Ian Russell spent a decade as a marketing writer and started a family before realizing he wanted to be a lawyer. Part of his motivation is to address inadequacies in the legal system, so picking UConn as his school made sense – he credits the University community with supporting students from all walks of life. Russell plans to become a litigator with a Hartford firm and stay local. Which is good, because the Cape Cod native says being near the UConn Law campus feels like home.

Why did you choose UConn?

I live in the Hartford area, so when I decided to pursue a career in law, UConn Law was a natural fit. I was initially drawn to how intentionally UConn caters to older and non-traditional students. As someone with a house and a family, I knew I needed to be in the right place to be comfortable and successful.

What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?

I’m a juris doctor candidate at the School of Law. In my decade-plus career between undergrad and law school, I spent several years doing marketing and advertising work for law firms, and eventually it occurred to me that instead of writing about what lawyers do, I should just learn to do it myself. I was inspired by the opportunity to advocate for clients and address what I saw as inadequacies and imbalances in the justice system.

Did you have a favorite professor or class?

It’s very, very hard to pick just one, but I’ll give a shoutout to Professor Rachel Timm and the Legal Practice class. That was my first introduction to what it’s like to really be a lawyer, and it gave me plenty of practical skills that allowed me to hit the ground running in my first-year summer experience.

What activities were you involved in as a student?

I was heavily involved in the Connecticut Moot Court Board and Mock Trial Society in law school, including serving as Moot Court executive director during my final year. Two of the highlights of my law school experience were winning the William R. Davis ‘55 Mock Trial Competition during my first semester and presiding over the renaming of our moot court competition in honor of Wesley W. Horton ’70 in my final semester.

What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

As a non-traditional student, I was blown away by just how welcome and included I felt at UConn Law from the very beginning. The law school really is a place where people from all walks of life have built a strong and supportive community, and it made all the difference.

What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?

I will be a law clerk to the Hon. Judge Ingrid Moll at the Connecticut Appellate Court for a year, and then I will join Shipman & Goodwin LLP as an associate in their Hartford office.

How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?

During my time at UConn, I had opportunities to both explore complex theory and get practical hands-on experience (often, but not exclusively, in classes taught by excellent adjuncts), which I believe will be a solid foundation for my legal career. But the networking events and connections I’ve made through the law school community are just as important.

Any advice for incoming students?

As Dean Nelson says, “Law school is three years of your life, not three years out of your life.” Take full advantage of the opportunities available to you, but don’t focus on school to the exclusion of everything else in your life. Your home, family, and friendships outside UConn matter, too. It’s all about integrating them into one coherent whole.

What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?

There are so many opportunities at UConn that I think I’d be doing a disservice just to name one of them. What I’ll say is that you should say “yes” to one thing that you didn’t think you would, whether that’s trying a club or activity, taking a class outside your comfort zone, or even accepting an invitation to a party.

What will always make you think of UConn?

I fully expect to be on or near the law school campus plenty in the coming years, and that will always feel like coming home. Also, as much as it feels like a betrayal as someone who did my undergrad at UMass, I’m all in on cheering for the Huskies now – which is a fun reminder whenever March Madness rolls around.