Each year, Jacksonville University recognizes a graduate student for their exceptional achievements and leadership. This year, they honored 3L Randi Alt, the editor of the Jacksonville University Law Review, as the Frances Bartlett Kinne Graduate Student Woman of the Year. We were excited to sit down with Alt to discuss her aspirations.
AALM: What first interested you in pursuing a legal career?
RA: Prior to coming to law school, I attended the University of Florida with the plan to become a doctor. When I was 14, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, so I thought that my firsthand experience of managing a disease, along with my interest in science, would make me a good fit in the medical field. However, during undergrad, I had the opportunity to shadow a surgeon, and was underwhelmed by the operating room. Around that time, I began reading Anthony Ray Hinton’s The Sun Does Shine, a memoir about his experience as a wrongfully convicted man living on death row. Anthony Ray Hinton was represented by none other than the incredible Bryan Stevenson. I felt something come alive in me when I read this work, and I followed that feeling to law school.
AALM: Tell us about your internships. How did those positions shape your outlook on your future career?
RA: My internship at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office was incredible. The internship class was three times as large as my law school class, so it felt like being part of another law school, with even more peers and professors. My internship at the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel was also an amazing experience and my first time working on the defense side of criminal proceedings. Working with the RCC emphasized how important it is to never lose sight of the fact that everyone in a courtroom deserves to have their rights vindicated. Both experiences showed me that each side sharpens the other, and justice is best served when both the prosecution and defense are able and willing to do the best job they can.
AALM: What have you enjoyed most about your position as editor in chief of the JU Law Review?
RA: The thing I have enjoyed most about serving as editor-in-chief is the opportunity to build something that will be a lasting feature of the law school for years to come. Law Review is a fundamental part of the law school experience – our students deserved a law review of their own. I am proud that future students will have the chance to build upon what we have worked so hard to establish.
AALM: Can you tell us about any mentors or professors who have helped guide you thus far?
RA: I believe one of the greatest gifts a professor can give a student is their belief in that student’s potential. My favorite torts professor, Bob Mensel, has given me the space to learn and struggle in class while always reassuring me that I am capable of achieving great things. Professor Mensel has taught me not to be afraid to use my voice and that not only is it okay—but it is encouraged—to push back when I feel strongly about something and to be willing to argue my case.
AALM: Are there any lawyers in the local community who inspire you? What do you admire about them?
RA: I really admire Sarah Morris, with whom I had the chance to work with at the RCC. Sarah epitomizes what it means to work hard and stand up for who and what you believe in. I think having a clear vision and set of values, paired with a strong work ethic is what makes someone an exceptional lawyer, and Sarah possesses each of these traits. And although she may not be a lawyer, my mom has been, and will always be, my greatest example of perseverance and the ability to never, ever give up.
