Sydney Taylor Curtis
West Monroe, Louisiana
- Juris Doctor, Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law
- Magna Cum Laude graduate
- Paul M. Hebert Scholar, Dean’s Scholar
- Louisiana Law Review Articles Editor
- Board of Advocates Board Member
- Undergraduate: University of Louisiana-Monroe, Bachelor of Arts, English
What are your immediate career plans?
After taking the bar exam, I will be clerking for a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Louisiana for the 2024-25 term.
What are your long-term career aspirations?
At this time, I am still exploring my long-term career aspirations. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to clerk for a judge, which I believe will be an invaluable experience. I have a strong passion for academia and could possibly see myself becoming a law professor one day in the far future.
Please tell us about the organizations and activities you participated in at LSU Law, including any awards or honors you received.
As a member of Louisiana Law Review, I served as a Junior Associate for Volume 83 and an Articles Editor for Volume 84. As a Junior Associate, I was honored to receive the W. Lee Hargrave Award. During my time as an Articles Editor, my co-editor and I organized the 2024 Louisiana Law Review Symposium titled “Louisiana’s Constitution at 50: The Past, Present, and Future of Louisiana’s Fundamental Law.” This symposium featured esteemed constitutional law professionals from across Louisiana and the nation.
While at LSU Law, I was awarded CALI Excellence Awards in “Sex Crimes Seminar” and “Successions, Trusts, and Donations.” Additionally, I served on the Board of Advocates and participated in numerous on-campus mock trial competitions. In my final semester, I participated in the Parole Assistance & Re-entry Clinic, where I represented my first client at her parole hearing. This experience, under Professor Lancaster’s guidance, taught me so much in a short time.
Please tell us about any LSU Law faculty, classes, or other experiences that were particularly impactful on your legal education.
On a random Friday during my second semester as a law student, Professor Lisa Avalos chose to cold call me to discuss the cases we were supposed to have read for that day. Instead of calling on multiple students as she normally did, she decided to stick with me for the entire class (a grand total of 90 minutes). I was so nervous that I was shaking, but I survived the encounter. Little did I know that it would become such a significant day for me.
The following summer, I became Professor Avalos’s research assistant, where I had the opportunity to assist her with some of her scholarly articles and research for her CLE course. Professor Avalos has always seen my potential, pushing me to become a better researcher, writer, and advocate. The work I have been part of with her drove me to excel even more during my time in law school. Professor Avalos is a dedicated advocate for sexual assault victims. The impact of her work is unforgettable, and being even a small part of that work has been one of the greatest opportunities of my lifetime. Professor Avalos exemplifies why LSU Law is such a great institution—the faculty genuinely believe in their students and push them to succeed. I would not be where I am today without her.
What are your fondest memories from your time at LSU Law?
My fondest memories from LSU Law are all the moments I shared with my friends throughout these three years. From experiencing the best section 1L year, to making lifelong best friends, I have made memories that will stick with me forever. One of my favorite memories is participating in an on-campus mock trial competition with my best friend during our 2L year. We had no idea what we were really doing, but we stayed up for days practicing our crosses and opening/closing arguments. We giggled and panicked together, and, before the first round, we were so nervous that we thought we were going to be sick. However, each time we competed, our confidence grew, and we became a more solid team. To our surprise, we were not half bad as we ended up as semi-finalists in our first-ever competition.
What advice would you give to students entering law school who aspire to become Order of the Coif members when they graduate?
My advice for any incoming law student is to not lose sight of who you are or what you aspire to be. You need to remember your “why” because law school is not easy by any means. Law school will be some of the toughest years of your life, and you have to remember your purpose at the end of the day. When you remember why you began this journey or who you aspire to be, the grueling hours of studying become a little more bearable. Another piece of advice I would give is to not seek your worth by your grades or rank and to avoid playing the comparison game. Every law student has received a grade they are not proud of or faced rejection at some point. It is part of the journey. Instead, how you choose to overcome the obstacles, rejections, and failures is what will make you a better advocate for your clients. Those low moments do not define you—it is how you choose to rise from the valley that does.
