Background: Taught for seven years, usually middle-schoolers, in various South Louisiana towns; president of the Moot Court Board.

Why Law: I thought I could make more of a difference as a lawyer than a teacher. I saw a lot of things in school systems that just weren't right. The best means of correcting those things seemed more available to lawyers than teachers. The people writing the bills have to know what's going on in the classroom, and who better than a teacher?

Why LSU: I was a Louisiana citizen, and it's affordable. The school has a really good reputation. Most of the prominent lawyers I know in Louisiana attended LSU. I basically love the bijural education. It's beneficial because the world is becoming smaller. It's the only school in the country where you have to earn degrees in civil and common law, so it had more to offer than the other schools.

Current Post: I'm an assistant state's attorney in Miami-Dade County. It's the fourth-largest DA's office in the country and it's an excellent opportunity to learn.

On Moot Court: It gives students the opportunity to work on their advocacy skills. The competitions help out with legal writing and oral arguments inside and outside the school setting. We won one national competition in tax; we had a pretty productive year.

Biggest Surprise: How friendly the teachers were. You always hear horror stories about scaring students - but these people are helpful and knowledgeable. I'm impressed with their quality. It's not a place where you get admitted and get lost in the crowd. Admissions people asked how I'm doing until the day I left. There's a lot of interest in students' well being. I entered LSU when it was going through a transition; the administration consistently consulted students to find ways to improve the law school. It's not a place where administration and faculty are content to have things remain as they were.

Best Advice: When you get to law school, it's not what other people can do for you but what you can do for yourself - and what you can do for the school to help it improve. Take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. Students have a voice in shaping the law school experience. Take advantage of the approachability of teachers - if you do well at LSU, you're prepared to do well anywhere.