As Volume 46 of the Mitchell Hamline Law Review concludes, the online editors of the law review asked Amber Fitzgerald to talk about her background, thoughts on Volume 46’s accomplishments, and the future of the law review.
Background
Q: You are the first Editor-in-Chief of a national law review to come from blended learning option. Can you explain what this has meant for you?
Much of my higher education has been completed through blended learning modalities. While I am a firm proponent of providing education in non-traditional manners, there are fields in which anything other than the classroom is frowned upon. Much of the time, the legal field falls into that category. To be EIC of a national law review as a blended learning student demonstrates that the delivery method works. Blended learning students learn just as much as traditional students and should have the same opportunities. Personally, I hope this is a catalyst that helps pave the way for other students and institutions to provide blended learning options. To be a part of that change in this way is amazing.
Q: Where do you currently work?
Currently, I have two jobs. My first is as a Quality Assurance Manager for TAG, Inc. TAG is a healthcare consulting company that focuses exclusively on AP and Supply Chain, driving efficiencies and recovering lost funds. I started working for TAG right out of college and have been there for seven years. My second job is as a Law Clerk for Hennessy & Roach, P.C. I started there this past winter and love the firm. So far, the experiences have been fantastic, and I feel like I have learned a great deal over the past few months.
Q: What prompted you to enroll in law school?
I have wanted to go to law school for as long as I can remember. The law was always fascinating to me, even as a kid. Even when it did not seem like law school would ever happen, I wished that it would.
Q: How did you balance all the aspects of your life—family, full-time job, school—with your Editor-in-Chief duties? How difficult was it?
I sacrificed sleep . . . a lot. I do not advocate sacrificing sleep, but it became my reality. Often, I could not sit down to start homework or Law Review until after my daughter was in bed. Starting a day’s worth of work at 10 PM means late nights. Often, it also meant taking my work with me. I made a commitment to myself that law school would not get in the way of being present for my family, especially for important events. In order to accomplish that, my laptop was basically my traveling companion. It allowed me to be where I was needed while also allowing me to take advantage of down time and drive time (my husband drove, I promise!) to get in a just a little extra work.
Q: What has been your favorite part of your Mitchell Hamline experience?
The people. The school’s commitment to students shines through the faculty, staff, and students. Institutions that demonstrate true commitment are rare, but Mitchell Hamline is one of them. I have never felt that I did not matter or that my problems were inconsequential, which is quite a feat for a school.
Q: Which class or professor have you enjoyed the most in law school?
This question is so hard because I have honestly not had a professor that I did not appreciate. However, since I have to pick, I would say Professor Duhl is one of the best. He has a knack for taking complicated concepts and making them humorous, which then makes them stick. He also is considerate of his students and meets them where they are.
Q: Do you have an area of the law you hope to practice in?
My plan is to work in health care law. Eventually, I would like to work as in-house counsel for a healthcare system. I know that I love healthcare since I have been in the field for so long, and the variety of legal issues presented to in-house counsel is quite intriguing.
Q: What traits do you think a good leader should possess?
Being able to see the big picture while not missing the details. I am certainly not perfect at the details, but I recognize when they are crucially important to pulling off the main goal. Often, people get very focused on either the big picture or the details. However, leading a group to achieve a goal requires visualizing both. Because I am comfortable in that role, I have used that skill to help me ensure our volume will make it across the finish line.
That said, leaders are only as good as the people they have supporting them. I never could have done any of this without my team. It is a group effort every day to make this work, and the credit rightfully goes to each person, not me. They executed on the vision in an impeccable way, ultimately making this year a success.
Q: How have your past experiences prepared you for a leadership role?
My professional career has helped me understand the importance of combining the big picture with the details. When I first started at TAG, I was in a detail-oriented role. Naturally, as I progressed in my career, I moved into more big picture thinking. I realized, though, that neither exists without the other.
Thoughts on Volume 46
Q: What were your goals for Volume 46? How successful were you in accomplishing these goals?
At the beginning of the year, we set out to accomplish a few big goals, including moving the journal online, increasing the marketing of the journal, and expanding the topics to appeal to a wider audience. We wanted to make the journal more accessible to readers, especially on a national scale, and increase awareness of our journal. We knew this would be a big undertaking, but the team made it happen. Personally, I thought it was incredibly important to work towards national (versus regional) readership, especially since our school is focused on reaching students globally. Because of the dedication of our board, we managed to achieve these goals and set up future journals for success. Our hope is that, because of the infrastructure now in place, future journals will be able to continue to expand the reach of our journal.
