A classroom of students is rarely a justifiable criterion for the presence of security, but two men walked the halls of Tucker Hall Monday, quietly inspecting their client’s prospective path.
Minutes later, sporting a smile and kind words, Mary Easley, wife of Governor Mike Easley, greeted 30 students, mostly members of the Pre Law Students’ Association, in her first public address on campus since accepting a teaching position with the University in August.
“The decision to go to law school was the most defining decision of my life,” Easley told the aspiring lawyers.
Despite her pseudo-celebrity status among those in attendance, Easley was not asked to speak based on her relation to the governor, according to PLSA President Marguerite Pressley.
“Mrs. Easley wasn’t chosen because of her status,” Pressley, a junior in business management, said.”We wanted to focus on her career as a lawyer and teacher.”
Easley, who completed her undergraduate and law degrees at Wake Forest University, was assistant district attorney in New Hanover and Pender counties for 10 years before opening up her own practice.
Easley gave students advice on applying to law schools and finding jobs and said she empathized with students lacking resources, financial and personal.
“When I started law school I didn’t know anyone who was a lawyer. I was one of those people with zero connections,” Easley said. “During the summers of each year of law school, I had to work to make money. I didn’t have the luxury of working for a law firm because I had to make money.”
Easley said despite the difficulties opportunities were present.
“You can now use law school to make the connections you don’t have now,” Easley said. “Finding a job is a matter of luck and persistence.”
Students were grateful for Easley’s testimony and encouragement.
“I love the fact that she gave advice from her endeavors as a lawyer,” Pressley said. “I definitely feel encouraged that it isn’t that hard and that it’s OK to make mistakes as a lawyer.”
After moving to Raleigh following her husband’s election to attorney general, Easley took a teaching position at North Carolina Central University School of Law, a move she said might have made her more effective at her original profession.
“I would probably be a better lawyer today because of all the students I taught,” Easley said.
Easley started a three year appointment as a senior lecturer in August. She will teach law-related courses in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and College of Management.
Mary Ann Tetro, who serves a dual role as a First Year College adviser and coordinator for Pre Law Services, said added attention would be beneficial to a growing population of students interested in law.
“I’ve answered more than 1,200 e-mails since July [regarding Pre-Law Services],” Tetro said.”I think the audience is there and if there were more time students would receive more services.”
Despite Tetro’s concerns, attendees to Monday’s meeting said they were satisfied with the information the PLSA offered.
“This is my second event, and both times it was small and it really helped hearing other people’s questions because it gave me an idea of where everyone was coming from,” Patrick Hunt, a freshman in First Year College, said.”I liked the small setting-the sense of intimacy.”
Those who had yet to attend any of PLSA’s meetings, which, Tetro said, are aimed at informing students as they decide on whether or not to attend law school, said they were impressed.
‘This was the first meeting for me and it was really helpful,” Teddy Lahoud, a senior in economics, said.”[Easley] had a special influence on us because of her status.”
Easley said that above all students should do what makes them happy.
“Do what you love,” Easley said. “My husband has always done what he loved and it led to something we never imagined.”
