Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome
• 1:40 Finding interest in law
• 4:07 Applying to Quinnipiac
• 5:42 Finding community 
• 7:57 Different paths in law
• 9:45 The Human Trafficking Prevention Project
• 13:45 Experiences in Law School
• 17:52 Growing at Quinnipiac

Transcript

Joel Vanner: Welcome to Episode ten of “Who Are You?” The Bobcats You know, the Stories You Don't. In the Double Digits now, Episode ten, I'm your host Joel Vanner and I am joined today by my guest Heather Mansfield. Heather, welcome to the show. 

Heather Mansfield: Hi, so good to be here. 

Joel Vanner: I'm sure you could guess by the name of the show, or if you've seen other episodes, what my first question to you is going to be. And that is, who are you? 

Heather Mansfield: So, my name is Heather Mansfield. As you said, I'm a third-year law student right now at Quinnipiac School of Law.  

Joel Vanner: Upcoming graduation.  

Heather Mansfield: Yeah. Graduating in less than a month. Then I have to take the dreaded bar exam after. So it's not quite over yet, but I'm excited. I feel ready. And so in terms of who I am, you know, I grew up in North Shore, Massachusetts, so I'm pretty close to the New Hampshire border, not too far from the coast, in a rural area, and my family owns a vegetable farm. It's a pretty small farm, but something unique about my childhood is that like, all my extended family live on the same street. And everybody, you know, helped out with the farm. It was just, like, what I learned growing up. And I think not a lot of my family members have maybe, like, ventured out of the area. 

Joel Vanner: So you have a community there, and that's something I think we'll get to later to the law community that you've found. But that's really awesome to know your background story that way.  

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, absolutely. 

Joel Vanner: In the law field. So, approaching the end of your time here at Quinnipiac Law, let's go back. How did you find interest in law? Was there a moment where you were like, This is what I want to study and where I want to be with my career and life? 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, so, as I said, growing up on the farm kind of in the rural area, I didn't have any experience with the law at all. Growing up. I didn't know any lawyers. I don't think I ever seen the inside of a courtroom until I came to law school, but it's something that for a really long time, I just knew that this was, like, the path I wanted to follow. My parents always, when I was younger, would say, like, you know, sounds cheesy, but "be the change you want to see". And to me, from a young age, I knew that law was going to be the vehicle for me to do that. But really, the moment where I started this, like, passion or this goal in my mind that this was the career I wanted to pursue was in the sixth grade. We had read a book in class called Tuck Everlasting, and at the end of the book, the teacher wanted to do a mock trial, and I was it was like a murder trial for something, you know, that happened in the book. And we already had all read the book. You know, we knew how it ended. So I remember having other kids, like, joking with me saying, You have no shot because we all know how this ends. There's no way you can, you know, defend your client and get them off. And at the end of the trial, it was all not guilty verdict. And I felt like that was really what was consistent with justice in my mind. So that was, like, the moment where I was like, Wow. I think people do this for a living. 

Joel Vanner: And that's kind of one of those experiences that you may not have expected to get, you know, what you would want to do to your future out of that experience.\ 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, exactly. I'm sure my sixth-grade teacher has no idea she changed my career trajectory. 

Joel Vanner: So, you know, high school, did you take any other law classes that kind of piqued your interest there? And how did that culminate in you coming to Quinnipiac Law? 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, so in high school, you know, they didn't offer too many law classes, but I searched for everything I could possibly find. I took constitutional law, I think, my junior year of high school, and then senior year I took AP government, which was as close as I could get. And even those, you know, professors, I feel like just the love of the law that they shared made me more and more passionate. I feel like every step of this journey, I've become more and more sure that I picked the right way to go. 

Joel Vanner: And then Quinnipiac Law. What drew you to apply here and join our law school here? 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah. So as I said, I was pretty set on law. You know, in undergrad, I majored in law, as opposed to, like, political science or something. I I knew exactly what I wanted to do. And Quinnipiac I had applied here. For undergrad. And I think although I didn't end up coming here, it always stuck in the back of my mind as someplace I wanted to revisit. And so I knew that they had a law school cause even when I was down here visiting for undergrad, we took a tour of the law school. 

Joel Vanner: Which is beautiful, by the way. 

Heather Mansfield: Gorgeous. 

