Susan Cavailhon is a 2L at Jacksonville University College of Law. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida State University. Prior to JU Law, she received her Juris Master from Florida State University College of Law and studied abroad at the University of Oxford.
AALM: What first interested you in pursuing a legal career?
SC: When I was younger, I would watch Spanish television with my Abuela and Univision had a commercial that would run constantly. The commercial was of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, I remember being so excited to see someone that came from a similar background to me with such a significant platform. Her mark in history as the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Supreme Court inspired me to pursue my legal career.
AALM: What are your plans and/or goals for your career?
SC: At the moment, I am finishing the first semester of 2L year. I am hoping to gain some more clerking experience next semester and over the summer. I am interested in public policy, governmental affairs, and environmental law. Right now, I envision a future where I end up lobbying on the hill.
AALM: Tell us about your work with Stearns Weaver Miller. How did this shape your outlook on the profession?
SC: The work ethic and work culture at Stearns Weaver Miller inspired me to pursue my Juris Doctor. I was working at Stearns Weaver Miller while obtaining my Juris Master at Florida State University College of Law. Being part of the team at SWM allowed me to see a side of the legal field I wasn’t sure existed, a work culture that is family-oriented and open-minded.
AALM: You interned with JALA. Tell us a bit about this experience. What are some important lessons you learned.
SC: My 10-week internship at JALA was spent in the Ryan White Unit, a unit that specializes in providing legal services to individuals whose lives have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Providing free legal services allows those individuals to continue to pay for their healthcare services and their daily needs rather than using their income for legal services. Most of the cases I worked on were family law cases, with the exception of a couple SSI and advanced directive cases. It was incredible to see how work that can go unnoticed can be so impactful in the individual lives of people. Although I do not plan on pursuing family law, I have gained a newfound respect and appreciation for the practice area.
AALM: Can you tell us about any professors who have helped guide you thus far? What are some of the best lessons they’ve shared with you?
SC: All my professors here at JU have shown an ongoing support and dedication to push my desire to learn, ask questions, and speak up. Their actions have been imperative to my performance in law school and my future legal career. Professor Matt Reiber has made clear that the practice of law requires you to be a lifelong learner, that has stuck with me.
AALM: Tell us about your work with the JU Student Bar Association and the Hispanic Law Student Association.
SC: I am the president of the Student Bar Association, and the president and co-founder of the Hispanic Law Student. It has been a privilege to be in both these organizations from the bare bones and see how they have grown thus far. Being in these roles has given me the ability to start healthy habits in relation to my work-life balance and delegation. The attorneys I have met so far tend to warn us that work-life balance and delegation can become a problem if you aren’t creating habits early, so I am doing my best to build that foundation now.
