Jacqueline Mayer
Center for Law, Justice & Culture Alumni Spotlight
Jacqueline Mayer
Jacqueline Mayer grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended Ohio University and graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s in Economics and a minor in Art.
She is currently in the General Prosecution Section at the Office of the Fayette County Attorney in Lexington, KY.
- She encourages students to contact her through her LinkedIn.
As a Bobcat, she was active in Phi Alpha Delta, the Ohio University Equestrian Team, and Residential Housing. She spent a summer on Capitol Hill interning for Sen. George V. Voinovich and two quarters as a co-op at General Electric Aviation in Evendale, Ohio.
During her time at the University of Kentucky College of Law, Mayer interned at the Fayette County Circuit Court, the Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Fayette County Attorney. She graduated in May 2015 and entered a yearlong clerkship as Staff Attorney to Fayette Circuit Court Judge James D. Ishmael Jr.
What brought you to Ohio University?
Scholarships and value. I received a Gateway scholarship and still was undecided. My mom and I reached out to the Economics Department and expressed my indecision, and not only were they able talk to me about the program but they also secured additional scholarship funding that made OHIO the top contender. I had gone into my college search looking for an adventure anywhere in the world and ended up finding one much closer to home than I expected.
What is your current occupation? Explain what you do in a typical day.
I am an Assistant Fayette County Attorney in Lexington, KY. A typical day is less expressive of what I do than a typical week. Every week I go through a rotation of responsibilities. Every member of general prosecution is on a team, and each team works on felony preliminary hearings one day and misdemeanor pretrial conferences another day that week. On those days, I will either be in the back room working with defense attorneys, or I will be in the courtroom calling the docket. Other days of the week are spent doing rotations of other positions such as calling arraignments, having traffic court, assisting in trials or hearings, and submitting complaints from officers and the public to Judges. We spend the remainder of our time training, contacting people relevant to our cases, and preparing for dockets, motions, and trials.
How did you become interested in that field? Was there a particular topic or field of law that got you interested in it in the first place?
Since shadowing a federal prosecutor in high school I have been interested in prosecution. I have always enjoyed criminal law.
What’s your favorite part of your position? What are you passionate about?
My favorite part of my position is working with people. I enjoy interacting with the other prosecutors, victims’ advocates, defense attorneys, judges, and the public in the varying parts of my job. I have always been passionate about truth and justice, and I have found an office with a culture that matches my values.
How did your Ohio University experience prepare you for law school and shape your career path?
Honestly, the experiences that most prepared me for law school were the art classes I took for my minor and being on the Ohio University Equestrian Team. In other areas of my life, I was naturally gifted, but in those activities I had to really work to be competent. Law school is the same; you have to be prepared to work and it won’t be easy. You have to learn to be humble… my ego is still recovering.
What do you think most important things you did as an undergrad to get you prepared for law school?
The most important thing that helped me prepare for law school was just keeping abreast of everything law school related. I attended speaking engagements and law school fairs, took the recommended pre-law classes, and got involved in Phi Alpha Delta, the pre-law fraternity. Because I had a network of experiences and knowledgeable peers I always had an idea of what would be my next step.
Do you have any advice for students interested in law?
Only go to law school if you know that being a lawyer will fulfill you. I think it is irresponsible to go to law school without being as aware as possible of the financial and emotional demands. If you remain interested start talking to law students, lawyers, professors and asking their advice.
The other advice I have is to work. You need internships and jobs—some sort of experience. It doesn’t have to be related to your field. My jobs before law school included everything from a cashier to a legislative intern to co-ops in Human Resources and business. Only one of those experiences was in the realm of a “legal” position, but the law is relevant to everything we do, and value from those experiences can be conveyed into a future in the law.
What is your favorite Ohio University memory?
My favorite Ohio University memory is when I finally got to ride a jump course through the Ohio University Equestrian Team. It was my goal as a freshman learning to ride horses, and I was able to do it in my last show as a senior. I was very proud.
Anything else you would like to share?
I took advantage of so many opportunities at Ohio University and if I could go back I would do even more. Go to the concerts, University sponsored canoeing trips and Spring Breaks, speakers, craft nights, free food events, career fairs, school fairs, art exhibits, music and dance recitals, sports events, parties, and anything else a university setting has to offer. There is so much money and resources plugged into all these experiences that you can get for free or a fraction of the cost and they build your mind and your life in ways immeasurable.
Finally:
OU? Oh yeah!
Comments