Alum combines love of science with law
Never be afraid to take the unexpected path. Mary McLemore, CLAS '80, took a surprising turn during her time at Wayne State that ended up changing her life.
After earning a biological sciences degree, McLemore continued her scientific studies in the master's program at WSU. But then she stopped and went to law school.
"I was late coming to that conclusion," McLemore says of her decision to switch studies.
"To be honest, it started with a discussion in the bar with someone who was in law school. After studying one night, my friend and I ran into his friend from law school. It was the conversation that night that started me down the path to law."
Under the impression that only students with liberal arts backgrounds could apply to law school, McLemore never imagined her biological science degree would lead to a career in law. While still in the biological science master's program, McLemore took the LSAT and was accepted into Wayne Law.
On the importance of her education, McLemore explained, "Today, I think people have to do things to distinguish themselves from others who may be applying. When applying to law school, my biological science degree distinguished me, which helped."
Some might think that a background in science would prove difficult in law school, but McLemore proved them wrong.
"I think that this actually helped me in law school because scientific thinking is very similar to legal thinking, which surprised me a lot. They're both very logical."
Once in law school, McLemore wrote for Wayne Law Review, which helped her get a job after graduation. Combining her love of science and law, she began her career at the Law Firm of Miller Canfield in Detroit, where she mainly did product liability litigation.
"I worked with drug and chemical products, which I loved because I got to use my biological science background," said McLemore. "A lot of my work dealt with how these drugs and chemicals impacted the human body."
Later working at DOW Chemical from her home in California, McLemore continued product liability litigation and eventually moved to Georgia with her husband. Now, McLemore works for Georgia-Pacific LLC, an American pulp and paper company that is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of building materials such as plywood, gypsum boards and lumber.
"At Georgia-Pacific, I do some chemical exposure cases, but I focus on general litigation," said McLemore. "I have a landfill case and a large antitrust case, but I have a more diverse portfolio of litigation now because of my past with chemicals and drugs."
McLemore's unconventional background in science has led to a successful career in law - one she never envisioned when she stepped foot on Wayne State's campus.
Her advice to students? "You don't need to take the expected path, because there are many different paths to the same outcome. Sometimes the unexpected is better."