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Brandon’s Story
Brandon grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his mother, father, and older brother. Both of Brandon’s parents graduated from college. In fact, his father attained both his masters degree and doctorate degree. Even as a child, Brandon wanted to be a lawyer. While Brandon was attending high school, he attained his first job working in his older brother’s restaurant in Downtown Charlotte.He learned a number of valuable lessons from his first job, including the power of patience, positivity, and prioritizing. For example, Brandon knew that a lot of people came to the restaurant who were under work place stress. He always made it a point to be respectful and cordial to all customers at all times. Further, Brandon learned how to multi-task and prioritize. When Brandon is prioritizing, he looks at what needs to be done first. However, if you are multi-tasking, Brandon suggests that you know your limitations. For instance, if you are unable to listen to music, be on Facebook, and get all your work done, something has to go. At times, especially while balancing school and social life, Brandon reminds himself that one size does not fit all.
Brandon’s Support System
Throughout his journey, Brandon received advice from three great mentors. First, Brandon receives professional advice from Superior Judge Logan Todd Burke. Second, he receives personal advice from Staccato Powell, a minister in the area, who counsels black youth. In the community, Brandon hopes to follow in his footsteps and be a role model and a mentor in his community. Last but not least, Brandon’s main mentors are his parents. He pointed out that he has never heard his parents say anything negative, and they have always encouraged him to believe in himself and go after his goals.Are you struggling with stress in law school? Brandon has some advice, “make sure you get enough sleep.” Without enough sleep, it is difficult to get all the required tasks completed. Additionally, he suggests keeping a strong social network, so students enjoy the work and the social side of law school. Brandon describes his fellow law students as one big family because the student body really gets along, bonded by the common desire to get out and be lawyers. Brandon describes his law school family as a supportive group that studies together and may go out and watch a concert together. To completely release stress, Brandon will visit some of the local creeks and trails. Alternatively, he heads to Starbucks and puts on the John Coltrane Pandora station, where he enjoys a venti soy white mocha.
Brandon as a Student
Brandon’s most memorable law school experience was when he walked into law school, and he met a friend, Tyrone. The moment after he walked into law school, he met someone. Brandon felt comforted by the fact that he didn’t have to conquer law school alone. Brandon is incredibly grateful for the support of his fellow law students, faculty, staff, and mentors.During his undergraduate studies, Brandon’s hard-working characteristic shined through. Even though Brandon was taking a full course load, he worked in the mornings and at night. He was able to work enough hours to cover his tuition and graduate from undergraduate school without tuition debt. In fact, Brandon was highlighted in an article discussing law school debt, “Student Loan Rates Up in the Air While Parties Fight for Advantage.” This article was published in the McClatchy newspapers including the Miami Herald, Charlotte Observer, Raleigh News, and the Observer.
Although Brandon is a strong student and hard worker, he admits he was not always a straight A student. In fact, in high school, Brandon had to attend summer school because he got caught up in the social aspect. After attending summer school, Brandon vowed to take his education seriously. If he wanted to go out, he would have to get all of his work completed first. From this moment on, Brandon excelled in his studies even when difficult personal events occurred.
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While attending college, Brandon’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer . Although some people may use a sick parent as a reason to give up or act up, Brandon remained calm and added a “family” shift to his full class load, and he kept up his grades. Brandon, his father, and his brother all worked together taking shifts and taking care of their matriarch and the extra chores around the house. Brandon’s mother won the fight, and she is now healthy and happy.
Words of Wisdom
Over the years, Brandon has accumulated four main lessons. First, nothing comes overnight. Brandon knows that you need to work hard for the things you want. Second, no obstacle has the power to stop anyone from reaching their goals. “Life is like a race track, you can’t let the hurdles stop you from reaching the finish line.” The third lesson is to focus on doing one thing well, and you will be successful. A lot of people focus on a lot of different things without accomplishing one thing well. Finally, Brandon always strives to live with integrity .Brandon defines integrity as “never doing anything in the dark that you wouldn’t want to do in the light.” If a person is honest and goes through the right steps, a person’s reputation is not negatively affected when they reach the top. When times get tough or Brandon needs an extra push, he remembers one of his favorite quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Brandon is inspired by President Obama because he did not start off as a rich politician. President Obama pulled his life together, worked hard, and he became the President; his story proves that dreams do come true.
Although Brandon has the capacity to work with all types of personalities, he is attracted to certain types of personalities more than others. Brandon clashes with sarcastic personalities or any person that has a negative thinking pattern. He likes to be around people with open minds that have the ability to grasp the bigger picture. Brandon loves to work in situations where he is introduced to different ways of thinking and interesting people. Brandon surrounds himself with positive people who are vibrant, creative, funny, witty, and determined.
With each day, Brandon remembers his personal philosophy. “What happens in any given moment or on any given day will not last forever.” Since nothing lasts forever, each day is a new day. Even when the times get tough, the sun will come out.
One day, Brandon hopes to become a juvenile court judge that works to rehabilitate children through immersion in positive programs. Further, Brandon hopes to open a charter school for black males that will give the students training in a variety of fields and create an environment for development into being productive citizens and leaders in the community.
Brandon after Hours
Brandon is a big sports fan; he is a fan of watching the Oakland Raiders, Olympic track, and college basketball. Go Tar Heels! When Brandon is not working or studying or watching a game, he is out reading, hiking, doing jigsaw puzzles or traveling. He has traveled throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. Brandon remembers visiting Mexico and seeing a small child, who was lacking in clothing, clean water, electricity, and sufficient housing. This moment left an impact on Brandon, and when he thinks about that moment, he remembers how blessed he was to be born in the United States.Click Here to View the 2015 LawCrossing Salary Survey of Lawyer Salaries in the Best Law Firms
