In their 1L year, some law students may prefer studying at a different law school and decide to begin the transfer process. Many apply to Miami Law to take advantage of the fourth-largest law curriculum in the U.S. and 18 areas of study and to realize their career goals. Miami Law is pleased to highlight three recent transfer students.
Isabella Abdullah, J.D. Class of 2024
The sports law education available at Miami Law was a key reason Isabella Abdullah made the "pivotal decision" to transfer. "I knew that if I wanted to fully immerse myself in the sports industry, this was the place to be. The customized curriculum taught by sports industry giants immediately caught my attention," she said.
During her first year at the law school, two "standout courses" for her were "Representing the Professional Athlete" and "Transactional Skills," both of which equipped her with valuable lawyering skills. Abdullah is applying these skills in Miami Law's Externship Program as a summer legal internship at Roc Nation Sports.
Abdullah also explored social justice by participating in the Children and Youth Law Clinic, which allowed her to advocate for current and former foster children and be "the voice and fighting for seven clients was a life-changing experience that expanded my legal horizons and exposed me to diverse areas of the law I would not have experienced otherwise."
Lauren M. Madonia, J.D. Class of 2024
A village of support was a strong draw for Lauren Madonia. A current senator in Miami Law's Student Bar Association, Madonia's decision to transfer to Miami Law was "a natural choice since I completed my undergraduate studies at UM and hoped to return to the supportive and flourishing community it offered…I knew this institution would provide guidance and support through my decision-making." She also liked the "incredible opportunities, courses, and resources the students had access to, and I was astounded."
Reaching her career goals also played a role for Madonia; again, she found support. "Studying at Miami Law was instrumental in working towards my career goals...Thanks to the guidance of those at Miami Law, I found my dream career path, earned remarkable internships in a field I love," says Madonia. Dean Greg Levy and Jessi Tamayo, Director of the Externship Program, guided Madonia.
This summer, she is working as an inaugural legal intern for MSCHF. In this role, she researches and addresses "diverse legal matters pertaining to the art collective's past, present, and future undertakings." Madonia is also working this summer as an intern at the firm of Cole, Scott & Kissane and is pursuing a joint J.D./LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law.
Elizabeth "Lizzy" Stewart, J.D. Class of 2024
Miami Law's range of courses and services also appealed to Elizabeth Stewart when she decided to transfer. "I wanted to transfer to Miami because of the specific areas of focus UM offers, as well as the unique range of classes within the sports and entertainment field."
Stewart, too, feels "so many doors have been opened for me since coming to UM." Careerwise, she is on her path to where she wants to go in the area of employment law. This summer, she has two internships. One is with the Women's National Basketball Players Association, obtained partly thanks to a connection with Miami Law's advisory board member and adjunct faculty Terri Jackson. Stewart says, "I was able to participate in an inaugural class [with Jackson on Women in Professional Sports: A Legal, Social, and Business Analysis] and internship with the WNBPA, directly supporting my goals of merging my passion for Labor and Employment with sports."
In addition, Stewart says, "thanks to the Career office helping me secure my spring clerkship," she is now working as an inaugural 2L summer associate at the same firm, which is known to have the world's largest employment and labor law practice.
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