“Friends told me about the personal experience that they’ve had at Widener rather than the strictly academic experience that you might get at other law schools, and I was interested in that,” says 2012-13
Delaware Student Bar Association President Vijay Yellareddigari of his reasons for choosing to pursue a legal education at Widener Law.
Vijay is quick to praise Widener’s campus atmosphere and environment, saying, “The students are not as competitive as at other schools. The faculty are top notch, and the services at the school are phenomenal.”
Interested in public interest law or criminal law with either a Public Defender’s Office or a District Attorney’s Office, Vijay also has his eye on a more specialized area of the law. Citing his love of aviation, he says, “I’d like to get involved with aviation law,” continuing, “I have a pilot’s license and I’ve always had that passion for aviation, so I’d like to combine my passion and my work together.”
Vijay has found that trial advocacy skills learned during his time at law school have been very helpful in several areas, and that “Being in law school helped me become better suited to network.”
The
Intensive Trial Advocacy Program in particular proved a challenging and valuable experience for him, and he says of the course, “It reignited my interest in trial work.”
Over the summer of 2011, Vijay had an opportunity to work at the Supreme Court of India that proved very rewarding. “I wanted to do something outside of the box and get some international law experience,” he asserts. “The world is becoming a smaller place, and I wanted to get a different experience.”
Vijay relates that at the conclusion of his internship, one of the Justices said, “I’ve never heard of Widener, but I’d pick a Widener student any day.” Reflecting on the story, Vijay observes, “At the end of the day, it’s not the name of the school that makes a difference, it’s what you do with your education.”
“After having the professors I’ve had and the experiences that I’ve had, I would wholeheartedly choose the same option,” he says of his decision to attend Widener Law.
As for advice to future law students, Vijay says, “Do what you have to do. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.”