Mary Graw Leary may be by her own admission the product of a Jesuit education; but in discussing how she has tried to pursue a life of impact—both in making a difference through prosecuting, and in affecting policy—she finds herself enveloped within the greater Catholic environment of advocating justice rooted in the common good. Speaking on March 1, 2023, to a room full of students spanning all years of law school, Graw Leary, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, reflected on her career as not only a professor at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law), but also as an attorney specializing in family violence and sexual assault law. “Most people want a life of consequence,” she remarked pensively. “If you’re a lawyer, you can do that every day.”
The hour-long event, sponsored jointly by the Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA) and the Women’s Law Caucus (WLC), began with a short introduction of Graw Leary by Taylor Skala (2L), who noted that the former’s presentation is part of the Meet the Professor Spotlight Series. Skala then proceeded to ask her a range of questions while following an interview format.
Graw Leary, whose vocation prior to teaching at Catholic Law was working as a federal prosecutor, mentioned the myriad of hats that she had worn while on the path toward her current role. Although she always knew that her goal was to help underprivileged people, her career path led her to seemingly unrelated positions, such as working at a large firm in Boston during the summer after her second year of law school. The experience gained there was in no ways irrelevant, she quipped: it helped her buy the car she used for traveling to the clinic where she worked during the school year. Yet, what undoubtedly pushed her toward the legal focus at which she excels today was her time working with homeless children in Louisiana. Initially venturing south to gain exposure to poverty-stricken communities, she quickly apprehended that the homeless children whom she served were themselves victims of crime. This experience provided a moment of insight: “No one speaks for the victims,” she somberly explained. It was this conviction that led her to continued involvement in policymaking. The impact of successfully prosecuting one case extends only so far, but that of affecting policy establishes new precedents integral for dispensing justice more broadly.
As the interview neared it conclusion, Skala asked one final, opportune question. “Since this is an interview—where do you see yourself in five years?” she inquired. Chuckling, Graw Leary responded with candor: “Hopefully, doing more of the things I enjoy doing.”
The Meet the Professor Spotlight Series, a collaborative initiative of LALSA and WLC at Catholic Law, promotes dialogue between students and University faculty, through exploring the balance between scholarship and careers in legal service. The next talk, A Career Spotlight on the Intersection of Scholarship and Service, with Professor Cara H. Drinan, will take place on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Julie Orlando, Mary Graw Leary, and Taylor Skala pictured together after the event.)