By Sun Min
For Amy Muller, it's a bitter sweet moment. "I've wanted to become an attorney for as long as I can remember," she said. That goal was shared by Muller's family - her mother, a teacher, her two sisters, also educators and her brother, an iron worker. Despite losing her father nine years ago, Muller forged ahead and is now poised to become an attorney, a dream her entire family had for her as well. "The commencement will be a nice event for my family to attend, and will be a meaningful step forward in my life."
After graduation and the bar exams, Muller will clerk for a state court judge, Jeffrey Wright, in Lancaster, Penn., with the hope of becoming an assistant district attorney and eventually working for the FBI. (Muller's undergraduate degrees from American University are in criminal justice and psychology.)
Studying full-time for two and half years at Hofstra Law, Muller says she'll miss the people and the place she's called a home-away-from-home. "Hofstra Law School showed me what it means to have a real community. People help each other," she said. "I've enjoyed having highly intelligent professors to learn from, and I've especially enjoyed my clinical work under Professor Theo Liebmann." Muller said she's also very grateful for having had the opportunity to join about 30 other Hofstra Law students in a two-week study abroad program the summer of 2007 on the Amalfi coast of Italy, taking a course in Comparative Constitutional Law taught by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Dillon is a part-time evening student who works full-time as the Director of Human Resources for Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). Juggling work, school and family has been no simple task. "I make it my business to spend the weekends reading," said Dillon, who believes the law school experience has enhanced every aspect of her life.
"I shocked myself in terms of my abilities. Law school has instilled a higher level of confidence in me and learning to think like a lawyer has helped me become a better professional," said Dillon.
Dillon said she plans to continue her employment with LIPA and applying her legal skills to employment and labor matters. She may be leaving the campus, but she says she'll take fond memories of Hofstra Law with her.
"The culture that [law school] Dean Nora Demleitner has created is amazing," said Dillon. "[She] is engaged with students and clearly committed to success of the law school." Dillon also credits Professor Richard Neumann with making a mark on her in her first year at the school because he was so encouraging and inclusive. She called Professor Eric Lane "an intellectual giant" and said his perspective broadened her thinking and helped her shore up her own beliefs. Dillon also recalls one day when she was feeling nervous about a final exam and Professor Elizabeth Glazer listened to her concerns and then shared her contact information, assuring Dillon that she could reach out to her with any questions about the class. "That was so gracious," Dillon said.
Judy Rattner contributed to this story. Comments about it? RVCeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