Joel Vanner: On the North Haven campus. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, I can't lie. That has to be a big part of why. Because I came down here to tour when I was applying to all sorts of law schools, and just, like, walking into that library, I don't know if anybody hasn't seen it, I suggest you go over and take a look because it's, like, a whole new world. And it's the place you walk into, and you're like, I can see myself being a lawyer here. I mean, I can see myself studying here and, you know, taking classes here, but I can really see myself becoming, you know, a lawyer from a student in that place. So yeah, so I applied. You know, I got in, and it was immediately the right choice for me. You know, I didn't really give much thought after that. I knew that this was the place I wanted to go. 

Joel Vanner: And you have found, uh, you talked a little bit about before, your family living on the same street, the family farm that you worked on community there. You found community here at Quinnipiac Law as well. Tell me a little bit about the community you found here and some of the involvements you've had so far. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, absolutely. And maybe it's because I come from such a tight knit community that taught me, you know, the value of community, helping each other, hard work and mentorship. But part of the reason that I chose Quinnipiac Law is that I knew, you know, I wasn't going to be just a face in the crowd. I like that, you know, they prioritize smaller class sizes where you can build really valuable relationships with your professors. And I will say, like, that's one thing that has really marked my time here is definitely the close relationships with professors who have become mentors, who have become, you know, colleagues and friends. 

Joel Vanner: Do you have a favorite professor in mind that you want to shout out? 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, I worked extremely closely throughout my law school career with Professor Sheila Hayre. So she runs the Civil Justice clinic. I took her class on human rights in Guatemala, and she is a faculty advisor for the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, which I'm the executive chair of and has definitely been one of, you know, the biggest honors and the most moving experiences I've had in law school. So yeah, I mean, it really comes down to, like, obviously, the students are great, the community is great, but really the guidance from the faculty and the fact that, you know, there are so many professors and deans that without a doubt, I know, would, you know, go to bat for me in any scenario, would advocate for me and have done so. 

Joel Vanner: You mentioned Guatemala. Tell me a little bit about that experience and what you did there. 

Heather Mansfield: So I didn't unfortunately, didn't end up actually going to Guatemala. They're planning a trip, but I think it's going to be beyond when I'm graduated, unfortunately. But in the past, Professor Sheila Hayre has taken a small group of students to Guatemala to learn about, you know, how the law works there and the history and human rights and all that. So that was, like, an incredible class full of different speakers, speakers that flew in from, you know, Central America and spoke to us directly. I was just a really interesting outside the box class to take law school that I think some other people, you know, might not have looked twice at, but it was an extremely meaningful class for me. 

Joel Vanner: Throughout your time here at Quinnipiac Law, what other areas of law have you discovered and become interested in? 

Heather Mansfield: So, ever since the Tuck Everlasting trial in the sixth grade, I was like, I'm going to be a criminal defense lawyer because that's what I did there. And, you know, I didn't really know all that much about what else was out there. So I came in with that mindset of, like, I want to do criminal defense. And then I ended up my first summer at a family firm representing victims of domestic violence pro bono in their family cases. And I found that I fell in love with family law just as quickly. And then after that, I did immigration law. And I had the privilege to argue an asylum case with myself on the record as, like, a fresh new second-year student in immigration court. 

Joel Vanner: So is that something a lot of students have the opportunity to do?  

Heather Mansfield: No. 

Joel Vanner: Wow. 

Heather Mansfield: Those cases are few and far between. And, I mean, like, there's no other way to describe it than, like, a life or death case. And I was so torn between feeling like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Like, I'm not sure if I should have all this responsibility versus, you know, this is what I came to do. This is the work I want to do. I want to help people make a difference, and this is the most direct a way that I have. Yeah. And still to that day, like, standing in front of the immigration judge and, like, making my case and being the one who's talking, not my professor, me, I mean, not only did it remind me that this is what I was meant to do, but it was the most nerve racking, yet rewarding day in my life because when they, you know, announced that we had won, it was like, okay, this is what I meant to do to know that I was actually able to help somebody and make a real impact in their life. It's like, one of those moments where you're like, Okay, I'm doing the right thing. Like, I'm on the right track. 

Joel Vanner: You're in the right place, you're meant to be there. 

Heather Mansfield: Mm hmm. Exactly. 

