Now and Then: 2L Student Adhitya Mahesh Looks Back on the Year
We talked with Adhitya Mahesh, a 2L law student at the University of North Carolina School of Law, as his second year of law school draws to a close. In this interview, Adhitya reflects on all he has learned and accomplished this year. He shares significant milestones and offers advice to incoming law students.
This article is part of a series of interviews with the 2020-21 NCBA Law Student Representatives. We featured nine of the 16 representatives in the February issue of North Carolina Lawyer magazine and three graduating law students in this issue.
If you could take a snapshot or photo of one moment in law school this year, and capture that moment for the future, what significant moment would you choose and why?
One moment from this year I would choose is having my note published in the North Carolina Banking Institute Journal. First, I have always thought of myself as an excellent writer, and being published helped accomplish a big dream of mine. Second, I enjoyed the subject matter I was writing on and therefore realized that I wanted to practice law in the banking and financial services sector.
What are some ways you have changed during your 2L year?
I have changed notably in two ways. First, I have developed a clearer focus on my career goals based on my course selection. In fact, I am interested in practicing law in the banking and financial services sector, either as a financial regulator at a federal agency or as an attorney in-house at a bank. Second, I have developed a strong passion for spreading awareness of the unique issues affecting first-generation law students. Indeed, I have used my positions as the co-president of Carolina Law’s First-Generation Professionals and an NCBA Law Student Representative to help plan panels and networking events that speak to these issues and ultimately foster the professional development of first-gens in the law.
What have you enjoyed the most about being an NCBA Law Student Representative?
The most salient and enjoyable aspect of serving as an NCBA Law Student Representative is the endless opportunities to build meaningful professional connections for myself and the students at my law school who I represent. For example, I have helped organize panel events at different law schools in North Carolina that have connected law students with practicing attorneys around the state.
Who is one law student or mentor who has made an impact on your life?
Rashaad Hamilton has made the biggest impact on me during my time in law school. He has been my go-to mentor for help with job-search strategies, helping me revise endless versions of my resume, cover letters, and personal statements for internship applications. He has also been available for motivational support. I don’t think I would have been able to go through law school without his mentorship, leadership, and guidance, and I strive to become a leader like him one day.
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What does becoming a lawyer mean to you?
Becoming a lawyer means two things for me. First, it means achieving a childhood dream, as I have been thinking about becoming a lawyer since I was a child. Second, it means drawing on the core American value of providing equality of opportunity and the Asian value of maintaining a harmonized, productive society through recognition of a moral duty to others. As a lawyer, I can exercise this moral duty by helping increase the opportunities for marginalized communities to access the legal system.
If your 2L year had a theme song, what would it be?
“Stronger” by Kanye West. It’s a good motivational song!
In a few months, a new group of incoming students will begin law school. If you could choose one motivational or inspiring word of the year to share with students, one word that would be meaningful throughout their time as a 1L, what would that one word be, and why?
Reflect.
Reflect on your goals over the year and modify them as needed, ensuring that your goals are both realistic and measurable.
Reflect on any mistakes made during your first semester in order to have improved performance for the second semester.
Reflect on how you’re budgeting your time, making sure to find the optimal balance between schoolwork and doing things that you enjoy.
Reflect on the connections you’re making with classmates, professors, and practicing attorneys. Remember that your classmates are your future colleagues, your professors train your legal mind and have important connections to the legal field, and practicing attorneys offer valuable insights into the practice of law.
Taking time every day to reflect is important to understand what works well for you and what doesn’t, and to understand whether you’re setting yourself up for success in the future. It is especially important to reflect on the connections that you’re making because you can lean on them when you need help the most.