Guided by Purpose: Jazmine James Finds Her Calling in the Law
Jazmine James decided she wanted to be a lawyer when she was in fifth grade. Years later, that dream seemed deferred. However, a setback became the push she needed to pursue law school.
鈥淚 was working as a paralegal and loving it, but I was laid off, and alongside applying to more jobs, I finally applied to law school,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think with my personality and strengths, being a lawyer is the best way I can contribute to society. As a paralegal, I got to observe up close how much of a difference it can make just to have access to legal information, let alone advice, and I wanted to fill that role for my family and community.鈥�
On May 16, James will earn her Juris Doctor from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The first-generation law student has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science from Philander Smith University, an associate degree in paralegal studies from Dallas College 鈥� El Centro Campus, and a master鈥檚 degree in alternative dispute resolution from Southern Methodist University.
The Cedar Hill, Texas, native said Philander Smith professor Justice Wynne encouraged her legal ambitions, including introducing her to Bowen. Wynne passed away before James could share her law school news, but she said his guidance remained influential. 鈥淚 am not disappointed in my choice to attend Bowen, so I still have him to thank for that,鈥� she said.
While at Bowen, James served on the Black Law Student Association, the First Generation Law Student Organization, the Honor Council, and as research editor of the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service, vice president of entertainment for the Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and Themis representative. She also worked as an inquiry law clerk for the Arkansas Municipal League (AML).
AML Legal and Inquiry Counsel Caleb Alexander-McKinzie called James dependable, dedicated, and genuinely impactful. 鈥淪he is a fantastic researcher, she has excellent intuition, and an uncommon ability to understand the balance of governmental interests and individual impact of public policy, 鈥� he said.
James describes her time on the Honor Council, a student court for resolving disputes and conflicts among students, as a meaningful experience. 鈥淎s Chief Justice, I train the new justices that are elected, determine what cases brought before us fall under our jurisdiction, and facilitate the resolution for the cases we accept,鈥� she explained.
James said support from faculty, including professors Jordan Wallace-Wolf and Aaron Schwabach, and former professor andr茅 douglas pond cummings, helped her adapt to the challenges of law school.
She appreciated cummings for 鈥漢elping me adjust to the flavor of law school as a first-generation student. I wasn’t accustomed to the writing style, the study style, but between his course assignments and office hours, I started to find a rhythm.”
James credits Professor Terrence Cain with pushing her to grow academically. 鈥淗e made me take law school seriously and really forced me to reckon with the idea that I fully don’t understand what’s going on, and I better figure it out,鈥� she said. 鈥淗owever, once I committed to doing the work and figuring it out, he was committed to making sure the work was done properly so I could learn and succeed.鈥�
She added that she received valuable advice from Dean of Academic Affairs Lindsey Gustafson, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Rejena Grotjohn, and former Dean Theresa Beiner.
“Jazmine is a very thoughtful and dedicated student,” Beiner said. “She always followed up after tests to see how she could improve her law school performance. She was also consistently prepared for class.”
She said she remains especially grateful for her parents’ support. 鈥淚 want to thank my parents, Miles and Tonnie James, for loving me, supporting me, comforting me, and encouraging me throughout my time in law school,鈥� she said.
After graduation, James will focus on preparing for the bar exam. As she prepares to begin her legal career, she encourages future law students to remember the human side of the profession.
鈥淢y big advice is to remember people,鈥� she said. 鈥淓verything starts to look like a case study in school, so we don’t always instinctively and fully appreciate that all the cases we are learning about were decided by real people because things happened to other real people.”
James said the law should always be considered in the context of the people it affects.
鈥淲e are remiss to consider rules and laws without contextualizing them to the people creating and governed by them,鈥� she said.