by TJ Bowman, 3L at University of St. Thomas School of Law

To me, professional identity formation describes the journey from being an aspiring lawyer to a practicing one who is committed to serving clients, the profession, and the rule of law. Stated differently, professional identity formation helps me answer the question: “What kind of lawyer do I want to be?” This journey is not something that simply begins your first day of law school and ends when you graduate or make partner. Instead, it requires continuous reflection and a commitment to lifelong learning.

At St. Thomas, my professional identity began forming immediately during 1L through foundation courses such as Moral Reasoning for Lawyers, Serving Clients Well, and Business Basics, which encouraged me to reflect on my personal values and how those values comport with our system of justice and our conception of the lawyer’s role. During my 2L and 3L years, St. Thomas called me to take ownership of my professional identity formation through the mentor externship program by connecting me with lawyers in the Twin Cities community. This program expanded my professional network and provided me with valuable hands-on learning experiences. During my law school career, I have also taken a number of courses that promote my professional identity formation. For instance, Ethical Leadership in Organizations encouraged me to integrate my faith and ethics into my identity, which equipped me with the tools to be a morally responsible, servant leader with respect to the clients, organizations, and communities I serve. Finally, Well-Being and Professional Formation deepened my understanding of the several dimensions of well-being and its impact on my professional identity and quality of life in practice.