Personal Narrative: A Career In Legal Aid

I have known Melody for over 10 years. I have watched her grow academically and professionally from a high school student in an International Baccalaureate Scholars program, to someone who is passionate about her career in the law field. As a peer, has been a source of motivation and an example of what hard work and commitment looks like. I remember when she first started working for Legal Aid of North Carolina soon after graduating from college. She started off as a volunteer and invested time with the company for about 3 months before being offered a position. Most graduates would have rather been applying to paid jobs versus making that sacrifice for a company post-graduation. Then, after about a year and a half working at Legal Aid NC as
Melody has told me numerous times since taking a lead role on with a pro-bono program with Legal Aid of Northeastern New York that “I love what I do and I love who I do it for”. This passion is evident given her advancement through the Legal Aid organization and will be asset to your program. Her entire purpose of pursuing an MLS is so that she can be even more equipped to serve the community. Another strength of Melody’s is her leadership qualities, only after being in New York for two months she is already a member of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York and the Albany Bar Association. She actively seeks law-related volunteer and leadership opportunities within Legal Aid and the professional organizations of which she is a member. Her organizational skills make her a great candidate for the online MLS program; Melody is able to manage clients and activities with her pro-bono program in her Legal Aid office as well as recruit pro-bono attorneys for her program during various networking dinners and conference after work. In addition to a demanding career with Legal Aid, she still manages to make time to coordinate community service events with a non-profit called “Support the Port” which serves minorities in Wilmington,