A Star is Born
She’s a picture of her mama in heels and pearls,
trying to make in her daddy’s world,
an American girl.
- Trisha Yearwood, X’s and O’s
Just under a month ago, I had the blessing of interviewing Casey Delaney in relation to her experience with leadership and the OU law school. I could easily fill an entire post gushing about what an inspiration she is, but I’ll save that for the end. Instead, I’ll start at the beginning.
Casey and I began our interview with basic information about where she’s from, and how she came to be the Associate Dean of the College of Law. Casey grew up in El Reno, Oklahoma, and completed her undergraduate program at Oklahoma State University (but we’ll forgive her for that). Luckily, she saw the light and was drawn to OU’s law school by its relatively low cost of tuition, calling it “the best school [in the state] for the lowest price.” In fact, Casey loved OU Law so much that she gave up a full ride scholarship at another school to attend here. However, her love for the law started long before her decision to attend OU. Casey competed in mock trial in high school, and credits John Grisham novels with igniting her interest in the legal field.
The Path to Stardom
It’s all about the climb.
- Miley Cyrus, The Climb
Casey was full of great advice for aspiring lawyers. To truly be successful in the field, you have to start early, and it was clear that Casey had. From her personal experience, she listed three habits to apply during undergrad that will aid in law school:
- Read a lot, especially the news. Work to open your mind now, along with taking the time to read for fun, because there will be little time for that later on.
- Take law-related courses in your undergrad; this will put you a step ahead for law school.
- Develop a servant’s heart, a spirit for community service.
- Casey expounded on the importance of this by stating that the legal industry is ultimately a service industry. She captured the essence of this with the words “No matter what area of the law, you’re helping someone in their time of greatest need.”
One of the most insightful moments of the interview was when I asked Casey about her biggest challenges of studying and practicing law. She said that as a student, time management was always tough. Law school requires balance, and you can’t cram and expect success. Once she had begun practicing, she was surprised by the business side of the law. Lawyers aren’t just practicing the law; they’re running businesses. To combat this, she suggests taking business courses before entering law school.
Shine Bright
The opposite of love’s indifference.
- The Lumineers, Stubborn Love
The thing that truly struck me about Casey was her passion. There’s no doubt that she loves what she does, and that’s a quality I hope to emulate in the future. Through my questions, I was able to get to the heart of her passion: compassion. While practicing, Casey volunteered her time with Oklahoma Lawyers for Children (http://www.olfc.org/?page_id=196), a pro bono organization that offers legal representation for children within the custody of DHS. She spoke of the obligation lawyers have to “represent the underrepresented, and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.” This idea resonated deeply with me, because it’s my exact motivation for pursuing law. Casey’s work with children also correlates to her definition of leadership in relation to the law. A lawyer must recognize the need to lead gently, rather than intimidating. “Ultimately,” she says, “the best leadership for a client is sometimes friendship, wisdom, and the assurance they are receiving good counsel.” She further mentioned that most law firms encourage partners to pursue their side passions and interests, like Casey did.
Shooting Stars Choose Their Own Trajectory
But if I learned anything at all,
it was to always be true to yourself.
- Tristan Prettyman, Anything at All
There was one question I was burning to ask, “Are women at a disadvantage in this field?” Obviously, Casey’s doing extremely well for herself, but the image of a courtroom is still highly patriarchal. Luckily, Casey assured me that while it remains a man’s world, women are becoming more frequent practitioners of the law. In fact, it’s not that women are at a disadvantage, but that they make different life choices than men. While these choices are entirely respectable, they tend to send women down different paths. This led to a discussion of how Casey’s path has changed since she started.
“If you had told me when I graduated law school in 2005 that I would be an assistant dean of a law school, I would have told you ‘You’re crazy.’” Casey thought she’d practice law until the day she retired. However, she said she wouldn’t change any part of her journey to become who she is today. This experience taught her to keep an open mind about the future, which is advice she imparts in all of her students. “As a lawyer, I could impact a few people, but in this role, I could send out five hundred students to impact the world.”
Where it Landed
You take a deep breath as you walk through the doors,
it’s the morning of your very first day.
- Taylor Swift, Fifteen
Well, well, you,
you make my dreams come true.
- Hall and Oates, You Make My Dreams
Without a doubt, Casey Delaney impacted me. When I walked into the OU College of Law on September 25th, I had one objective: don’t look like a lost freshman. When I left, I felt like I had found a home here at OU, and it was everything I had dreamt it would be. Casey was warm and open; I related to everything she had to say. Our interview reassured me that law is what I want to do with my life. My bucket wasn’t just full, it was overflowing, a fact made even more beautiful because we had spent our time discussing Casey, not me. I’m so thankful that she took the time to meet with me. Casey truly loves the skies she under, and she inspires me to do the same.