Q: Can you describe all the changes the law review has made in the past year? How will these changes benefit future law review volumes?
The answer here is very similar to the one above. As noted above, we moved the journal online, developed a new website, created and executed a marketing plan for the journal, and worked hard to increase our readership. Not only are these essential as a journal in this era but will allow future volumes to focus on expansion rather than starting anew. Our goal was to provide a framework for moving into the future, which I believe we accomplished.
Additionally, we developed internal infrastructures that allowed our journal to run much more efficiently. At the beginning of the summer, I really focused on finding ways we could drive efficiencies within our journal. As an associate the previous year, I felt the strain of the decentralized structure. Instead, I decided to move all of work onto SharePoint, which allowed us to track projects and performance, ensure all documents remained in one place, and gave individuals a single home-base to utilize. Because we took the time to setup and refine this structure, future volumes will be able to pick up where we left off, hopefully minimizing their setup time and allowing them to make improvements rather than complete overhauls each year.
Q: Is there anything you wanted to accomplish during Volume 46 that you were unable to?
The only piece that we would have liked to make more progress on was associate development. We put some structures in place to provide more engagement for associates, but there is always a time component that makes it difficult to work closely with over forty associates. I am hopeful that Volume 47 will expand upon what we put in place and provide a completely different and enriching experience for their associates.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part of the Editor-in-Chief position?
The most rewarding part of EIC has been watching the journal’s progress. When we started this year, we set some lofty goals that, in all honesty, were probably too ambitious. But we tried anyway and managed to meet those goals. Seeing that unfold, especially looking back over the last thirteen months, is truly a testament to the amazing people that committed themselves to the journal.
Q: What has been the most challenging part of the Editor-in-Chief position?
The most challenging part has been balancing being off campus with getting to know people. I did not know any of my board members and most of my associates when we started this year. Relationships are so important, especially when people are working this closely together, so I had to really dedicate myself to learning about each person.
General Law Review Questions
Q: Do you have a favorite editing tip?
As a true Law Review nerd, I love the bluebook. It makes me happy to know that there are rules for almost every possible citation situation. When I am proofing, I use the Find and Replace feature to correct all the periods after Id. It can be really difficult to see if the period is correct, so Find and Replace ensures that all are correct.
Q: What did you write your long paper on?
I wrote my long paper on the dismantling of the ACA through Executive Orders. Regardless of one’s perspective on the ACA itself, I found the Trump administration’s approach to dismantling it fascinating. Using Executive Orders this way was unconventional, and I wanted to evaluate whether that usage was beneficial for achieving their end goal or not.
Q: What advice would you give next year’s Board and Editor-in-Chief?
Communication is key. Talk frequently about everything, and your team will be able to accomplish what they set out to do. The more the team talks, even when they are not in agreement, the easier it will be to move forward together.
Q: What advice do you have for other blended learning students that want to participate in law review or journals?
Go for it! I almost did not apply for EIC because no one from a blended learning program had done it before, and I was told it was virtually impossible. One year later, I can tell you it was not impossible, and I am so glad I took the leap.
Fun Facts
Q: Who has had the greatest impact on your life?
My grandmother is far and away the person who had the greatest impact on shaping me into the person I am today. Even though she passed several years ago, rarely a day goes by that something she taught me is not influential. She encouraged me to be who God intended for me to be, regardless of what others thought. Today, that gives me the confidence to try new things and take risks.
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
When I have time, I play piano and work with rescue animals. These have been major components of my life from the time I was little and are excellent outlets for me. I am very much looking forward to picking these back up after law school, as they have not been at the top of my priorities list lately.
Q: What can you tell us about your family and pets?
My four-year-old daughter is spunky and independent. She is curious and bright, quickly learning how the world around her works. As for pets, we have four dogs, two horses, and two bunnies that keep us busy and entertained.
Q: What is something people do not know about you?
I love lemons, both straight and as a flavor. When I was younger, I ate lemons whenever I could get them. Today, I still love lemons, though I try to get my fix with lemon water and lemon flavoring in my food.