Founded by Harvard Law students who partnered with data scientists from MIT, Evisort strives to create and support opportunities for innovation wherever possible.

This year, we sponsored two law students with the Peter D. Lederer Scholarship, enabling them to attend the legal innovation and design thinking workshop Law Without Walls in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Recently, we covered Catalina Ortega’s experience, and this time, we hear from Judy Lin. Keep reading to learn about her journey into law, her plans for the future, and her advice for future law students.

Why did you come to law school? What are you passionate about in law?

As the daughter of middle school-educated immigrants, I’ve witnessed my parents struggle with the American immigration system all my life. Their socio-economic status, limited proficiency in English, and education level hindered their ability to advocate for themselves. 

It was in these experiences that I saw how the law had the power to strip away your freedoms and to determine who is entitled to protection and who should be subject to exclusion. 

I went to law school because knowledge of the law is an armor against abuse and a tool for justice. Making justice more accessible and democratizing legal knowledge is one area of the law I am very passionate about.

Tell us about the ‘Law Without Walls’ Program and your experience in Switzerland.

Law Without Walls was such a jam-packed, fast-paced, intellectually stimulating experience that advanced my professional growth! 

My team’s project of worth used artificial intelligence to help banks accelerate access to ESG lending. I developed a better understanding of the ESG landscape and the way that businesses can incorporate artificial intelligence to reach their goals. 

Besides having the opportunity to craft a substantive proposal, Law Without Walls helped me build connections with legal professionals all over the world and learn how to effectively work in teams in a way that capitalizes on each individual's unique strengths. 

The final symposium allowed me to develop my presentation and public speaking skills and taught me branding strategies that will be personally and professionally useful as I begin my career.

 What does Evisort’s sponsorship mean to you?

I am so thankful to Evisort’s sponsorship for making this opportunity possible. It was my first time in Europe, and I had such an enriching experience learning from and with people of all backgrounds. 

The 3-4-5 Method of innovation we learned has improved my design thinking and problem-solving skills. I’ve developed an enhanced understanding of business challenges and how we can create change to meet those challenges and look forward to applying these skills in all my future endeavors.

What do you plan to do after graduation and how have your “Law Without Walls” experiences influenced your path?

After graduation, I will be an associate at a law firm in New York. Law Without Walls has given me both soft and substantive skills that have accelerated my professional development. 

The lessons in critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and working in teams effectively have given me the building blocks for a successful career, no matter what path I take.

What advice would you give to other students considering law as a career?

Practically, I would say to read more. The more we read, the more we improve our reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and writing skills. 

Aside from those being useful skills for law school, they are also simply important skills for life. The knowledge we can gain from reading and the power that we hold in our words and arguments are limitless.

If you could change one thing about the legal profession, what would it be?

Naturally, as risk-averse lawyers, change in the legal profession is slow. 

I would love to see the profession be less insular, become more accessible to people from all backgrounds, embrace innovation, and improve collaboration.

Want to learn more about how Evisort supports future legal professionals? Read all about CEO Jerry Ting and EVP Memme Onwudiwe’s Harvard Law School lecture course on legal innovation.

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