Attorney Is An Advocate For Developmentally Disabled In Baltimore
The employment of lawyers nationally is expected to grow 10 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is about the average for all other occupations during the same period. Competition for positions, however, will remain fierce among graduates since their numbers have been growing faster than the numbers of available jobs, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, law firms are increasingly looking for specialists, that is, those who have gone on to acquire a specialty either through experience or through a Master of Law which requires an additional year of study centered on a specific field.
Tracey Parker Warren, featured here, made the decision to become an advocate for others after working in the education field. She received her B.A. from Morgan State University and then returned to the University of Baltimore to receive her J.D. (Juris Doctor) with an emphasis in business law. She later received her LL.M from the Georgetown University Law School with an emphasis in tax law.
What inspired you to enter your current field?
"I was working with developmentally disabled adults and mentally and emotionally challenged adults and children when I witnessed first-hand the inequities that existed. These experiences inspired me to further develop my advocacy skills; and led me on to attend law school."
How does your educational background relate to your current role?
"Obtaining a law degree has broadened the career opportunities available to me. My J.D. qualified me to take the bar examination so that I could practice law and serve as an advocate."
How has your education helped to further your career and contribute to your success?
"After law school, I clerked for a Judge on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. I have held the position of Assistant State's Attorney and I served as an advocate for women who were victims of domestic violence. Currently, I am an attorney at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. I would not have qualified for these positions without my education."
What is some advice you can offer others looking to go into your field?
"People have commented that they have decided not to pursue furthering their education because they would be to 'old' when they graduated. If blessed, you can be 'older' having accomplished a goal so why not make the best use of your time? Then, look back with self-gratification knowing that you're working toward something that means something to you."
Susan Brown originally spent many years in banking/finance before confronting her addictions. She has now been in recovery for 20 years. Her current interests, in which she has several certifications, are metaphysics and the healing arts. She has written for Examiner.com since 2009 and also writes for Om Times.
