Hello! My name is Kelly Kearney and I am a 1L at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. I am here to invite you on my journey of my first year! I will speak about my experiences in and outside of the classroom and share what I am up to in Chicago. Together, we will explore the city, study (a lot), eat, run, stress, probably shiver in the cold, and learn. Read on to find out a little bit more about me and to get a sense of what to expect from this year and my blog. If you see me around, please say hi!
Where I am from
I grew up in Sacramento, CA as an only child to my awesome parents, Patti and Dave (I think they had their hands full with just one of me!). I was part of the International Baccalaureate program from 6th-12th grade and studied ballet from about the time I could walk to the end of high school, picking it up again in college (plus a short, unfortunate stint in soccer). I had a great support system of my friends and family in Sacramento that has always encouraged me to try more and go further. I am so thankful for that, but I certainly miss them!
Where I went to school
I graduated from Boston University in 2012 with a B.A. in philosophy and a minor in psychology. I was president of our Undergraduate Philosophy Association and editor in our undergraduate journal Arché. I also spent some time assisting a professor in research for her book about gender and social contract theory in early modern philosophy. I loved the critical thinking skills I learned from philosophy and that is part of what drew me to law school.
What I have been up to
Towards the end of my senior year I got a job as a paralegal at Pandiscio & Pandiscio, PC, an intellectual property law firm outside of Boston. They specialize in medical devices and I really enjoyed learning the extensive patent and trademark application to grant process. I was lucky to be at a small firm where I got a lot of invaluable hands on experience with the attorneys. I worked there for a little over two years and was sad to say goodbye to such a great team!
What else?
Well, thanks to the notorious esplanade along the Charles River in Boston, I discovered a love for running. I made it a goal to run a marathon before I left that amazing city and this past May I crossed the finish line of the Cox Providence Rhode Race Marathon! It was the coolest (and hardest!) thing I have ever done and the support from my friends, family and the running community was wonderfully overwhelming. It reaffirmed my love for being active outdoors and it played a large role in my decision to come to Chicago (I hope to take on the Chicago Marathon next year!).
Non-running wise, though, I have a special place in my heart for a great café, a soy latte and really good cupcakes.
My approach to life
I try to live my life with a positive and happy outlook, and to spread that to the people around me as often as possible. I am guilty of letting the things I am passionate about get to the point of being overwhelming, and it takes a lot to remind myself to breathe and take a step back. I believe a lot of life’s events happen for a reason, but I also believe it is up to the person to make of it what he or she can. I know there is potential in everyone and everything, and that even when life gets really hard, we’ll see the worth in it at the end.
Now you know a little bit about me. I am excited to be starting law school and look forward to sharing my experiences with you!
Questions for Kelly? Email law-admissions@luc.edu with the subject “Ask Kelly” and she will make sure to answer them.