Speaker: Ebony Cormier, J.D. Candidate, 2023
What prompted you to enroll in the Modern Law Practice program?
Ebony Cormier: I was prompted to enroll in the Modern Law Practice Program because I wanted to be a more well rounded lawyer. I wanted to be able to sharpen the skills . . . legal skills are taught in law school, but what's not taught are other skills like technical skills, project management, understanding how to approach a problem or an issue and provide resolution in a precise and succinct manner. I also wanted to become what they call a T lawyer, where you understand that being a lawyer is not one dimensional, but you can do project management, you can understand technology and business tools and data analytics and all of these things in addition to your legal knowledge and skills. And so I thought that taking this course, would help me become the type of lawyer that I want to be.
How have the knowledge, skills & abilities you learned in this program benefited you?
Ebony Cormier: the knowledge skills and abilities that I learned through this program has helped me in interviewing process just talking to HR representatives or hiring managers about this program and how it has benefited me, what I've learned in regards to project management and understanding, identifying issues, going through the steps, communicating clearly, being concise, understanding the objective and coming to a conclusion - all these things that need to occur in order to get from point A to point B, I learned in this program. And so when I'm able to confidently speak about projects that I've worked on or projects that I want to undertake, I'm able to clearly understand that I need to identify: 'Why do I want to work on that?' 'What do I want to get from it?' And just being, again, confident when I'm when I'm speaking about these things, I feel like that has really helped me kind of move the needle as far as being hired for positions and even not even hired positions. I volunteer my time with different organizations where I sit on executive boards and I have been able to, again, use these skills and help my team and my group lay out a plan and so that we're not lost in all of the confusion and we have like set steps: initiate plan, you know everything that we need to do in order to get to our ultimate goal.
What is the #1 thing that you want to tell others who are considering enrolling in the MLP Certification?
Ebony Cormier: The number one thing I would tell others considering this program is you've got to invest in yourself. You've got to invest in things that will stretch you and grow you and make you think outside of the box and make you better. Make you a better lawyer. Make you a better business person, a business professional. We always should be looking for opportunities to grow and to learn and to become better and to fine tune those things that we think we know. Even if you've been in business for many years, there's always something to learn. And so just be open and willing and ready to learn and invest in yourself and I guarantee you it will pay off. Being able to have conversations with professionals that are in the business that may have been in the business for many, many years, and talk to them after going through this through this program, they'll look at you a little differently, like maybe you do know what you're talking about! And so just take that time and that whatever the cost, whatever it is, take it, take time, take money and invest in yourself!
