It is my belief that a person should contribute positively to their community and their society, and the practice of law has been a natural choice for me.

If I were to write a book about my life up to this point, I would entitle it Stories of an Ivory Tower Refugee. I often think of myself as a refugee, escaping a future in biological research not meant for me.

At the time, I wasn’t sure of my answer: “I think a good manager knows he or she doesn’t have all the answers, but does know where to look for them.”

Police sirens drew near. The sound of a fire truck followed. Then, an ambulance appeared. The scene that led to the arrival of these vehicles forced me into maturity.

My university experience tore apart the foundations of everything I believed in.

Eighteen months ago, I viewed my career path as very divergent from that of my parents; both were attorneys, and I was a scientist. I had just entered my third year of employment at a major pharmaceutical company, and I was starting to come into my own as a medicinal chemist and making significant impacts on our drug discovery programs.

“Hi I’m Joleen! I’m from Wisconsin! Where are you from?” trills the pretty brown-eyed girl in my dorm room. I sigh.