Meet Jaelan Nelson
UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
1. Why did you choose to pursue a J.D. and what do you hope to do with your degree after graduation?
The decision to pursue law school and become an attorney stems from my mother passing away from medical malpractice when I was only eight months old. This led me to have an interest in earning a degree that would allow me to litigate personal injury cases and advocate for people who have experienced this kind of loss.
2. What are some opportunities you have engaged in during your time at law school?
During law school, I have spent a lot of time clerking at personal injury law firms. I clerked at Marc Stewart Law, PLLC for a year where I learned solely about medical malpractice. After that, I clerked at Rainwater, Holt and Sexton where I spent two semesters learning about a very broad array of personal injury cases. I’m also a student representative for Helix Bar Prep. I’m excited to work in Bowen’s Consumer Protection Clinic next semester.
3. What has been your favorite part of law school so far?
My favorite part of law school has been the hands-on experience we gain. In addition to clerkships and Bowen’s legal clinics, I really enjoyed the two lawyering skills courses where we received our own case file and learned what an attorney does before and during a trial.
4. What are your hobbies outside of work and school?
I like to read and cook. I also enjoy spending time with my dog, Magnus. I’ve recently taken an interest in crafting like embroidery and bracelet making.
5. Tell us something interesting about yourself that we couldn’t learn from reading your resume.
For context, I’m rather short at 5’0” and have consistently been the shortest person in my class. In the fourth grade, we had to run a mile in P.E. I got first place. I wasn’t taller or faster than my classmates, but my teacher told us to conserve our energy and not start off at a full run or we would tire out before the end of the mile. I listened and have carried that lesson with me in other aspects of life as well.
Another fun fact that ties into my reason for being in law school, my mother’s middle name is “Renay,” and she used those same letters and rearranged them to make my middle name, “Rayne.” It’s a unique tie that reminds me of her every time my middle name is used.
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