Jessica Collier

Perfection may not be the name of the game where Jessica Collier is concerned, but her persistence and effective leadership have been clear from the very beginning. 

“Jessica’s strong work ethic was apparent from the outset as she effortlessly balanced her academics with extracurricular activities,” said Widener Law Commonwealth Assistant Dean of Students Randi Teplitz. “Her enthusiasm for her studies, her peers, and our law school made her immediately stand out as a rising star on our campus.”  

During her first year at WLC, Collier pitched and implemented a successful anti-human trafficking continuing legal education event, and the subsequent event held this past fall was equally well-attended. In early 2023, she was awarded the Reybitz Business Advising Program Fellowship and has also been selected as the 2022 Law Student of the Year by National Jurist magazine. Collier is also active with WLC’s Business Law Society, is vice president of the Law and Government Student Society, and is a mentor to a 1L student. If all of those activities didn’t keep her busy enough, she will also be taking part in the 2023 Wayne Jaffe Business Advising Transactional Law Competition Team in the spring of 2023 in Michigan. 

Like many law school students, Collier admitted to having some challenges early on in her law school journey, notably dealing with anxiety. “As law students, we are high achieving individuals in general and want to perform well. The high standard we place on ourselves can cause more stress and anxiety,” she explained. “I knew early on that I needed an outlet to help me manage that, and through Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, I was able to do that.”  

As far as advice Collier would give to current or prospective WLC students –realize you don’t know what you don’t know. 

“A lot of people come to law school thinking they know things about the law or with a law background, only to realize that they don’t have the knowledge they think they do. If you go in, eyes open, with a mind ready to learn, your professors will notice.” 

One of her best memories she shared about her time thus far as WLC was around the end of her first semester, when her torts professor read a special poem to the class. “It really instilled in us to think about what kind of attorney we want to be – not in the way of what area we want to practice in, but the kind of person you are as an attorney.”  

Interview was conducted in Winter 2023.