“I think what was so unique and special about Catholic was there was always a very humanistic approach to educating students. We were people with thoughts and interests, we weren’t just a sea of faces to move through a program.” For Theresa A. Werner ’91, who has dedicated the majority of her professional career to education, this institutional focus on developing students and a commitment to fostering strong bonds of community was the defining characteristic of her time at Catholic Law. Now, as a recipient of the 2021 Distinguished Public Service Award, Werner reflected on her journey to law school and the career she has built as a result.

Werner came to law school as a second career of sorts. Up until coming to Catholic Law in the fall of 1988, she had been focused on education. Werner’s undergraduate degree was in Education and Special Education and her master’s degree was in Gifted Education and Special Education. After earning both degrees, Werner spent six years working in public schools. With her passion firmly rooted in education, it might beg the question: why law school? Werner explained, “It’s very interesting because I had a professor in my undergraduate program who had suggested law school to me. At that point in time, when I was in my undergraduate program, the original special ed laws were all being passed — IDEA (originally Public Law 94-142) was passed in the late 70s. The promulgating regulations had just been implemented and I had a professor at that point say, ‘you know, with all this going on, you ought to go to law school and focus on disability issues.’ And I thought that was very interesting. So, I finished my master’s, and [law school] was always in the back of my mind, and there was a point in time when I had been talking about it for a while and I thought, ‘you know I really want to do this.’” So, at 30 years old, Werner began working towards her J.D.

Having noticed how much law and public policy affected the education sphere, Werner was drawn to Catholic Law for its Law and Public Policy Program. “The absolute driving force for me to attend Catholic Law was the Law and Public Policy Program.” She continued, “Special ed is probably one of the most litigated fields out there and it is so compliance and regulatory-driven that my law degree has been a huge help in that regard. My law degree has opened so many doors for me, it is unbelievable.” During law school, Werner sought out internship and work opportunities that aligned with her interests. “I did the DC Law Students in Court and through that, I was actually able to craft a kind of particular role—I worked on the criminal side, and they let me do juvenile issues. From that, I was able to do a lot of work because so many juveniles in the criminal system have educational issues.” Werner also worked with March of Dimes and also became heavily involved in a local street law program that was operating at the time. “I made a connection through someone at Catholic, and I ended up working on this street law program that was a nine-week program for juveniles to go through this educational process to really prevent recidivism. I rewrote and revised their training materials and curriculum and books and things like that.” She concluded, “So, I was able to do several things related to advancing my particular interests while I was in law school.”

Werner’s time at Catholic Law was also defined by a deep sense of community. Not only did she meet her late husband, who was in the Class of 1990, but she also developed life-long friendships with peers as well as members of the faculty and staff. “I am still very good friends with people from my law school class — some from my husband’s class, some from my class. They are very dear, very close friends to me at this point in my life.” She continued, “I had strong relationships with professors like Leah Wortham and Harvey Zuckman.” She also noted, “I am still very close to Monica Rohner. I worked for Monica for two years when I was in law school. It’s those friendships, those life-long, soul-deep connections that I will always treasure. There is no question about that.”

Following graduation from Catholic Law, Werner used her degree as an advocate for children. “I ended up working for a small public interest law firm doing child abuse and neglect and special ed representation for children in D.C. then moved into working for the Virginia Department of Education and Maryland Department of Education and my career kind of ran from there.” Werner went on to work in Falls Church City Public Schools where she stayed for eight years before transitioning to higher education — first on faculty at George Mason University, then at the University of Washington. Now, she is back in Virginia serving as the Executive Director of Specialized Instruction for Alexandria City Public Schools. About her career, Werner noted, “It’s all been related to education, but my law degree opened all kinds of doors. I would never have thought I would be in higher ed. at all, and it was great. It’s been great. It really has. I took my law degree and applied it in other venues and other ways. My law degree is responsible for every single thing I have been able to do in the last 30 years and it has been fabulous. And I really have been able to use [my J.D.]. That is what has made it so gratifying, that it has direct application in my job every day — every day.”

The rewards in a career like Werner’s are easily apparent — affecting the outcomes of children and making a difference in their lives, and the lives of their families, on a daily basis. “I’ve been able to do that at every step of my career — working through the abuse and neglect system, working through the special ed advocacy role, working in the public schools, working in higher ed, training teachers to be able to effectively program and instruct for students — making a direct and lasting impact in the lives of children. That is what I went to law school for, that is what I’ve worked to do my whole career.” For Werner, the challenge comes when she isn’t always able to do that. “There is an incredible amount of legal bureaucracy attached to Special Education and as a result, it creates adversarial situations sometimes which I don’t think serve anybody well. I find those confrontational/adversarial situations challenging when children’s lives are at stake.”

Werner’s work has required an intense amount of time and commitment — no more so than over the last two years as COVID-19 has continued to impact the education system — and she is adamant about maintaining a work/life balance. “For anybody, finding a work/life balance is really critical, and my family has always been that. For me, it’s identifying those aspects of my life that are non-negotiable. And there have been times in my life where I’ve said, ‘This is non-negotiable. This is my family. This is what comes first.’ That was me. Everybody has got to find their own way, but I think looking to find those things in your life that are non-negotiable and recognizing what your priorities are is critical because this can be an all-consuming world.”

When reflecting on what advice she would give to law students today, Werner shared, “What I have always said is: You have no idea how the world is going to turn and what doors are going to open for you. We should all have hopes and dreams and desires about what we want to do, but having said that, doors open, and opportunities present themselves that you might have had no idea were out there, so be open to that, explore that. There are so many unique and creative ways that your law degree can allow you to fly. So, be open to what’s out there.” She concluded, “What made my law school experience so valuable were the opportunities that I was afforded to explore my personal interests. So, look to find ways that you can explore your personal interests within the confines of the curriculum and the program. There are lots of opportunities to expand and explore your interests, and I think that’s really critical. Especially, given the field today.”