A Future in Family Law
Casey Ciulla ’26 has a goal.
“I hope to use my education to protect vulnerable populations within the family court system,� she says, “and in particular, represent victims of domestic violence through divorce, parentage, and orders of protection proceedings.�
In pursuit of that mission, Ciulla spent a semester as an extern at Life Span, a nonprofit that provides services to domestic violence victims and their families.
“It helped me find the kind of law that makes me want to get up in the morning,� she says. “I really felt passionate about the work I was doing and knew I didn’t want that to end.�
Chicago-Kent College of Law has been there to support Ciulla through every step of her journey—before she even accepted the offer to attend.
“ ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ Tech gave me the most aid of any other law school I applied to and was my top choice when applying,â€� she says. “The legal writing program at Chicago-Kent looked much more rigorous compared to other law schools. As someone with a creative writing background, this really spoke to me.â€�
Since starting her courses, the law school has not disappointed. Ciulla describes the academics as challenging and exciting.
“ ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ Tech is different in that it prepares students for working after graduation more than other programs with clinical components,â€� she says. “I feel confident my education has prepared me for law licensure in ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´.â€�
Ciulla’s law school experience has not been all work and no play. She has made lifelong connections with her classmates in extracurriculars, participating in Lambdas , First-Generation Law Student Association, and Art and Cultural Property Law Society. Lambdas is a group for LGBTQ+ students and those pursuing careers in that field of law.
“Lambdas was particularly meaningful to me,� she says. “As a queer woman, I was unsure of how my identity would be received within the legal community. I considered hiding my identity from my classmates and professors out of fear until I met other people like me.