Assar (J.D. ’18) Fulfills Childhood Dream With Law Degree

As a child, Yasmin Assar (J.D. ’18) would sit down with her parents every week to watch one of their favorite TV shows, the legal drama “The Practice.” From then on, when she was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, her answer never wavered—a lawyer.

“I thought that lawyers argued in court all day every day and that seemed really exciting,” Assar said.

As she grew up and learned that there was much more to practicing law, her desire to pursue a legal career only strengthened. “One of the most important things that lawyers have the ability to do, is to become a voice for the voiceless. I wanted to study the law so I could stand up for people who may not have the resources to represent themselves.”

As a student at Georgia State Law, Assar got her chance to both argue in court and advocate for others. She enjoyed and excelled in both, solidifying that being an attorney is her calling.

She was active in Moot Court, serving as vice president her third year of law school. Her effective debate skills earned her Best Overall Oralist at the National Health Law Moot Court Competition in her second year, where her team advanced to the octo-final round. She also helped her team bring home the winning trophy in the 2017 Intrastate Moot Court Competition, at which it also received the best brief recognition. She also helped coach the Wagner Employment Moot Court Competition team.

“Through participating in Moot Court, I have built long-lasting friendships with my fellow law students, and I have learned a great deal about appellate advocacy. In parsing through difficult legal issues and learning how to effectively communicate my points to judges, I have honed my communication and public speaking abilities,” she said. “It was really fulfilling to see our hard work pay off at the competitions.”

In both competitions she served as the swing, arguing for both the petitioner and the respondent sides. “This role made me think quickly on my feet and it really helped me learn how to see legal issues from both sides. In most cases, there is no clear-cut winner, and I learned to think of strong arguments on either side.”

As a participant in the HeLP Legal Services Clinic, Assar helped five chronically ill children obtain Social Security disability benefits.

“There are so many different aspects of the healthcare industry that affect our daily lives. I wanted to study health law because there are so many different avenues to pursue,” said Assar, who earned a Health Law Certificate. She plans to work in health care litigation in the future.

Assar, who is graduating magna cum laude, also participated in the Bleckley Inn of Court a and was a GRA for the Center of Excellence for Children’s Behavioral Health. Though at times it was a challenge balancing school, jobs, extracurriculars and her personal life, Assar said she is grateful for her law school experience. “I have built friendships with some of the most intelligent, kind and hard-working people I have ever come across. I also value the teachers who I have had the opportunity to learn so much from.”

After graduation, Assar will work in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel under the umbrella of its Honors Program, handling employment law cases.