Joel Vanner: So you are also part of the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, which is also under Professor Hayre. Tell me a little bit about your role in that project and some of the things you've been able to do with that involvement. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, so I remember getting a tour of Quinnipiac law before I accepted, you know, my being here, and I saw the sign on the office for the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, and I had heard all about the fact that they had actually, like, passed legislation. In the realm of human trafficking, I thought, you know, that's something I really want to get involved in. So when my second year came around and I had more opportunities to be involved, I became the Secretary of the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, and then in my last year, I've been the executive chair. And so, as part of that, our primary focus we have, like, trainings and awareness. So as part of trainings, we go around to different places in the community, and we offer human trafficking trainings, teaching people what it is, what are the signs, what to do. And I know for me in particular, we did a training this year. I mean, we've trained at schools, hospitals, hotel industries, lawyers, police officers. But this year, we did a training at a Girls Juvenile Detention Center. And after the presentation, you know, we had somebody come up to us and say, Oh, my gosh, I think I've been human trafficked. And I didn't like, I think I've been trafficked, and I didn't even know until you explained to me what it is. And so that's another one of those, like, moments where it's like, Okay, the work that I've been putting into this, the work that we've been doing is actually paying off. So I mean, to have an experience like that is unmatched. 

Joel Vanner: Right, absolutely. And with the support of the faculty and the School of Law and especially Professor Hayre, too, and the mentorship that she's been able to provide you, as well, you're also involved in the civil justice clinic. Tell me a little bit about what the clinic does. 

Heather Mansfield: So the clinic represents clients, essentially, pro bono, so people who can't afford legal representation. The civil justice clinic right now focuses excuse me, on primarily, I think, immigration matters. I know they do some special education, some family law. And in the past, we've done a lot of prison advocacy and prison reform work. There's also a tax clinic that goes hand in hand, where they work with the IRS and people who can't afford to hire a lawyer to do this type of work. So through the clinic was how I got on that asylum case that we worked so hard, I think we submitted almost 800 pages to the court in support of our client, which is outrageous, but at the time, felt, you know, so necessary. But yeah, so it gives the opportunity for students under the guidance of Professor Hayre, to, like, not only, like, shadow, like we do in all our other internships and externships, but to actually be lawyers, to take the lead and I think between my first year, the end of my first year and the end of my second year, I think I became an unrecognizable person because, you know, you come to law school, you get into law school, to some extent, you've proven that you can do well academically. The hard part for me was like, but can I actually be a lawyer? You know, you've never- Can you actually be a professional and can you do it well? And so the hands on experience that I got in the civil justice clinic and in many of my other experiential opportunities was, like, that solidifying factor of, like, yes, like, I can actually be a lawyer because somebody gave me the responsibility. I think one thing I hear from, you know, other law students is law school teaches you law. It doesn't teach you how to be a lawyer. And I'm like, wow, my experience couldn't be more different from that. 

Joel Vanner: It's been such a unique experience. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, definitely. 

Joel Vanner: Did you think when you started your law school career that you would have been able to have these experiences? 

Heather Mansfield: Absolutely not. I think I thought that, you know, maybe you do one internship throughout the course, and then you stick with the same place and you try to get a job. But, you know, especially me where I'm very curious, like, I thought I wanted to do criminal defense. I think I still could do criminal defense. Right now, I'm actually I'm in the prosecution appellate clinic, and my professor so graciously has given me the opportunity. Next week, I'm arguing at the Appellate Court, and then the week after graduation, I'm arguing at the Connecticut Supreme Court. So you know, I never end up doing prosecution criminal work, which I always thought, you know, it was defense defense defense. So I think I've use the opportunities that Quinnipiac has provided to explore and not just stick get one job and stick with it all the way through. And Quinnipiac really encourages that offers those opportunities which have been instrumental because, you know, I would have been stuck in something I didn't love, and now I know that I love all these different things, and I can do all these different types of law. 

Joel Vanner: You mentioned internships and externships previously. Tell me a little bit more about what an externship is and some experiences you've had there. 

Heather Mansfield: An externship is basically an internship for which you get academic credit. So, I mean, the fact that they offer that is incredible because as law students, our schedule is, like, so packed with classes and spending hours and hours reading just to get ready for the next day. So, you know, without offering it for credit, I don't know that people would be able to do a lot of these. Um, and so the school works really closely with wherever you're placed. If you have something in mind, you know, they'll work really closely with that employer to get all the whole thing set up. But if you don't know where you want to go, you know, that is okay, too. I my sophomore my second year of law school, I was like, I think I want to do something. I want to learn about what judges do. And my Dean Carrie Kaas, who is just retiring, she was like, Wait. Like, I have Let me, like, pull some strings. I think I have the perfect opportunity for you. And she got me, you know, an externship with a judge in federal court in New Haven, who's just, like, one of the most respected judges out there. And then that's pretty much how I got my job at the Supreme Court now is that I clerked for him all semester, and I was like, I love this. Like, I want to do this. And I would have never thought to apply. For clerkship after graduation, if she didn't like, hand pick that externship opportunity. 

