Media: Lisa Johnston

Q&A

What sparked your decision to attend Law School?

• Nicole: I knew in this job market that a bachelor’s degree wouldn’t be enough these days to accomplish the goals I had in mind, so I knew I needed a graduate level of education. Business was boring. Medicine was interesting, but not an area I’m gifted in. In my research, I liked how a Law degree was versatile in allowing different areas I could work in.
• Angelica: Nicole, my daughter suggested that I take the LSAT. I have always wanted to obtain more education than a BA. She brought her old LSAT prep books, she signed me up for the exam, I studied after work, took it, and passed it.

Why Ave Maria?

• Nicole: I chose Ave due to the location. I was living in Fort Myers at the time, so it was the best economic choice for me.
• Angelica: Nicole was already there. I wanted to share the law school experience. Additionally, we live in Naples. I love Naples a lot. I did not want to move as I had just moved to Naples to live with Nicole. I liked that it was a Christian school, so I did not need to deal with antichristian and liberal issues. I like to be among like-minded people who share my beliefs.

Did you plan to attend law school at the same time and location?

• Nicole: This was not planned for us to go to law school together. I was studying for my law school classes in my 2^nd year, and my mom would see me studying and wished she could be in my shoes. That’s when she began the process of getting admitted to Ave Maria Law.
• Angelica: not really. I just knew I wanted to continue my studies, get a professional degree or master’s, and get my PHD.

Did you influence your mom to attend law school?

• Nicole: Not really. I just wanted her to be happy because she was working in retail, and I saw how she worked so hard every day, and there was really no room for growth where she was. It’s nice to see now all her hard work pay off though!
• Angelica: Nicole definitely influenced me. I am so glad that she did.

How did you feel about your mom attending the same law school?

• Nicole: I specifically told her to not tell anyone that she was my mom because I wanted her to enjoy being herself as a fellow law student, instead of being known as “Nicole’s mom” to everyone. She needed to have her own personal experience, and she did!
• Angelica: I loved it! It was so special to follow my child in her steps!

Share a little about your life before law school, during law school and after.

• Nicole: Before law school, I was attending an online university to finish my bachelor’s degree while working in a restaurant. I saw how my co-workers were working day jobs and then working night shifts at the restaurant. It discouraged me that I may have to do the same once I obtained my bachelor’s degree due to the low salary income for entry level jobs in Business and Marketing. I knew I would need to acquire more education to get myself into a higher bracket salary.During law school, I was the quiet type and stuck to my studies. I wanted to enjoy life as much as possible during my 3 years of law school because I knew afterwards that life would be less flexible in the career world. I made sure to get my work done and make passing grades, but I chose not to drag myself into the ground in order to be the top of my class. Plus, I hated being inside a classroom, sitting still, and listening. I learn best with “hands-on” learning.After law school, my first and current job is being a prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office in Naples. It is never boring. There is a good mix of being in my office preparing for court to being in court and performing the tasks that I prepared in my office.
• Angelica: I worked full time; it was not fulfilling and there was no possibility of growth. I wanted to do something different than teaching. I have taught since 1990, I wanted more, and I like challenges. I knew that studying law would be challenging. I was ready to embrace it. Additionally, studying law was appealing because I always wanted to be a part of my children’s lives and I wanted to understand fully what my children are involved in and have a lot in common with them. Life during law school was full of new challenges, meeting like-minded people who became great friends. It was a dream come true as I always wanted to be in school full time because I was working and studying at night during my undergrad years.

How did you help one another get through the law school journey? How about studying for the Bar?

• Nicole: I gave my mom tips on classes to take, how to study and be prepared. Often times, I would have to help her mostly with figuring out how to use her laptop, use the Office programs, and navigate through the online portals for classes. However, we are very different in our personalities and the way we study, so she mainly found her own way of doing things.

• Angelica: I was there for Nicole while she was studying by cooking, etc. I definitely insisted on her finishing her studies. Nicole was always helpful in listening to me, encouraging me through all the years of law school. Her notes and books helped me too. The fact that she knew exactly what I was going through during law school, during bar prep and taking the FL bar exam was tremendous.

What did you enjoy most about law school?

• Nicole: The free time! I enjoyed having the time to rest and study without added stress.
• Angelica: Being loved, supported, accepted as a family.

What does your family say about the two of you sharing the law school journey together?

• Nicole: Our family is proud of us both. I think it’s a bigger deal for my mom because she is older than the traditional law student, and English is her second language. She had to navigate through more difficulties than I did. She had to learn new technology for the first time and learn legal jargon in English and in Russian/Ukrainian.
• Angelica: They were ecstatic, they thought it was amazing and super special.

 How has law school changed your life? Currently? Future?

• Nicole: It changed my life by giving me the capability to achieve more than I could without a legal degree. It opened more doors for me to grow. With a legal degree and a bar license, I have a lot of opportunities I can seek out.
• Angelica: I believe I can do anything through Christ, with the help of people who believe in me and who supported me all along.

What are your future goals?

• Nicole: My goals are always to just have a family and care for them, but I will always work towards learning more and challenging myself in areas I’m uncomfortable with in order to grow. Being in my job now is not a natural comfort zone for me. I must speak to the public, in front of the court, and negotiate with attorneys all day long. I have been tested and tried in my areas of weakness. Because I have seen the growth as a result of that, my goal is to never stay comfortable for too long because nothing ever grows from that. Other than that, only God knows my future.
• Angelica: To continue the practice of Dependency Law until God shows me where He wants me to be, to continue to study law, to teach at law school eventually.