Oliwia is a rising 3L at Georgetown University Law Center. This fall, she will join Georgetown’s Civil Rights Clinic as a student attorney. She is also a member of the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law & Policy, OutLaw, and the Georgetown Defenders. Previously, Oliwia was a legal extern for the Arlington Public Defender’s Office in Virginia. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida.

What made you decide to pursue law?

I knew I wanted to be a lawyer since I was 12; even at a young age, I really liked public speaking and arguing. My back-up career had always been writing, so I thought litigation would be a nice way to tie oral and written advocacy together.

What were your first impressions of the firm?

During my interviews, I was impressed by how the lawyers described what I’d be able to do here. They told me I could participate in depositions and a variety of other hands-on activities. I also knew I’d benefit from the individualized feedback and mentoring they could provide as a boutique firm. Ultimately, I figured it would be a great place to dig into the meat of litigation.

You have a background in public defense. How does that strengthen your skills in the corporate litigation arena?

Public defense is one of the best ways to gain front-line trial experience. Last summer, I spent every single day of my internship in the courtroom. Even though the cases I’ll be working on with this firm are different, I’m still bringing my knowledge of pre-trial preparation, case management, and big-picture litigation strategy.

Additionally, my work experience has allowed me to engage with clients face to face. At the Shelby County office, for example, I ran most of our client interviews. I think that’s made me a much stronger advocate—I know how to speak to clients about their cases and help them understand the law.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I want to be an excellent trial lawyer. I’d like to learn as much as I can about litigation, then translate that knowledge into effective advocacy for my clients. Real trial work is now somewhat rare in the legal arena, so I’m looking forward to learning from a group of lawyers who have spent their careers actually trying cases—and winning them.