When should you start studying for the LSAT? What are the pros and cons of going to law school directly after earning your undergraduate degree?

These were just some of the many questions asked at a recent Politics, Law, and Society department event where Bryant graduates in their first year of law school shared advice with current students, moderated by Legal Studies Lecturer Ilisabeth Bornstein, JD. Among them was Danielle Latty ’24, who currently attends Washington and Lee University School of Law and is interested in contract law and intellectual property law. 

“Being able to challenge myself and learn new, difficult material is my favorite part of law school,” says Latty, who majored in Politics and Law while at Bryant. “Law school forces you to dig deeper than you thought you could, which allows you to discover new things about yourself. Because it can be challenging, you make new friends in unique ways, so I also really love the community law school offers.”

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Since law school requires a lot of reading, Latty emphasized carving out time to complete readings and scheduling buffer time in case something unexpected comes up. Additionally, while the experience is rigorous and time consuming, it’s important to make time for fun and self-care. Latty’s self-care starts at 6 a.m. with an early morning gym session before getting ready for the day and heading to class. She has two classes almost every day, so after her first class, Latty will prepare for the second class by reviewing her notes.

Once classes are over, Latty usually stays on campus for a few hours to meet with professors or review with her study group. Depending on the amount of work she needs to get done and what day it is, she’ll leave school between 6 and 10 p.m. Staying on track and managing her time is a skill Latty developed at Bryant that has prepared her as she takes on more schoolwork and participates in campus clubs.

“A big part of Bryant culture is being involved, and I was involved in a lot of clubs during my time at Bryant,” says Latty, who served on Bryant’s Senior Advisory Council and was president of Black Women’s Blueprint. “Having to balance school with meetings and events helped me learn the importance of having a schedule and knowing how to budget my time. Making a good schedule helps me to ensure that I can get everything done without feeling really overwhelmed and burnt out.”

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Looking back at how Bryant contributed to her success, Latty recalls how Mock Trial helped her gain confidence with public speaking. Additionally, Legal Studies Lecturer Ilisabeth Bornstein and Professor of Management Lori Coakley, Ph.D., played instrumental roles.

“Professor Bornstein would operate her class similar to the way law school works by using the Socratic method. Also, as the pre-law advisor, she really helped while I was preparing and applying for law school,” Latty says. “In my senior year, I took a women's leadership course with Professor Coakley that helped me map out and plan the trajectory for my life. The skills and the plan I developed in the class are things I still look back on today. I went in thinking I knew what I wanted for my life, and I left not only knowing for a fact where I wanted to end up, but also, I had a plan on how I was going to get there.”