s t u d e n t P r o f il e
Lauren Duncan Before coming to Mercer, you worked as a paralegal in Atlanta, and you were a specialist on title clearance of bank-owned properties in Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi. How did those real-world experiences influence you in the classroom? Working prior to law school allowed me to begin my legal education with the knowledge of how to apply the new legal theories I was learning to the actual work an attorney must do on a daily basis. In the first year of law school, the focus is on legal theory only and not its everyday application. Synthesizing the two is generally a mystery for students and can take all three years of law school to learn. My work experience allowed me to begin on day one with this understanding.
saldivia-jones photography
A Single Mom Hits the Law Books (with a Little Family Help)
You’re raising a son. Does he appreciate how much his mom has to study? My son Robert is three and a half years old! Even though I tell him all the time that “Mommy is leaving to go study,” he has no idea how much his mommy studies. Unfortunately, all my studying takes place only when he is at school, asleep or with his father — and I say unfortunately because I really wish he were old enough to understand the long hours of studying and hard work required for success. You’ve done some admissions recruiting for the Law School in the Atlanta area. What did you tell prospective students about Mercer? The one thing I made sure to share was that, while Mercer is most definitely a competitive school, the atmosphere is one of healthy competition and not cutthroat competition. Personally, this is what drew me to the school. Additionally, I talked about Mercer’s commitment to preparing well-rounded attorneys equipped to handle just about any legal or ethical situation. Law school by itself is a huge undertaking. But on top of raising a child, you commute from Stone Mountain. How do you make everything fit together? Time management and my awesome support system! My life is scheduled down to the minute, allowing me to move
smoothly from one task to another. Additionally, reliance on my support system is pivotal. Shortly before my 1L year, I moved back home with my mother. She has been my right-hand man for all the pop-up issues with my son. Even my 85-yearold grandmother has helped out. And, luckily, although we are no longer together, my son’s father has been extremely involved as well. Without this system, this would have been an impossible undertaking. You’ve been involved with Moot Court competition, mock trial and client counseling competitions, and have been regional communications specialist and secretary for the Black Law Students Association. As a second-year student, which one have you found most valuable? My participation in the Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions was the most valuable. Though I have done my fair share of public speaking, the thought of courtroom litigation terrified me! While I do not feel my legal career will involve being in the courtroom a lot, I am no longer afraid of it, because the intra-school competitions demystified the process. I would tell anyone who is terrified of public speaking and the courtroom to participate.
Mercer Lawyer | Spring 2013
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