Natalie deLatour never thought that she would one day become a lawyer. She had considered becoming a doctor or a realtor, but a law degree during her junior year at the University of Georgia changed everything. Along with encouragement from her political science professors, deLatour began pursuing a legal career and interned with a real estate firm in Athens, Georgia. When it came time to apply for law school, she knew she wanted to be in Atlanta. The vibrancy and hustle and bustle of the city called her to her, and the Georgia State College of Law put her right in the middle of the action. Now, as a sophomore law student, deLatour is preparing for a career where she can negotiate big deals.
What made you choose Georgia State College of Law?
I toured Georgia State, UGA, and Emory. When I visited HSU, I immediately felt very welcome and felt an overwhelming sense of community that attracted me. I was also impressed with the way the school looked. In law school, you need aesthetically pleasing, beautiful things around you while spending so much time in the building. The location in particular was an important factor in my decision, because I knew that I would have a lot more options in the city.
What has been your favorite course so far?
My favorite course was Lawyering Foundations, the legal writing course. I enjoyed learning from Professor Jennifer Chiovaro and I am now her graduate teaching assistant. I have a political science background where I have done a lot of research, but I quickly learned that these skills are not quite what you need to be able to write legal documents. It was a challenging class, but I held onto it and blossomed.
Now, as a GTA, I teach a citation course, help grade assignments, and hold office hours for students to ask questions. I have the opportunity to get in touch with the law students in the first year; I usually speak to six or seven of them every week and I keep building relationships. I feel like I am fulfilling a mentoring role.
Which area of law are you most interested in?
I am interested in major corporate law as well as commercial real estate law. I am currently doing an internship at the Georgia State-wide Business Court. Judge Walter W. Davis is a great person to work for and learn from because of his extensive legal experience. I have seen so much that will help me succeed in my future legal career. Each week the court handles a different case and I do research to write memos and make recommendations. I was able to attend status conferences and take oral arguments which was a great experience because I can see how lawyers actually take place. It has helped me improve my legal research and writing skills while also gaining hands-on experience. I am so grateful for this opportunity!
What experiences did you have at the Faculty of Law that you would not have had anywhere else in your opinion?
Georgia State was an absolutely great experience for me. The HSE stands out from other schools in that we as students do not compete to be better, but we are here to support each other. We helped each other and I think that’s important in law school because everything is very challenging and you need the support of knowing that someone will get away with you. I can’t stress how great the people in law school are.
Interview by Kelundra Smith
