SPOTLIGHT: tHAAKIRAH CASON

Thaakirah Cason, a rising 3L at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, knows how much MYLAW cares about her and her future.  Thaakirah is an alum of MYLAW programs for youth.  Her first experience with MYLAW was back in June 2010 when she joined a group of youth to participate in MYLAW’s (formally Citizenship Law Related Education Program) Summer Center for Law & Government.  One of the highlights of the program for Thaakirah was meeting various legal professionals exclusive to Baltimore. Thaakirah knew she had a love for the law at an early age, and shared, “I was intrigued with the law.  I knew it was something I knew I wanted to do. It was helpful at that age to hear professionals in the legal field give first-hand knowledge on how to become an attorney or judge - the time it took and process to take to get there.”  The Summer Center intensified her interest.
Thaakirah returned to MYLAW as an intern with MY Law Links while a rising senior at Western High School, in Baltimore. She interned at Warnken, LLC - a criminal law firm.  Her time there garnered substantive knowledge of the legal field. She recalls being placed as a high school student with the law school interns, which provided that she participate with the group in high level legal work for someone her age. Her most memorable moments were when she assisted the attorneys with research for appellate briefs. Thaakirah remembers, “I would be asked to read trial briefs, transcripts and other case material to find language in the documents to assist the attorneys’ arguments. I enjoyed the work.  I felt like I was helpful … that I had an effect on the work that was being done.”  Thaakirah attributes the experience with solidifying her desire to pursue a career in law and MYLAW is once again an organization that Thaakirah returns to engage in law related enrichment. Thaakirah often joins her UMD Law classmates at MY Baltimore City Teen Court as a Baltimore Outreach for Student Success (BOSS) member volunteer. As a Baltimore native, Thaakirah “feels very connected to Baltimore.”  BOSS volunteers help facilitate discussion among the youth who participate as volunteer jurors. Thaakirah oversees the procedures and discussions between youth jurors during deliberations to decide sanctions for the youth respondent.  MY Baltimore City Teen Court “feels like I am going home” Thaakirah explained.  “Because, as an actual law student, I assist children from my own community. I enjoy that.” 
MYLAW Executive Director, Shelley Brown has been great support to Thaakirah over the years, highlighting that at MYLAW the interest in our youth lasts a lifetime. “Ms. Shelley and I have kept in contact through the years. She was a great support to me.” Thaakirah plans to pursue a legal career in public interest law; we know wherever her career path takes her, her future is bright and the world will be a better place with her presence.