Julia Kohen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Delaware in May 2003 with an M.A. in History and a B.A. in Political Science. She graduated from Duke University School of Law in May 2007 with a J.D. and is currently an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City.

It’s easy to get sentimental with my fifth-year college reunion quickly approaching. When I left home in New York to start at UD, I remember feeling both excited and a little scared about the path that lay before me. Somehow, four years went by quickly. And there I was, in a cap and gown, graduating with not only a bachelor's degree, but with a master's degree as well.

Upon graduation, I was fortunate to receive the James R. Soles Fellowship for a year-long internship at the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit founded by UD Alumnus Chuck Lewis. It was at the Center, in the heart of the nation's capital and surrounded by some of the top researchers in the country, that I saw how individuals have the tremendous potential and ability to influence the lives of others.

I spent the majority of my time working on an international research project tracking corruption and integrity in 25 countries. The project measured the existence and effectiveness of mechanisms that counteract the abuse of power and promote public integrity, including the access that citizens have to their government. I learned about scandals and bribery in places ranging from Italy to Kenya, and the struggles of journalists to report the truth and shed light on the darkest corners of their governments. As part of the project, I was sent to a conference in Paris showcasing the leading European experts in anti-corruption enforcement. Finally, in addition to my other responsibilities, I developed and organized an international conference, with over 40 participants from more than five countries.

Following my internship in DC, I attended Duke University School of Law. Three years in Durham gave me a great fondness for North Carolina barbecue (including a slight addiction to sweet tea) and, of course, Duke basketball.

One of the highlights of law school was getting involved in the public interest community. I became Co-Chair of the Public Interest Law Foundation (PILF), a student-run non-profit organization that raises money to provide financial support to students working in public interest legal jobs over the summer and after graduation. More broadly, PILF promotes and champions public interest work in the summer and full time, and supports students grappling with difficult choices about their legal careers and their devotion to public interest causes. Last year, we raised approximately $100,000, which allowed over 30 students to take advantage of internships in offices ranging from Public Defender's Offices to Attorney General's Offices and the United States Department of Justice. My work with PILF was one reason I received the Duke Law School Faculty Award for Community Leadership.

While at Duke, I had the great fortune to meet some truly amazing and gifted people. From their example, I was able to see the potential power of a law degree. Through my experiences at Duke, I gained a deep sense of responsibility to my community and profession.

Since graduating in May 2007, I studied (and passed – hooray!) the New York State Bar Exam. Now, I'm living in Manhattan and working in the corporate group at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. One of the things that drew me to working at Simpson Thacher is the firm's deep commitment to public service and pro bono legal work. Less than four months after starting, not only am I working on complex business transactions, but I already have two pro bono projects: helping a woman with intellectual property issues relating to her start-up business and advising a non-profit that promotes environmentally friendly, energy-conserving building practices in New York.

In many ways I feel like I did when I started at UD - I'm at the verge of something new and exciting, and I'm not exactly sure where this path will lead me. But I know that it will be full of interesting people and great experiences (and perhaps few return visits to Newark!)