YES February Meeting

On the very special day of valentines day, YES gathered once more, not just in celebration of love, but the upcoming Lunar New Year; a holiday that brings back good memories and feelings of contentment.

To start the day, we were introduced to our speaker, federal attorney Dr. Sicily Jefferson. Her goal was to give an enlightening presentation about preparation to become a federal attorney, and she did exactly that. The first topic she drew our attention to was the preparation portion of becoming a federal attorney – preparation that was emphasized many times. She made it clear that law is not something you have to act on in college or university, but rather something that is harbored in your days of early high school, and even earlier. 

Becoming an attorney requires a pathway, a frame that assists with comfort in training while also creating realistic expectations for what each step in your life may look like. Starting with high school and college, she explained that those years were the keys to unlocking the right tools for your law school applications; GPA, essays, recommendation letters, and all the works. This is to be followed by the LSAT, 3 years of law school, and finally the infamous bar exam. One key idea emphasized throughout was clerkships. To Dr. Jefferson, her clerkships were not just requirements – they are where law students get a feel of what being on the job is truly like. From being an intern, working on actual cases, flipping hundreds, if not thousands of pages, to preparing for the bar exam, these are all key focuses of law students. 

Once she made the pathway clear, she shifted into explaining her current position of work. She explained that she works with federal administrations such as the Social Security Administration, which deals with retirement-related cases, along with the Transportation Security Administration. Within these agencies, Dr. Jefferson has worked on a wide variety of cases, ranging from discrimination claims to situations defending the government. This variety shows that law is far less repetitive than it’s usually portrayed. 

In addition to explaining her crucial role in the world of law, she also highlighted the work that goes on behind the scenes. As mentioned before, a large part of each case is preparation. Even though many cases never reach trial, it is still crucial that she reviews documents, identifies the weak points in her opponents, while also anticipating arguments, and creates a clear, convincing story that will give her the advantage. Witness preparation was also a key factor in a portion of her cases, as even the smallest details from a witness can change the tide of a case.

Despite popular belief, she stated that many cases move to settlements rather than trials. According to her, there is a process called mediation where both sides work with a neutral third party to reach a solution that benefits everybody. On the other hand, you have arbitration, a more formal, private, and binding process. One detail mentioned was that in settlements, you typically waive your right to sue after all is set and done, a reminder that legal decisions have future consequences and that those consequences must be carefully considered. 

While that concluded the main presentation, she allowed YES to ask her questions in a Q&A. She spoke about what it was like to be put on the spot in court, especially in stressful situations. Once again, it was preparation that arose as the critical factor. Her advice wasn’t crazy, but it was practical, it was necessary, and it is the underlying reason for her success: preparation. Familiarity with your material is essential, and she further explained that it’s all right to slow down and speak clearly. Finally, she ended off on a note about anticipation, or in other words, expect the unexpected!

This YES meeting also highlighted certain opportunities, especially at DBU’s Patriot Previews and pre-college programs, which offer an early access experience to college life along with dual credit courses. It acts as a great way for 9-12th graders to gain real-world experience, should they not know what they wish to pursue in the future. 

Ending off the meeting was a highlight of the upcoming invention contest/ YES Product Launch, in which 5 judges will be on a panel to judge the creations YES will soon come up with. The components they will consider include novelty, feasibility, profitability, market potential, completeness, and students' presentations of that very product. Within the next few months, students will be able to innovate and collaborate – reminding each other of the core values and standards YES holds. 

In all, the YES Valentines/Lunar New Year's meeting concluded on a positive note (as always), with newfound perspectives on law pathways and future careers in general.