National Jurist - November 2007 - (Page 43)

Employment defender elly Walters had to sneak out of her house to take the LSAT while her kids were at school. She took the test without telling any of her eight children — who were then between the ages of seven and 20 — or her husband. After all, it is not every day that a mother with so many responsibilities — she was also helping her husband run his landscaping business — would take on law school. But Walters was determined and focused. And after she broke the news to her family that By Ursula Furi-Perry, J.D. she would attend the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, they rallied around and supported her. Her husband even started cooking, Walters says. While in law school she didn’t let her age deter her. She fondly remembers walking into the classroom on the first day of From mom of eight to labor and employment law attorney fees. So she filed for sanctions and attorneys’ fees. At the end of the hearing, the opposing counsel had learned his lesson. “He came up to me and said, ‘You had me worried, and I will think twice before I take another case like this,’” she said. Walters’ determination also paid off on another case. She worked on only the second case in Michigan where a school — her client — wanted to change employees’ health care benefits in order to cut back expenses. The school opted to go to an outside administrator because the benefits were identical and costs would be less. The employees union opposed the move and filed an injunction to prevent the move. Walters worked long hours to prove to the judge that a new precedent should be set in the case. “Ultimately, we won and the judge PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHUSTER her second year to find black balloons, cake and confetti on her chair, put there by her fellow students to celebrate her 40th birthday. “It’s amazing how much you can learn by working together and having study groups that are all-inclusive,” she said. And a volunteer job at the domestic violence section of her local prosecutor’s office later turned into a paid position. Walters, who graduated cum laude in 2004 and was executive editor of Mercy’s Law Review, eventually landed a job with Roumell, Lange & Cholack, P.L.C. in Troy, Michigan, where she specializes in public sector labor law. She brought her determination with her. Walters recently defended an employer in a frivolous pregnancy discrimination case. She was successful in getting the case dismissed, but her client incurred a lot in Kelly Walters was determined and focused on her decision to attend law school. While she believes courses in labor law were helpful, she says her diverse work experiences were even more important. November 2007 THE NATIONAL JURIST 43

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - November 2007

National Jurist - November 2007 Contents Disturbing the Peace For the Record Blogs: The Death-knell for Law Reviews? Chemerinsky Heads UC-Irvine Ave Maria Dispute Raises ABA Inquiry John Marshall Establishes Veterans Clinic The Firm Report The Paper Chase Chronicles Law School Rankings at Math's Mercy Academic Freedom Called into Question St. Thomas Students Choose ‘Quality of Life’ Experience The Hidden Debt Crisis The Global Frontier International Education has to be a Part of Any Legal Education Employment Defender Career Hotline Off the Bench

National Jurist - November 2007

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