JDP Reflections: How I Discovered the Junior Deferral Program (JDP)

Why Defer?

When I arrived at the University of Virginia in the fall of 2018, I had one thing on my mind: attending law school. However, which school I wanted to attend, what type of lawyer I wanted to be, and, to a certain extent, why I even wanted to be a lawyer were all questions with undeveloped answers at best. I wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a law student and, by extension, what it meant to be a lawyer.

What were the motivating factors that drove people to the legal profession? What does the law school admission process look like? As the first lawyer-to-be in my family, few answers to these questions were readily apparent.

As I spoke to current law students, professors, and practicing attorneys, I gained tremendous insight into the legal profession. I learned about different motivations for pursuing a career in law—everything ranging from a desire to secure justice for the marginalized to niche interests in corporate matters. I learned about law journals, clerkships, different practice areas, and more.

However, a common refrain kept resurfacing as I went from conversation to conversation: “I took time off between undergrad and law school,” or, “I wish I took time off between undergrad and law school.”

I was struck by the consistency with which I heard that advice. From age five to 22, most people will have been attending school for about 17 years straight—what’s a few more years? Why not tackle law school when you are still in the rhythm of being a student? Then, many people I spoke with highlighted the benefits of taking time off. I was told that taking time off between undergrad and law school allows you to decompress and gain valuable professional experience.

If you are set on attending law school, time off presents the opportunity to save money and better position yourself for law school’s financial obligations. And finally, from an admissions standpoint, strong candidates only get stronger with valuable work experience. I found the various benefits of taking time off to be convincing and kept them in mind for a later day.

Why JDP?

The following year, I continued my academic journey, still with law school in mind. Having learned that there is no set curriculum a student must take before applying to law school, I dove into my interests and pursued a double major in psychology and sociology while conducting research at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Public Policy. As the year progressed, I kept my ear to the ground to learn more about law school. It was by doing so that I coincidentally encountered a post congratulating Kristen Walker (HLS ‘24) for her acceptance into something called the Harvard Junior Deferral Program (JDP).

Entering my third year of college, I better understood the law school admissions process and my goals for a legal career. As I researched HLS more thoroughly, I began to envision myself in Cambridge. From the plethora of clinical offerings, leading professors, and diverse student body featuring one of the nation’s largest Black Law Student Associations, the JDP slowly crept from the back of my mind to its forefront. After much consideration, I made my decision: I was going to apply for the JDP.

Shortly after making the decision, I began drafting my statements and contacting my recommenders. A few months later, I found myself at the same desk I studied for the LSAT, quietly saying a quick prayer and clicked submit. Later that summer, after interviewing clients as part of my internship at the Arlington County Public Defender’s Office, I returned to my car and checked my phone. I found a voicemail that changed my life — I was going to Harvard Law School.

Charting My Deferral Path

With the heavy lifting of the law school admissions process behind me, my final year of college arrived much more stress-free. I spent time taking classes that I truly enjoyed while feeling a greater degree of freedom to academically challenge myself with courses I may have otherwise thought twice about. Between the stimulating courses and taking in the sun lounging on the Lawn at UVA, I could also devote greater attention to my post-college career plans. What would I do with this two-year deferral until law school? During this time, I was connected with several partners at a large law firm in Richmond who were familiar with the Junior Deferral Program and had developed a program to give students a window into the big law firm environment while working as a paralegal. I knew this would be a great place to start my legal career, and I accepted an offer to work there.

Before the year ended, I also accepted an offer to complete a summer internship with Associate Judge J.P. Howard of the D.C. Court of Appeals. This eight-week internship gave me greater insight into the judiciary and served as an enlightening orientation to the legal field. During my internship, I assisted Judge Howard, his clerks, and his Judicial Administrative Assistant with various tasks ranging from answering discrete research questions to helping with administrative assignments. Through this look behind the curtain of the judiciary, I was exposed to the legal profession in a way I had never been before and left with a greater understanding of the possibilities that can arise from a legal career. More importantly, I left with a network of mentors and friends I can rely on for years to come.

Following this experience, I returned to Richmond to begin my time as a Business & Securities Litigation Paralegal. In this role, I worked under incredibly talented partners and associates, assisting with tasks such as preparing court filings, processing discovery, and assembling binders of exhibits. Because the firm knew that I was heading to HLS, they also assigned me various research responsibilities, allowed me to sit in on meetings I likely otherwise would not have, and granted me other unique opportunities to enrich my experience as a paralegal. Considering my lack of familiarity with big law and its prevalence as a career path for many law students, I am thankful for my time at the firm, as it helped to greatly demystify what it means to work at a large law firm. Similar to my time as a judicial intern, I gained extraordinary mentors from my time at the firm.

New Opportunities

I always jokingly tell people that growing up, there was usually one of two things on TV at my house: the news or NBA basketball. Growing up in a household where I constantly heard about the world’s happenings, my interest in politics, public policy, and the law emerged. However, despite various roles, some research-oriented and others more informal, I had never directly engaged in politics. I never worked on a campaign, did a Capitol Hill internship, or anything of the like. I realized that most of my engagement was that of an observer, and I wanted to get in the game.

That is why I jumped when the opportunity arose to work for my hometown Congresswoman, Abigail Spanberger. Not only does Rep. Spanberger represent my hometown of Woodbridge, VA, but she is consistently rated one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and almost always tops the list of bipartisan members of the Virginia delegation. She supports her community, gets things done, puts people over politics, and is precisely the type of person I wanted to work for.

Several weeks later, I moved back home and started my new job as a District Staff Assistant. As a District Staff Assistant, I worked out of one of our district offices just a 15-minute drive from my house. Whether helping to organize large-scale events like our Farm Bill Summit or a press conference to discuss law enforcement efforts to prevent fentanyl from entering our communities, being on the front line of these efforts to serve the community I call home was beyond gratifying.

Several months into working out of our district office, another opportunity arose. During my interview process, it was known that I would be headed to law school and that, should the opportunity arise, I would love to engage in policy-oriented work when possible. Following some shuffling in the Capitol Hill office, this opportunity now existed. I then traded my 15-minute commute for a long ride into Washington, D.C., and was positioned closer to the legislative work of the Hill office.

A year and a half later, heading to the Hill was the correct decision. Shortly after assuming the duties of DC Staff Assistant, I began working on legislative issues and ultimately was promoted to Policy Aide. As the Congresswoman’s point person for small business, voting rights, and civil rights issues, I provided input on upcoming votes, recommended bills for her to support, and represented her at stakeholder meetings related to these areas. Reflecting on my time on the Hill, I am incredibly thankful for the relationships I developed, the skills I sharpened, and the opportunity to contribute to supporting Virginia’s Seventh District.

Reflections

Looking back, the Junior Deferral Program was indeed a transformational experience.

The past two years allowed me to grow personally and professionally in ways I did not anticipate.

From spending time with family and friends to forming new connections at various professional stops, I have gained a network of mentors and colleagues for whom I am truly grateful. Rewinding time several years ago, I could have started law school then.

However, I know from my current vantage point that I will now be starting better prepared, with a greater perspective and a clearer vision not just for what I want to make out of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is pursuing a law degree at Harvard Law School, but for what I want to make out of life itself.

–Domenick Bailey ’27