Tateana Cutter 1st Year Law Student Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, GA : Connect on LinkedIn

Alma Mater: Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Policy ‘23 from Indiana University

Can you tell our students a little bit about yourself and the work that you do?

I’m a recent graduate from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, I have a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management and Policy and I also have a minor in Law and Public Policy. I participated in a multitude of student organizations on campus. I was a part of the O’Neill Honors Program, the 2019-2020 cohort of the Civic Leaders Center and was on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, I was Director of Academics, Assistant Secretary, and Director of Internal Communications for Tau chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, the first historically black collegiate sorority, elected twice for political action chair of the Black Student Union, I also served on the Black Student Union’s freshman action team. I’m now a first year J.D. candidate at Emory School of Law in Atlanta and I’m currently interested in corporate and business law as well as intellectual property law.

What did your professional journey look like from college to your position today?

The reason that I ultimately wanted to go to law school were personal to me. Overall, I was introduced to domestic violence and child crimes at an early age, and that is what kind of sparked my interest. I studied Healthcare Management and Policy because being a first-generation college student, I thought that I wanted to make money straight out of undergraduate, so with this degree I could go into Healthcare Consulting which is what I was mostly looking at. I knew I wanted to go to law school eventually but throughout that journey I realized that going straight though to law school after undergraduate was the best option for me.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to follow your career path?

My main piece of advice is that the LSAT is just one component, it is not the only component looked at for entry. I was told early on to not tell yourself “No” before someone else does, “give yourself the chance.” Do not let imposter syndrome creep in, pace yourself! Law school is very tough already. In some instances, I do miss undergraduate school, but it is all about time management, pacing yourself, and taking care of yourself.

What skills are most important in your role?

Time management, analytical skills, and the ability to decipher vital information.

How was a failure or disappointment instrumental in your development?

Failure overall allows for you to restructure. I think failing early on allowed for me to restructure and see my problem areas so that I could perform at a higher level later. I have been able to succeed since, because of those experiences and deeper thought processes.