If the bar exam didn’t already saddle aspiring lawyers with enough anxiety, law school graduates in 2020 had a once-in-a-century global pandemic to contend with.
Indeed, bar exam takers faced unique challenges and uncertainty this year. Covid-19 upended the July bar exam date and health and safety protocols led to changes in how the test was administered.
We reached out to the top scorer of the September Texas Bar Exam for an interview. Jenna Johnson, who graduated at the top of her class at Texas A&M and is one of 19 incoming associates at Thompson & Knight, earned a 872 on the Big Test.
TK Managing Partner Mark Sloan praised Johnson for a “momentous academic achievement.” Texas A&M Law Dean Robert Ahdieh said “we’re hardly surprised, given her striking success as a student.”
Lawbook readers, meet Jenna Johnson:
The Lawbook: How does it feel to have the bar exam behind you?
Jenna Johnson: It’s a relief to have it behind me and to know I passed! My friends and family are also glad to have me back.
The Lawbook: Were there any unique challenges for preparing for the bar exam during a global pandemic?
Johnson: I think the Class of 2020 and other 2020 examinees had the unique challenge of dealing with uncertainty about not only the state of the world, but the test itself. For example, many expected to take the exam in July but were delayed until September or October. In addition, the format of the exam changed and examinees had to choose whether to take their exam in-person or online. However, the hardest part of all was probably being unable to rely on coping mechanisms that got us through law school. Spending time with friends and family (at least in person) or blowing off steam at the gym are not exactly pandemic-friendly activities.
The Lawbook: What led you to pursue a career in the law?
Johnson: I jokingly tell people that it’s the high-school-theatre-to-law-school-pipeline. I was always interested in the law, and I grew even more interested while studying and working in journalism. Working in news made me hyperaware of how much the legal community is part of really important stories, and I wanted to be a direct part of that. I realized I could use my skills of fact-gathering, writing, and storytelling to help clients. Additionally, the law is a career where I can keep learning every day.
The Lawbook: Why did you choose to attend Texas A&M?
Johnson: I chose Texas A&M because I wanted to practice law in Texas, so I knew I should go to a Texas school. I was also very impressed by the faculty’s dedication to student success and the school’s rapid upward trajectory in the rankings.
The Lawbook: Please describe your judicial internship with Judge Renee Toliver in 2018. What did you learn from that experience?
Johnson: My internship with Judge Toliver inspired me to pursue a career in litigation, and it was where I learned how civil procedure worked on a practical level. I loved reading the parties’ pleadings and motions, seeing how they crafted their arguments, and drafting Judge Toliver’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations. The summer I interned there, she had an extremely diverse docket, so I got to work on everything from criminal cases to intellectual property. Additionally, the experience improved my legal writing skills. I’m so thankful that Judge Toliver, her clerk, and her staff attorneys were really invested in giving feedback.
The Lawbook: What kind of matters did you handle during your Media Law internship with the Dallas Morning News?
Johnson: During my media law fellowship, I got to work with Christine Larkin, the general counsel of the Dallas Morning News, and Paul Watler, a partner at Jackson Walker. It was a fascinating experience of learning how a media organization runs as a company and the First Amendment issues faced by journalists. At the Dallas Morning News, I helped Ms. Larkin by responding to subpoenas with responsive information, writing notices of termination for lease, drafting demand letters, and helping to organize Belo Corp’s annual shareholder’s meeting. At JW, I drafted IP-related complaints and wrote memorandums and presentations on First Amendment developments including college campus free speech, defamation-by-implication in light of the Texas Supreme Court’s 2018 Tatum opinion, and media libel law updates in the Fifth Circuit.
The Lawbook: Why did you decide to join Thompson & Knight?
Johnson: My experience as a summer associate made joining TK an incredibly easy decision. Besides getting to work on matters I found both interesting and challenging, I loved the people I was working with. They are intelligent, innovative lawyers and so willing to share their experience. I’m excited to start working with them all again in January!
The Lawbook: Which area(s) of the law are you interested in practicing?
Johnson: I will be practicing in TK’s litigation section so I’m sure I will get a little bit of everything, which I’m excited about! With my journalism background, I would love to take a crack at something First Amendment or intellectual property related.
The Lawbook: Do you have a favorite book or movie related to lawyering or the legal profession?
Johnson: The Bluebook is a real page-turner… Sorry, I couldn’t resist that joke. But really, there are so many favorites. I loved the recent film On the Basis of Sex about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life. To Kill a Mockingbird will always be a classic and personal favorite since I read the book and saw the film at a young age.