Alyssa (Lee) Kennedy

Motivation for Law School 

My motivation for attending law school is deeply rooted in my commitment to addressing the needs of the public. My experiences volunteering with mutual aid organizations and working for a major healthcare system in Philadelphia have provided me with invaluable learnings about individuals’ personal experiences and needs, as well as the failures of existing social and legislative policies to address them. I was particularly driven to pursue a legal education to gain the necessary skills to influence health inequities and disparities, enhance public health, and restore justice to those most impacted by societal and policy failures.

Participation and leadership

During law school, I proactively pursued numerous opportunities to make a difference. I founded the Housing Justice Initiative, Temple Law’s inaugural student-led organization dedicated to housing justice. Here, we developed community training sessions on Tenants Rights for local Philadelphia residents. Additionally, I led a team in creating “Know Your Rights” pamphlets and presentations for community members in Kensington. Simultaneously, I served as a staff editor for the Temple International Comparative Law Journal during my 2L year and progressed to the role of Note & Comment editor in my 3L year. I also organized educational events for students and coordinated community volunteering efforts as co-President of the Health Law Society and Community Service Committee Leader for the Student Public Interest Network. These experiences were instrumental in developing my leadership skills and producing impactful initiatives that benefited both the student body and our surrounding community.

Advice to current or prospective students 

I would prioritize the following while in law school: 1) Focus on Building Relationships: Network with professors, peers, alumni, and attorneys you meet during your internships and externships. These connections will inevitably lead to new and exciting opportunities or reveal career paths you hadn’t considered. Attend events, engage with professional organizations, and make friends along the way. 2) Prioritize externships: Real-world experience is invaluable and highly regarded by future employers. Externships offer you a chance to explore different areas of law, helping you determine what you actually like (or don’t!). 3) Stay Open-Minded: Even if you have a clear idea of where you want to be after law school, I encourage you to explore different subjects and fields. This will help you develop a broad skill set and might lead you to discover new interests that could positively impact your career path. 

Networking advice  

I suggest that you start networking early by making close connections with your peers and faculty. From there, ask people in your network if they know others with similar interests and career paths that align with your aspirations. Immediately connect with those individuals — don’t be afraid to reach out (the worst that can happen is that your email goes unanswered). When connecting, be sure to be yourself, as authenticity is key to building strong relationships. 

Balancing law school and personal life

I made sure to do the following two things: 1) Effective Time Management: I’m a bit of a taskmaster so I would prioritize tasks and set deadlines to be sure that I stayed on top of my coursework and still had time for personal commitments; and 2) Staying Connected to Friends, Family, and Community: Maintaining relationships with family and friends was crucial. I also made sure to set aside time to continue volunteering with mutual aid organizations throughout my time in law school. Keeping yourself grounded is important, and for me, engaging in activities with people I care about and participating in meaningful work during the week helped me achieve that balance.