Rob Swift

Motivation for Law School 

My main motivation in going to law school was to engage in a hyper-interpersonal career intertwined with complex problem solving. Before starting law school, I studied chemistry which consistently provided me with the complex problems I wanted to work through but did not provide consistent communication with other people. After interning for a workers’ compensation law firm in Center City during my undergraduate career, my observations of the attorneys on a daily basis assured me that the legal field will never diminish in its need for people who love to talk and difficult problems that need to be solved. 

Experiential Learning 

Throughout my 3L year, I participated in a Temple-designed practicum at the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey under Judge Christine O’Hearn. Judge O’Hearn is a Temple Law alum who worked as a fierce trial attorney in New Jersey before beginning her tenure on the bench. Both her work ethic and passion for the legal profession have sharpened my legal writing skills and provided invaluable advice on how to be a better courtroom advocate.  

During my experience, I have drafted, reworked, and developed court opinions on all different types of motions regarding employment and labor law, administrative appeals, and complex civil procedure. Being under the guidance of both the judge and three incredible law clerks, my work has been under the most helpful critique on becoming the best that it could possibly be. 

Participation and Leadership 

At Temple, I served as a Staff Editor, and later Online Managing Editor for Temple Law Review. In both of these positions, the regular law school workload of reading and analyzing case law provides a much-needed transition to meticulous editing of different scholarship and content creation to advertise the journal.  

Additionally, I served as the Treasurer for both OUTLaw and Temple Environmental Law Society (TELS). One of my favorite aspects of going to Temple was diversity, both diversity of identity and diversity of thought. Both OUTLaw and TELS allowed me to meet other law students of the same identity and the same legal interests that I would not have necessarily been able to meet in my regular classes. 

Faculty Mentors 

The faculty members that have been the most influential in shaping my legal education have been Prof. Kathy Mandelbaum, Dean John Smagula, Prof. Laura Little, and Prof. Rob Bartow. During my time on Temple Law Review, Prof. Mandelbaum served as my faculty advisor on my research project regarding Title IX Discrimination against LGBTQ+ students in religious institutions of higher education. Throughout the process, Prof. Mandelbaum did not only go out of her way to connect me with legal scholars across the nation on LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination, but she also reminded me about the fun and interesting aspects of the law that made me want to attend law school in the first place. During my 1L Summer, I worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant under Dean John Smagula for the LL.M. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers Program. I continued working in this program throughout the rest of my law school career where I was able to research interesting international law issues. Dean Smagula allowed me to work alongside lawyers from all over the world and learn about the nuances of global legal systems. Prof. Little and Prof. Bartow, both Temple Law alums, were two professors that I had multiple times. As both of them are veteran teachers, their teaching styles and masteries of their disciplines turned intimidating subjects to be the classes I was the most excited to attend.   

Networking Advice 

One of the best pieces of advice I received is “Act like a lawyer; don’t act like a law student.” If I have learned one thing about the legal field, it is that lawyers go to a lot of events that are usually open to students. The more that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and be a little bit shameless and introduce yourself to other lawyers the larger your professional network will grow. Most of the time, lawyers are just as excited to talk to you. 

Final Thoughts 

I’ve spent the last seven consecutive years at Temple, so it has been bittersweet to say goodbye. Throughout the entirety of my adult life, I will be so grateful for all of the opportunities and experiences—academic, professional, social, and personal—that this institution has provided me. I am, if nothing else, Temple Proud.