Meet Laura Williams '90
Associate Dean for Administration
Hometown: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
What do you enjoy most about your role at Dickinson Law? I love working with students. I like to help students recognize what they have to offer to employers and work with them to develop a path into areas of law that interest them.
A Dickinson Law favorite: We live our core values (teaching, scholarship, service and community) day in and day out. Our community is what really distinguishes us. It is palpable here.
Best piece of advice for students pursuing a career in law: Network! Talk to people who practice in the areas of law that interest you. Learn about their career paths. Be interested in their work.
Favorite resource for keeping up with employment law trends and news: The National Association for Law Placement is a wonderful resource to find out about trends in the law. I recently attended a NALP conference on emerging careers. There are so many ways people use their law degrees!
What do you feel is different about the legal employment market now compared to when you were seeking your first job as a new attorney? There is so much more information now about legal careers than there was when I was graduating from law school. One thing that has not changed is the importance of networking and getting to know people in the geography or field of law you are interested in practicing.
Is there an event hosted by the Law School that you look forward to every year? The speed networking event during Alumni Weekend + Convocation is one of my favorites. The alumni are so engaged. They really look forward to talking with the students. This past year, we added a reception to the event, which resulted in even more connections being made. Another favorite event is Judges’ Night.
What do you enjoy in your spare time? Hiking, biking, and gardening: I love the outdoors!
Share an interesting fact about you. I am a member of a Literary Society — so much more than a book club!
Life before Dickinson Law: I graduated from Dickinson College before attending Dickinson Law. After law school, I spent most of my career in the corporate world. I have been a partner in a large law firm, and I have worked as an executive in an international corporation. I also worked briefly as the president and CEO of a nonprofit.