Can I just say I feel like the luckiest girl in the world?!  I just graduated law school; moved into a beautiful new mid-rise apartment with an even more beautiful balcony-view overlooking the pool and the Atlanta skyline; I live in a city with which I am entirely in love; I have the most supportive and loving family the world has to offer and equally amazing friends;  And on top of all that, I am just got hired at my DREAM job:

By my second year of law school, I already knew that I wanted to use my law degree to help represent indigent people facing criminal charges; however, I fell in love with the DeKalb office in particular almost as soon as I started interning there last August.  The office is populated with enthusiastic, passionate, down to earth (very rare in the legal profession), and genuinely brilliant attorneys.  You’ll never hear them complaining about their workload even though it is well beyond what any attorney should ever be expected to manage, and you’ll never see them talk down to or disrespect even their most unfavorable clients. 

In a stroke of luck, one of the attorneys in the office was leaving for private practice and a new position had opened up right as I was finishing up law school.  I was honestly excited to even land an interview for the position.  I left the interview feeling satisfied with how it went, but fairly certain that I would not get the job - if only becuase they were interviewing 8-10 others including attorneys who had been barred and practicing for 1-2 years.  Last Friday was three weeks to the day since my interview.  I obviously had not heard one way or the other, but pretty much assumed it was a no-go.  Well luckily… I was W-R-O-N-G!!  I got a phone call Friday morning offering a a full-time Assistant Public Defender Position with the office, full benefits, with a shockingly healthy salary.  I go in tomorrow morning to fill out paperwork and get everything set up, and will be officially starting in the next few weeks once everything gets processed. 

Despite what promises to be a very intense (and stressful) 44 days studying for the bar in addition to working, I feel privileged to even have this opportunity!  I am actually kind of optimistic that the busy-ness will help make me more focused while I am studying.

Here’s hoping!!!