Timothy Lyons is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst as an undergraduate. This summer he is working at the East Bay Children’s Law Office in Oakland,CA.
Why did you choose law school, and why USF in particular?
I view law school as an extension of my work as a special education teacher. After teaching for five years in theOaklandUnifiedSchool District, I wanted to effect change in the world of special education on a broader scale and leverage my experiences in the classroom and legal education to impact this sub-set of at-risk youth. I chose to attend USF because of its focus on public interest, particularly Professor Fitzsimmons’s Child Advocacy Clinic.
What kind of work did you do this summer or what type of projects did you work on?
I am working with staff attorneys who represent foster youth in dependency court. I am also paired with an educational law attorney and work with him to resolve legal issues that relate to special education such as: placement, services offered, and discipline matters.
What do you find most inspiring about the work you are doing or the organization you are working for?
I find working with like-minded people who have an interest in public interest inspiring. All of the attorneys that I have connected with at this office are clearly devoted to public interest and share in a collective desire to advocate for at-risk youths.
What would you like to do following law school?
Following law school, I hope to find a job with a public interest focus. I am unsure if juvenile law is all that I would like to practice or simply part of what I do with my law degree. I am certain, however, that juvenile advocacy, with a focus on special education, will remain an integral part of what I do as a practicing attorney.
