Name: Kristin Kennedy Williams
Age: 25
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Expected graduation year: 2019
Georgia Law achievements and awards: Aubrey and Marilyn Motz Scholarship
Georgia Law extracurricular activities: Journal of Intellectual Property Law, Wilbanks Child Endangerment and Sexual Exploitation Clinic, Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Undergraduate university / degree / year: University of Tennessee / B.A. / 2014
1. What did you do before attending law school? I started graduate school in public administration and worked at a law firm in Athens.
2. Why did you choose to attend the University of Georgia School of Law? I chose UGA's law school because of its affordability for a high quality law school education as well as the school's access to the Atlanta legal market.
3. What inspired you to become a lawyer? I have always wanted a career that would have a powerful impact on people's lives, which is one characteristic that attracted me to law. I have also always sought a career that would give me the ability to fight for justice. Being an attorney gives me the opportunity to blend my talents and abilities with my passion for justice, so I really could not ask for more in a future career.
4. Who is your favorite law school professor? Why? It is a definitely a tie between Dean Ringhand and Professor Khan. I had both my second semester of my first year, and both of these professors made my classes with them extremely interesting and some of my favorite classes I've ever taken. For Dean Ringhand, she made some of the driest parts of constitutional law interesting. She also always challenged me to think critically and prepare carefully for her class. Professor Khan is my other favorite professor at Georgia Law because he always encouraged discussion in his class. His stories from practice and his analysis of issues always made class enjoyable. Both professors had a sense of humor in class and made class more fun than I thought it could be.
5. Thus far, what is your most memorable experience from your time at the law school? Well one of my most memorable experiences was being the first one to be cold called in the first class on the first day of 1L year. I went up to tell Professor Eaton that my last name on his roll might be wrong because I had just got married about a month before classes started. When I told him my name change, he told me that my maiden name (Kennedy) is his granddaughter's first name so he was going to call on me when class started in five minutes. I am extremely thankful I had the heads up and luckily it helped me get over some of that fear of being called on.
6. What are some activities/clubs/clinics you are involved in at the law school? This year I'm excited to work on the Journal for Intellectual Property Law and get more involved in the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. I'm also really excited to participate in the Wilbanks CEASE Clinic this fall and hopefully again in the spring. This clinic was one of the programs that assured me that the School of Law was a great choice for me because it is the first program in the country of its kind and it provides justice to a population that I'm particularly passionate about offering legal advice and services to in the future.
7. What do you enjoy most about law school? One thing I enjoy most about law school is the relationships you build while you are in school. At orientation I never would have imagined that I would end up building such strong relationships by the last final of 1L year. I also love that law school has opened my mind to other areas of law that I never imagined finding interesting.
8. Where is your favorite place to study? Why? It's a tie between my dining room and the Main Library on North Campus. I love to study at home with all my casebooks, papers and highlighters spread out and with my cat at my feet. But I also enjoy the Main Library because it's quiet but not dead silent and the atmosphere is very cozy and relaxed.
9. What are two things you always have to have with you when you study? I always need headphones and some type of drink whether it be water, coffee or a tea.
10. What do you like most about living in Athens? I love how there is not really traffic and I love the local restaurants. I have never lived in a city that had a great local restaurant scene but Athens definitely does. A lot of the food places in Athens have a lot of character and quality food so it makes it fun to go back. Some of my favorites are Ideal Bagel and South Kitchen.
11. What do you do to handle the stress of law school? One of the ways I handle stress is finding a good TV show to watch with friends or my husband on a weekend night. My favorite show right now is "Billions" on Showtime. I also enjoy working out to release some stress.
12. What is your favorite place on campus? Why? My favorite place on campus is definitely Ramsey Student Center on campus. Other than the headache to find parking, I love having a great gym available as a student and by enjoying going to Ramsey, it encourages me to keep going and stay active.