"Got a Minute?" with Lauren Rosen, 2L

Welcome to the second season of UW Law’s “Got a Minute?” series. Like last year, we’ll find students throughout William H. Gates Hall and ask them 20 questions about their law school experience, a bit about themselves and occasionally drop in a pop quiz or two.

This week, we’re featuring Lauren Rosen, a second-year J.D. student.

UW Law: Are you originally from Seattle, and if not, where?

Lauren Rosen (LR): I'm originally from Issaquah, Washington, so just 30 minutes away.

UW Law: What's one interesting fact about where you're from?

LR: We have an annual festival called Salmon Days, which celebrates the returning of salmon to the hatchery. The entire downtown community shuts down, and there's food and vendors, and there used to be a 5k race that I ran growing up with my family.

UW Law: Where did you earn your undergraduate degree?

LR: Here at the University of Washington.

UW Law: Did you take time off between undergrad and law school?

LR: I did. I worked as a legal assistant at a nonprofit civil legal aid law firm called TeamChild. I was in their King County Office helping do the intakes for folks across the state.

UW Law: In one sentence, why did you decide to go to law school?

LR: I think one of the ways to counteract systemic barriers that people face in achieving equity in our society is through outdated laws and practices, and I think by achieving a law degree, I can use that education to get rid of some of those systemic issues that are in place.

UW Law: What has surprised you the most about law school?

LR: How small it is. I went to a really big high school and a huge undergrad institution, so I’m not used to seeing the same faces every day.

UW Law: What are you looking forward to in winter quarter?

LR: I'm on a recreational kickball team that plays at Cal Anderson every Wednesday. So, honestly, that's been pretty fun.

UW Law: What do you do when you need a break from studying?

LR: So many things. I play soccer. I go and stand outside and just stare. I watch a lot of reality TV and hang out with my friends.

UW Law: What's one thing that every visitor to Seattle should go see or do?

LR: I love running across the 520 bridge. I think it’s a really unique experience. And when it's not raining, I think it is one of the most beautiful places in the whole city.

UW Law: How many justices made up the first Supreme Court?

LR: I'll say seven.

UW Law: Close — six. What was the name of UW Law's first dean? And I'll give a hint: his name is listed somewhere on the main floor of the Galleria.

LR: I'll say John Something.

UW Law: You're the closest person so far — John T. Condon. Do you have any secret talents?

LR: I can do the worm. I did it recently and I injured my back for about three weeks. I woke up the next day and I was like, “Something is deeply wrong.”

UW Law: What area of law would you like to pursue after you receive your J.D.?

LR: Something in public interest. Right now, I'm really focused on a lot of education advocacy, so issues regarding special education access or excessive suspension or expulsion — anything that keeps people out of school.

UW Law: What achievement or accomplishment are you most proud of?

LR: In undergrad, I was a part of a pilot program called the Juvenile Parole Project. And I was part of a team that helped draft a long petition to advocate for a man to get his life sentence reversed because he had received it as a juvenile. We presented it in front of the board, and he was granted release as a part of our team's collaboration and representation. So, for someone who thought they were going to spend the rest of their life behind bars, he spent 28 years and then got to rejoin his community in Grays Harbor.

UW Law: What's one myth about law school that you discovered to be untrue while being a law student?

LR: That they cold call you in every single class. There are some classes where I've never been called on, or some classes where it's like a panel.

UW Law: Which professors are listed first and last alphabetically in the UW Law online directory?

LR: I think I read this one — I'm a fan of these articles. Ambrose, and then is it Ziff?

UW Law: Correct! If you weren't pursuing a law degree, what would you be doing instead?

LR: I think I would be a journalist. There's a lot of overlap between the law and journalism and the way you interact with people and help them create their stories, and so I think that would be a really fascinating career.

UW Law: Name one lawyer that inspires you, and why.

LR: I would say Bryan Stevenson, who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. He's done incredible work for civil rights, for juvenile rights. He was the main attorney who argued the pivotal case Miller v. Alabama, which made life for juveniles unconstitutional.

UW Law: Is there anyone you would like to give a shoutout to?

LR: I will give a shoutout to Ben Rothman because he asked me to earlier today. He's sitting right there with the Yankees hat. I said, “I'm getting interviewed today.” And he said, “Will you give me a shoutout?” And I said, “What do you want me to say?” And he said, “Just say my name.” And I said, “Do you want me to say something about you? Maybe I'll say you've CALI-ed all your classes.” And he said, “Wait, no, someone can verify that.” So, I said, “Maybe I'll say I heard he's gotten the second highest grade in the class, so you can't check the CALI scores.”

UW Law: That’s hilarious. Are you OK if I mention that?

LR: You can mention literally all of it. It could be a full paragraph. You can say I said Ben Rothman and that he's sitting right there, and that he coerced me into this.

UW Law: Will do! What's one interesting thing about you that people may not know?

LR: I have this really rare thing called Marcus Gunn Jaw Winking. So, I have an extra nerve connected between my eye and my jaw. It was really noticeable as a child. When I ate, my eye would twitch. But as I've gotten older, I know how to mitigate it when I speak to people and when I eat in front of others, so it's become less noticeable. But it was a very prominent part of my childhood. And I've never met anyone else with it.