JD Student Spotlight: Gineen Abuali

Gineen Abuali is a 3L day student.  She worked at Simpson Thacher in New York City during her 2L summer and at Quest Diagnostics after her first year of law school.  Gineen will be a clerk for Justice Fasciale after graduation.  During her tenure at Seton Hall Law, Gineen has been a member of the Seton Hall Law Review (Articles Editor), Muslim Law Student Association (Treasurer), Women’s Law Forum (Event Chair), Immigration Law Society (Secretary), and the Faculty Appointment Committee (Student Representative).  You can also see her providing good research tips for Lexis outside the library.

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Tell us something about you that people don’t know.

If I didn't go to law school, I probably would have studied biochemistry. 

What brought you to law school?

There are many reasons I came to law school. Growing up as a young Muslim American woman, I felt like my community was not represented enough whether it be in media, government, law, or other areas. The few times Muslim American individuals were mentioned, it often was not in the most positive light, or they were not the ones speaking on their own behalf. I knew that lawyers stood up for communities and made sure they were seen and heard, and so, I wanted to be one. I wanted to grow up to be the type of person who did my best to ensure that I stood up for all communities and elevated their voices. 

I also wanted to ensure that I gave myself the best education and the best chance at success that I possibly could. I believe law school does that, and I know that no matter where I end up in my career, I have foundational skills that I can continue to build on to achieve success. 

How has your law school experience been different or the same as you expected?

Coming to law school I was really worried that I would have trouble finding mentors or making friends because there are not a lot of people in the legal community who look like me. I am lucky to have met so many amazing people who have taken an interest in me and my career and have supported me throughout my journey. Most of those people do not look like me, and I think that is a beautiful thing. This was also a learning moment for me because as lawyers we need to be able to connect with our clients, and in the real world, not all our clients will look or speak like us. 

What has been the most rewarding experience during your law school career?

I had the opportunity to participate in a clinic where I met a really inspirational client I will never forget. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to help her and her family by putting the legal skills I learned to use. My client reminded me of why I went to law school in the first place and the power and responsibility we have as rising lawyers to do good in the world. 

You interned at Quest Diagnostics during your 1L summer.  What was that like?  What did you do?  What did you learn?  Were you interested in health law prior to pursuing this position?  How did you find this position?

Interning at Quest my first summer was just the role I needed because it exposed me to many diverse areas of the law that I never even knew existed. For example, I once got to watch an international ADR proceeding and got to speak to some of the attorneys! This diverse exposure, combined with the highly experienced attorneys I met and connected with, gave me a solid foundation as a first-generation law student going into my 2L year. Many of the Quest attorneys I met were instrumental to helping me figure out what I wanted to do moving forward, and we still keep in touch today. 

At Quest, I did a number of things ranging from the typical legal research and writing to discussing potential litigation strategy with Quest attorneys and outside counsel. It was the only internship I ever had where I was the client, and working with both in-house attorneys and outside counsel taught me about what clients expect from their attorneys and how important it is to be able to clearly and succinctly relay information. 

I had a general interest in health law before pursuing this internship, but I actually discovered at Quest that I love data privacy & security, so that is one area of the law I hope to explore in my career. 

I found this position through the school and applied on Symplicity. 

You went through the Recruitment process in the Fall and worked at a Big Law New York City firm this past summer.  What was it like?  What did you work on?  Anything really interesting?

Prior to Seton Hall Law’s Fall Recruitment program, I participated in pre-recruitment during the May/June timeframe, applying directly to firms in New York City.  I got my summer position at Simpson Thacher after applying directly through their website during pre-recruitment and going through the interview process.

I loved working at my firm this summer! It was definitely challenging, and there were not that many Seton Hall students in my summer class, which was a bit intimidating at first, but I remained confident in my ability and training. I was proud that the attorneys I worked with recognized my hard work. By the end of my time there, I met SHL attorneys at the firm who gave me some key advice and guidance. We may be a small number, but we are growing! 

I got to work on a number of interesting cases at Simpson.  Although I was more litigation-focused, I asked to be put on an ESG (Environmental, Social, & Governance) case because that is a new area of the law that I find interesting. I helped start a sort of "practice guide" that future attorneys at the firm will use! 

Another reason I loved being at Simpson this summer is because the firm sponsored my public interest fellowship for four weeks. I pursued this fellowship at the ACLU-NJ, and that was a unique experience I will never forget. 

You will be clerking for Justice Fasciale after graduation.  Why did you want to pursue a clerkship and what are you looking most forward to?

I actually never even thought of pursuing a clerkship until I externed for a judge last Spring. My judge encouraged me to apply for clerkships, and after spending the semester in his chambers, I decided to go for it because I loved the work we did and learned so much. Justice Fasciale has a wide range of experience, and his career speaks for itself. I am most looking forward to learning as much as I can from him. 

Where do you hope to be career-wise in 5 years?

Tough question. Honestly, I don't know. There are so many goals I want to achieve in my career, so it is hard to pick one thing. Another reason I wanted to pursue a clerkship is to gain exposure to new areas of the law. I hope that my clerkship will help me narrow down where I want to be in the next five years. 

Are there any classes or experiences in law school or law-related you would recommend students take advantage of before graduating?

Students should take advantage of any skills classes they can get their hands on. I love those classes because they help prepare students for practice, and they always helped me in my internships. I also think students should take classes that genuinely interest them. I always like to have a good mix of Bar prep classes and classes I want to take because they just sound interesting. Someone once said to me that law school is one of the few times in our careers as lawyers that we can take classes that interest us just because we want to, and that really stuck with me. 

What advice do you have for yourself as you anticipate your graduation in May?

Always remember why you became a lawyer and never forget your roots. And have fun while loving what you do!!