Morgan N. Miner is a Juris Doctor candidate at Jacksonville University College of Law. She is on track to graduate in May 2026.
AALM: What first interested you in pursuing a legal career? Did you have any other career aspirations before law?
MNM: Before law school, I spent a few years working in a financial advising firm in Atlanta, Georgia. I was fresh out of undergrad at the University of Florida and wanted to experience a completely new city. Coming from a smaller town of Panama City Beach, Florida, this was a huge change and allowed me to grow in ways I never expected. I was the first in my family to get a four-year degree, so law school had always been in the back of my mind but seemed like such a big dream.
A few years into working I realized that sneaking interest was not going away. I began looking into the legal field, watching trial videos, and interviews with attorneys and judges. I was enamored. It was the first time in my life I felt this clarity of “this is exactly where I need to be,” so I went for it.
AALM: Do you have any immediate plans following your graduation next summer? What path do you hope your career will follow?
MNM: Immediately after graduation, I plan on taking the July Florida Bar and have accepted a position with Carr Allison, a litigation firm here in Jacksonville. I was able to spend my 2L summer as a summer associate there and could not have enjoyed it more.
Primarily working under Alison Sausaman, Heath Vickers, and Austin Sherman—three incredibly impressive attorneys—I learned I can accomplish amazing things at work, have a flourishing family life, give back to the community, and still make every person feel heard and appreciated. I was blown away by the supportive culture and how involved they allowed me to be every step of the way.
After seeing attorneys, I admire success and growth within the firm over last summer, that is an ultimate goal of mine, but the last few years meeting incredible people in the legal community have taught me to keep my mind open. I have learned from many of the great attorneys, judges, and law school staff, I have learned from what they shared with me, how their careers took unexpected and exciting turns. I do not have a specific hope for what path I will follow, but a hope that it is one that I will learn from every day and will continue to surprise me.
AALM: Tell us about any mentors you’ve had so far or any professors (or other teachers) who have really helped you progress forward.
MNM: One of the best things about going to JU College of Law is the smaller class sizes. Keeping those class sizes smaller meant that I knew each of my professors very well, and they knew me. Because of this, each one was a mentor to me, but in a different way. Some pushed me to trust in my knowledge and speak with conviction, some taught me it was okay to question what I was learning, and some actively worked to make sure we were smiling in the halls with every light conversation, despite the stresses of law school. The administration was just as involved and encouraging.
Outside of the law school, the amazing ladies and gentlemen of Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association (JWLA) have really given me a place to be myself and get out into the community. I started attending meetings a month into 1L, and now they are like family to me and have shown me how strong and capable I can be.
