Margaret Vincent

Photographer

Grad Year: 2002

Other areas of sudy/degree(s):

J.D. University of Michigan, 2005

Finding my path to law school

I began my college career as an engineering student; I was miserable.  It simply wasn’t for me.  By my second semester, I was happily buried in English classes instead.  I transferred to LS&A and declared my English major.  I later joined the English Honors program, and I graduated in 2002 with my wonderful cohort.  After graduation, I worked for the University (in the English Department, in fact) for a year while preparing and applying for law school.  I attended the University of Michigan Law School from May 2003 to December 2005, when I received my JD.  When I applied to law school, I wrote a personal statement focusing on how the analytical and close-reading skills I learned as an English major would benefit me in my legal career.  What I didn’t realize was how true that was.  Surviving and thriving in law school requires many of the same skills as a great English class—interpretation, attention to detail, the importance of single words, communicating ones ideas clearly to others.  I came to think of law as a sort of translation: a translation of a crazy and wonderful legal language for all the people who need to understand.

Following my creative side

I have worked in numerous fields since passing the bar—not one of them the practice of law.  For personal reasons, I’ve stayed in lower stress fields for the time being, though I look forward to returning to law.  The past year, I’ve been following my creative side.  I used to mourn my lack of creative writing ability.  Now I know that creativity in an English degree can be many things—for me, it’s the attention to detail and ability to dissect a piece of art that allows me to be a photographer.  To the current English concentrator, I say, have fun.  Take classes that interest you and spark ideas.  The more you enjoy your time in college, the more you will learn.  Learn broadly.  Learn passionately.  Learn well.

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