Starting My Legal Career. By Nick Booth

I grew up in East Cobb, graduating from Pope High School, and then made my way to Athens, Georgia, where I attended the University of Georgia. After realizing that four years spent in Athens simply would not cut it, I enrolled in the University of Georgia School of Law. Athens and UGA will always hold a special place in my heart, but I am so excited and grateful to be able to return to Marietta to pursue my legal career.

Being the first into my family to pursue a legal career, I had no idea of what to expect, from taking the LSAT, to going through law school, and now actually engaging in the practice of law. Fortunately, I had some fantastic professionals who work in the legal field to mentor me along the way. I believe that, no matter what profession one pursues, it is crucial that they do their best to surround themselves with people who can help them, and build and foster relationships with those people. The wisdom and advice that my mentors provided to me was invaluable, and I still lean on them for support and mentorship to this day.

After passing the bar exam and being sworn in, in order to become fully licensed to practice law in the state of Georgia, new lawyers must complete what is called the Transition Into Law Practice Program (TILPP). This program requires new lawyers to partner with a mentor who can guide you through the practice of law by giving you the opportunity to gain experience with both legal and community work that would be expected of a lawyer. Such activities include introduction to the legal community and the community at large, introduction to law office management, working with clients, advocacy experience, closing and transactional work, the obligation of attorneys to others, and negotiations. TILPP is a great program for new lawyers because it provides them with the opportunity to gain practical experience that many students may not have received in law school, and ultimately results in producing better attorneys for the citizens of Georgia and beyond.

I have always wanted to use my tools and talents to help others, and I have come to realize that attorneys are uniquely situated to assist people in some of their most dire times of need. As one of my professors and mentors in law school once told me: “Law school is about the law, law practice is about people.” I am appreciative of the opportunity to work at O’Dell & O’Neal, because of their commitment to this principle, and I hope to continue to grow and learn from the excellent attorneys who work here.