forth over opposing viewpoints for a little while, I eventually proved to them that the costs and benefits of my party’s viewpoint greatly outweighed the opposing party’s. To begin a phone conversation with an undecided voter and then end with a new supporter was truly exhilarating. I imagine there is no greater comparison than the experience of winning a hard-fought court case.
Furthermore, these conversations made me aware of the wider world and the need to unite to defend the values of people from all backgrounds. I investigated deeper into social justice work while volunteering at the Family Court Clinic at the UW Law School, where we operated as a free legal advice clinic to clientele of any background. I assisted various clients, most of whom had no access to a lawyer or legal assistance. On one particular occasion, a client expressed his immense gratitude for my help with beginning the process of gaining child custody. He told me that I made a difference in this particular fork in his life’s journey. He had no money for legal assistance, and I was the only person whom he could turn to for help. I have come to realize the importance of politics and law on each person, as well as society as whole. I want to be a lawyer who does more than squabble over corporate minutia; I want to use my strong analytical skills to help all citizens, regardless of their background or race, so they have an opportunity to fight for their own rights. I believe that my path of discovery is the source of my strength and marks my worthiness as a candidate. The University of Wisconsin Law School is the right fit for me due to its close proximity to home and direct access to the legal markets in Madison and Milwaukee, both where I have lived in or around the past decade.
My interest and involvement in politics did not change all at once. At first, I got involved in small ways. I talked to fellow students, I followed the debates and the protests, and I shared my opinions on social media. However, in the Summer of 2012, I volunteered as an election surveyor for the statewide recall election of our governor. Finally, I was able to put forth my own hard work and organizational abilities to the test. Through my service, I learned how to operate within the state government to improve the system and make it better for “we, the people.” I have no doubt that the two months I spent volunteering during the election campaign inspired my desire to become a lawyer. I spent many hours contacting local constituents to identify their preferred candidate for governor and fighting to gain as many converts as possible. On a daily basis, I engaged in conversations with Democrats, Republicans, Independents, as well as many of the politically apathetic. It was a tough, thankless job, but I was also truly enlivened by what I learned about the political process and my work to effect grassroots change. Social justice was being fought for – literally, one person at a time. Throughout this opportunity, I grew professionally, as well as academically and socially. My communication skills were tested and honed over the course of hundreds of hours speaking on the phone. The ability to persuade a neutral party to accept one’s view is especially cherished in the legal profession, and I discovered that I actually thrived on this type of debate. For instance, with one undecided voter, I explained both the benefits and drawbacks of each party’s stance on the budget cuts. After going back and forth over opposing viewpoints for a little while, I eventually proved to them that the costs and benefits of my party’s viewpoint greatly outweighed the opposing party’s. To begin a phone conversation with an undecided voter and then end with a new supporter was truly exhilarating. I imagine there is no greater comparison than the experience of winning a hard-fought court case.
Furthermore, these conversations made me aware of the wider world and the need to unite to defend the values of people from all backgrounds. I investigated deeper into social justice work while volunteering at the Family Court Clinic at the UW Law School, where we operated as a free legal advice clinic to clientele of any background. I assisted various clients, most of whom had no access to a lawyer or legal assistance. On one particular occasion, a client expressed his immense gratitude for my help with beginning the process of gaining child custody. He told me that I made a difference in this particular fork in his life’s journey. He had no money for legal assistance, and I was the only person whom he could turn to for help. I have come to realize the importance of politics and law on each person, as well as society as whole. I want to be a lawyer who does more than squabble over corporate minutia; I want to use my strong analytical skills to help all citizens, regardless of their background or race, so they have an opportunity to fight for their own rights. I believe that my path of discovery is the source of my strength and marks my worthiness as a candidate. The University of Wisconsin Law School is the right fit for me due to its close proximity to home and direct access to the legal markets in Madison and Milwaukee, both where I have lived in or around the past decade.