Tell us a little bit about who you are and where you are from. 

 

My name is Rachel Luke. I grew up in Enumclaw, Washington, and I’ve lived in Seattle for about 18 years now. I live in West Seattle with my husband and our two daughters. I practice plaintiffs’ personal injury and aviation law at Friedman Rubin PLLP in Seattle.

 

Why did you become an attorney?

 

I was an art history major and I knew I couldn’t get into a Ph.D. program without having mastered French, Italian, or any other foreign language. I took two undergraduate pre-law classes: Art Law and Women and the Law. After really enjoying both classes, I decided to go to law school. Clearly, my trajectory changed over the years. Once I was in law school, I realized the privilege and opportunity that lawyers have to help people and my interests evolved. After graduation, I practiced family law. I graduated during the recession and I didn’t feel like I had many options. In hindsight, family law was an excellent way to start my career in litigation. Now I get to litigate cases all over the country helping my clients obtain justice.

 

What is the most impactful thing you've been able to do with your law degree?

 

This sounds cliché, but the best thing about being a plaintiffs’ attorney is that we get to make a positive impact on our clients’ lives. So many of our clients just want an opportunity to be heard and some validation of what happened to them.

 

Has your identity helped make you a better lawyer?  If so, in what way?

 

Absolutely. I am a transracial adoptee, meaning that my parents are white and I am not. My identity is intersectional—I am an adoptee, an immigrant, a Black woman, a Korean American, and a working mom. I see everything from varying perspectives and this gives me an advantage as a lawyer. Also, having experienced discrimination in my personal life helps me to understand what my clients face when they feel like they have been treated unfair. Perspective, empathy, and multifaceted experiences all help you become a better lawyer. 

 

Thinking about the future generation of diverse attorneys, what piece of advice do you have?

 

Find good mentors. They will help you navigate this profession. I would not have been able to get through law school or achieve my goals without the people who helped me along the way. A good mentor will help to pave your path. Sign up for every formal mentorship program and seek informal mentors. Once you’ve established a mentor/mentee relationship with the attorney, keep in touch, follow up with a quick call or email, meet for coffee, update them on what is happening with your law school application or job search, set some goals and have your mentor to follow up on your progress. Ask your mentors to introduce you to other lawyers and in the future when you are asked to mentor a law student or young lawyer, do it.

 

My second piece of advice is to get involved. Volunteer, find board positions for organizations you support, take on pro bono cases, and go to bar association events once in a while. Your community involvement does not have to involve the law but volunteering will help you to be a better community member and lawyer.

 

Why should we be concerned about the diversity of our profession?

 

Lawyers and judges get to shape the law. It is that simple. The primary reason we see injustice in our laws is because historically the bar was comprised of one group that holds the privilege and power. A bar that consists of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations shifts the view and helps to redistribute the power. As lawyers, we have many opportunities to make changes and make things right, even if it is only on an individual case. Even a single case can make an impact.

 

Thinking about going to law school, what is the one thing that you wish you would have known that you know now?

 

Paying the loans back is really hard. I think I understood that, but when starting your career, potentially wanting to start a family and purchase a home, and maybe your significant other also has school loans, the costs add up. Is it worth it? It was for me. However, if you want to invest in yourself, I would make sure that law school and ultimately becoming a lawyer is what you really want. Working in a firm for a year at least a year before going to law school should give you some perspective on the legal industry.

 

What was your top highlight of law school?

 

I was not a fan of law school. It was really difficult too because I loved my undergraduate classes. The best thing that came out of the three years of law school are the friendships I made. I am not sure I can pinpoint a highlight, but I was involved in my school’s Black Law Student Association (BLSA) and the Seattle Journal for Social Justice (SJSJ). BLSA’s Halloween Party was one of the best nights every year. I loved SJSJ mostly because of the talented group of students and writers I was privileged to work with. On the last day of my 1L Civil Procedure class, I will never forget when Professor Avila told us we started as coal and we were leaving as diamonds. Civil Procedure and Legal Writing were the most practical classes from law school. I got to meet some amazing people. I have no regrets.

 

What piece of advice do you have for diverse youth who are considering law school?

 

Talk to lawyers. This is difficult if you don’t know any. Ask your professors if they can introduce you to someone in the legal community. Invite a lawyer or a judge to coffee to discuss law school. Unfortunately, this field is so much about who you know and often we do not have the same connections that our white counterparts have. Find mentors and try to intern or work as a clerk in a law firm for some time before heading to law school. It’s great experience to have on a resume and it will help solidify whether a legal career is right for you.

 

Tell us about a mentor, professor, fellow student, friend, or family member that helped you succeed in law school.  Who was it and how did they help?

 

My family, friends, and mentors all helped me succeed. My husband was my biggest support during law school. My classmates helped keep me accountable when I wanted to procrastinate. They also provided support and empathy because we went through so much together in the three years of law school. My mentors answered my questions about law school and the profession. Judge Anita Crawford-Willis introduced me to many of her connections, gave great advice, listened, and consistently checked in on me to see if I was ok. I don’t think it’s possible to get through law school without a support system, so be kind to your squad.