JESSIE NICHOLSON has served as the chief executive officer of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) since 2007 after having been employed as a staff attorney in various practice areas and in an administrative capacity under SMRLS’s pioneer director, Bruce Beneke. She has devoted her entire legal career, since 1985, in service to the disadvantaged in addressing their critical civil legal needs.
Why did you decide to go to law school?
Law school was not something that was on my radar as a child growing up, nor was it something I gave serious consideration to until much later. I had been teaching Spanish at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls for a couple of years when my husband announced that he was being asked to relocate to Sioux City, Iowa, by the company he was working at. Because that was not something he wanted to consider, he instead elected to see if there were openings in the same industry in Minnesota. He landed on his feet in the Twin Cities. But that left me without a job. So, after careful consideration and deciding not to pursue a doctorate that would have enabled me to be marketable at the university teaching level, I decided to switch careers. And the law seemed like an interesting option.
What brought you to legal aid work?
One of the pastors at our church happened to also be the only African American judge on the district court bench in Black Hawk County, Iowa. He gave a sermon one Sunday to a group of us who were graduating from high school. And I will never forget his admonition to us: “For those of you out there who are fortunate enough to be heading to college, I want you to never forget where you came from. Whatever you do with your lives, always remember to give something back.” Though I didn’t do that in my first career as a Spanish teacher, Judge Parker’s words somehow reentered my mind and heart once I entered law school. I knew that I wanted to use my law degree to work on behalf of those who, in my mind, had historically limited access to our system of justice. I thought about pursuing a career as a public defender but ultimately decided on the civil side.
What’s the most rewarding facet of your work? The most frustrating?
Having a staff of lawyers, paralegals, and other professionals who truly embrace the mission of legal aid brings me great joy. It is a privilege to work on their behalf to help SMRLS maintain its role as a respected provider of legal aid services to the disadvantaged. And I cannot really identify any single frustration other than the obvious frustrations faced by any non-profit: having adequate resources to meet the needs of the eligible client community.
What advice do you have for law students or newer lawyers thinking of working for legal aid?
I think the best advice I can offer law students and new lawyers is to seek out opportunities to volunteer or intern with a legal aid provider. It is critically important that they develop a good understanding of the work as well as an understanding of the challenges faced by the client community.
What are the resources/opportunities that you’ve valued most as a member of the MSBA?
The networking opportunities. This allows me to be an effective ambassador for SMRLS. Another benefit I derive from being a member of the association is the exposure to a broad array of CLE opportunities at a discount. As a public sector attorney, this is very important. Additionally, I have served on various committees and this has allowed me to help shape the direction of the association for the betterment of all its member