Law student active in Women's Law Caucus

By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
 
With an eye on a career in law, after earning her undergrad degree in English and Political Science: Public Law from Western Michigan University, Kimberly Moehle spent 18 months at FactorLaw, a small firm in downtown Chicago focusing on bankruptcy and commercial disputes. 

“Working there completely reaffirmed my decision to go to law school,” she says. “I was able to experience the actual practice of law rather than just a theoretical discussion. That experience was invaluable – it’s really special when you’re able to work with people who really care about their job. While there are many people who love working in the legal field, it still is a hard profession and isn’t for everyone.” 

Moehle is confident that her selection of Wayne State University Law School was the best choice – even though it was hard to leave her close family back in Orland Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago.

“Wayne’s reputation has given me access to so many opportunities that I don’t think I would have had access to in Chicago,” she says. “To put it in perspective, Chicago has six law schools in the city alone. It’s much harder to stand out in that big of a pool of prospective attorneys.” 

A rising 2L, Moehle has settled nicely into the experience of Wayne Law.

“Law school is unique – it’s very different from other programs and it’s hard to explain the culture that develops, especially during your 1L year,” she says. “With that type of focus it’s very easy for law students to become isolated in their own intellectual bubble and forget about the rest of the world. 

“Wayne never allowed that to happen – they consistently provide events and opportunities that highlight the real world effects of the cases we read. Being in Detroit there’s so much going on that it’s almost guaranteed you’ll be able to find a project you’re passionate about.” 

Moehle also has enjoyed the support of the Women’s Law Caucus, and her mentor, Amy Huang.

“At FactorLaw I was fortunate to work with some phenomenal women – I don’t know if they realize how big of an impact they had on both my life and my decision to go to law school,” Moehle says. “I joined the Women’s Law Caucus hoping to find that same type of guidance in law school. I was in a sorority in undergrad, Chi Omega, so I recognize how beneficial female-centered organizations can be. The Women’s Law Caucus has been both a resource and a support system this past year. Law school is stressful and having a group of people to turn to made all the difference.”

Moehle currently is interning with U.S. District Court Judge Arthur Tarnow, Eastern District of Michigan, where she is refining her research and writing skills but also gaining exposure to several areas of the law that should stand her in good stead in her future career.

“Some people are propelled to go to law school in order to further a specific cause, others find their cause during or after law school – I’m part of the latter group,” she says. “Right now I’m concentrating on taking advantage of all the opportunities that come my way. I would love to clerk for a judge and I hope to make that a reality. But I think I’d be happy so long as I’m in a position where I can interact with complex and interesting issues.” 

A resident of the Royal Oak/Clawson area, Moehle is enjoying exploring and discovering her new community. In her leisure time, she is an avid reader with a passion for language and literature. 

“My favorite pastime has always been reading – however with the amount of reading you do in law school it’s hard to maintain that as a hobby,” she says. “I’ve recently started getting into Audiobooks and have been listening to those on my drive to Wayne.

“I like to say that studying law was the practical extension of that passion,” she adds “A career in the legal field takes everything I loved about literature, philosophy and logic and grounds it in the everyday, giving me a chance to do what I love while still having real world applications and making a difference.”

This passion seems to have borne fruit as Moehle was recently selected to serve as an assistant editor of Wayne Law Review.

“Being part of a scholarly publication has been a lifelong dream of mine that extends even farther back than my desire to go on to law school,” she says.

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