Joel Vanner: Your community is growing, it seems as you're progressing your time through Quinnipiac Law. Tell me a little bit more about what you do in your clerkship with the Connecticut Supreme Court. 

Heather Mansfield: So, as a clerk for the court, obviously, I haven't started yet. You know, I got the job about a year ago, and I'll start it in the fall after the bar. So really excited for that. Obviously, it's intimidating to work for such, you know, incredible justices. 

Joel Vanner: But you have handled high pressure situations before, very well. 

Heather Mansfield: I'm trying my- trying my best. But yeah, I mean, I'm honored for them to think that I, you know, could do something like that. But pretty much the court hears cases and writes opinions, and it's my job to do a lot of, you know, the research and help in the drafting process of those opinions. So, you know, it's extremely good, like, legal research writing and analysis, research skills, which is, like, invaluable no matter what type of law you practice. But you get to be a part of something like that of the highest court in our state. You know, writing these opinions that will affect the lives of the citizens of Connecticut. So, you know, I'm so happy to be included. I could probably report back after more details about what I'll do, but I'm looking forward to it. 

Joel Vanner: How have all these experiences you've had at Quinnipiac Law and the different avenues that you've been able to pursue helped you grow as a person and a law professional? 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah. So like I said, I feel like coming into law school, my biggest doubt and my biggest worry was, like, you know, I've done well enough academically to get to this point, but can I actually be a lawyer? Can I stand up in court? You know, do I have the public speaking skills, the writing skills, the people skills to work with clients and to actually do this job? And especially the experiential opportunities that I've talked about, I think sometimes there's no other way to learn to do something. Yeah, than just diving in, you know? Like, I remember getting the asylum case and being like, There's no way I can do this. My professors said, Yes, you can, and you're going to. Whether you know how to do it right now, I know that you can rise to the occasion. And that has been what a lot of it is about is, like, jumping right in. Taking on the responsibility, even if I'm not sure if I can do it and rising to that occasion. And I think that's probably been the most personal growth I've seen. You know, I'm somebody who's always been a little nervous of public speaking, and I was so worried, like, How can I be a lawyer if I don't like public speaking? And, you know, now next week, and a couple of weeks from now, I'm arguing in front of the Supreme Court. So you know, the growth I've seen in myself, I think, has been unmatched, and it's been through professors and through internship opportunities where I've really been given the trust to, like, actually do this work rather than just being a student in the classroom all the time. 

Joel Vanner: So for students interested in studying law and coming to Quinnipiac School of Law, what advice would you give to them to get started and maybe overcome some of those doubts that they may have about themselves and their abilities so that they don't miss out on awesome opportunities like the ones you've been able to have so far. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, I think in law school, especially as first year students, we talk a lot about impostor syndrome in the sense that everybody feels like they don't belong, and everybody feels like everybody else does belong and knows what they're doing, you know, but you have no idea what's going on. When in reality, most of us have no idea what's going on, and we're just trying our best to get through the day. So I would say, I think one piece of advice that was given to me very early on when I went into my professor my legal skills, professor Sara Cates, her office. And I was sitting there, and I was freaking out about my first writing assignment, and I was like, I don't know if I can do this. And she said, you know, you belong here and trust your gut because it's leading you in the right direction. And I think that's what I would say to students coming in is like, trust yourself, trust your gut, you know, let it lead you in the right direction. And also, like, don't be afraid to work hard. I found that a lot of things that I didn't have experience in or maybe didn't know if I could handle that. I now know that as long as you work your tail off, basically, and put in all the hard work, all the hours and really strive to be the best person and professional that you can be, you can do just about anything, and you have the support to lean on your support systems, your fellow students, your faculty, you know, your colleagues at work. I think the legal profession and Quinnipiac share in common that it's a very, you know, close group and community and people who love to support each other. So lean on that. 

Joel Vanner: Well, I'm sure I'm not I hope I'm not the first person to thank you for the contributions you've made to our society so far. We need more people in the world like you, but that brings us to the end of our time today, Heather, thank you so much for sharing your experiences here at Quinnipiac Law and looking forward to seeing your future. 

Heather Mansfield: Yeah, thank you so much. It was so great to be here and chat with you for a bit. 

Joel Vanner: Thanks. 

Heather Mansfield: Thank you.  

Joel Vanner: If you liked today's episode, be sure to subscribe and share and find other episodes of “Who Are You?” on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever else you get your favorite podcasts. Until next time, when I ask my next guest, who are you? That's all for today. Bye for now.