Profile

Teaching, research, and writing.

I teach in the classroom, and I spend a lot of time alone in my office or at home doing research and writing.

I work with law students, and I also interact with other law faculty.

Some days I prepare for and teach law classes. Other days I work on research and writing. I also work on school committees, and sometimes I attend out-of-town conferences to discuss my research.

Strong presentation skills, strong writing skills, strong analytical and critical thinking skills.

Other than my class schedule, I make up my own schedule in terms of when I work on my research and writing. I work a lot of hours, but I have a lot of flexibility.

Sometimes I travel for conferences.

I really enjoy teaching and writing about legal issues that I think are important.

I hate grading. It is time consuming and monotonous, and I hate having to evaluate students in that way.

People who have overcome large obstacles in order to achieve success.

My parents.

“Be yourself.”

“Be a lawyer. You’ll make a lot of money.”

Follow your interests and passions. While economic independence is very important, do not pick a career simply because you can make a high salary.

I would have been more open-minded about who to choose as my mentors. There was a time when I thought my mentors had to look at me: an African-American woman. Now, I realize that the best mentors are those who take a genuine interest in you regardless of their background. Also, I wish I would have taken more time exploring my options in college before choosing a major.

When I have the time, I enjoy reading. I also enjoy watching movies and attending theatrical productions.

Dance, music, and theatre.

I majored in English and Spanish in college. I then took a year and a half off to determine whether I really wanted to go to law school. During that time, I worked as an account manager at a bank, and I ultimately decided that I did want to attend law school. After law school, I practiced law for about five and a half years. During that time, I interacted with friends who were law professors, and they really seemed to enjoy their careers. I thought I would enjoy it, too, because it involves what I enjoyed most about practicing law: presenting material orally and research and writing about legal issues. I talked with my friends and some of my old law professors about what I needed to do to become a law professor. I learned that I needed to demonstrate that I had the ability to publish scholarly articles. So, I left my law firm and got a fellowship with a local law school. During that time, I worked on an article, and I taught as an adjunct professor at that law school. I also went on the formal law teaching market. That is how I got my current position.

In the various careers I have had, there have not been many other African-American women. As a result, I sometimes feel like an oddball. It can also sometimes be challenging to find people who are interested in being your mentor. And, unfortunately, there are still biases out there based on gender and race. So, sometimes I feel like I have to work a little harder to prove that I deserve to be where I am.