O’Keefe New Pre-Law Advisor

Practicing law is a demanding task, but for the past four years, Attorney Susan O’Keefe has taught courses in legal studies at Providence College in addition to being a full-time lawyer. On top of these responsibilities, O’Keefe was asked in February to take over as pre-law advisor here at the College, the position previously held by Chris Fortunato.
“We [the school and I] have a mutual agreement that I will finish out the semester and then we will re-evaluate,” said O’Keefe. “I am a full-time lawyer too. But I thought I could fit this in for this period of time and I thought I could be helpful to the college and helpful to the students.”

O’Keefe graduated from Suffolk Law School and currently practices family law in East Providence. Through her 30 years as an attorney and experience on the Rhode Island Board of Bar Examiners, she is knowledgeable about the law school application process and the Bar Exam.

 “I have been doing it in an informal way for years,” said O’Keefe. “A lot of my students ask me for advice anyways, but they tend to come up to me at the end of class so it is a little abbreviated and to the point. This gives me an opportunity to sit down with people and share some of the things I’ve learned as part of some of the committees I have served on which evaluate applicants for the Rhode Island Bar.”

As pre-law advisor, O’Keefe will be in the College and Career Center five hours a week, available by appointment to answer any questions students may have about pursuing a career in law.

“Sophomores often have questions such as: ‘is the law the right way for me to go? Is this something I really want to study in the future? If I do, what classes should I take, what is law school like? What are the demands for law school? Do I need a particular major?’” said O’Keefe.

During junior year, students are often curious about the importance of LSATs, and which law schools would be right for them. O’Keefe guides students through the selection process once they have been admitted to different institutions.

 “As someone who has practiced law for 30 years, I know how the law business works, and who has children who have been to graduate school, I feel like I can give some good solid advice about the things that are important when considering what law school to go to,” said O’Keefe.

There is a strong student interest in law at the College. O’Keefe pointed out how her classes are always full, and many graduates pursue a career in this field.

 “Traditionally a lot of PC graduates go to law school, so there are a lot of students who are interested. There are a lot of PC alumni in the Rhode Island Bar, the Massachusetts Bar and probably all over the Northeast,” said O’Keefe.

As students begin to consider the direction in which they want their life to go, whether they are underclassmen questioning whether law is right for them, or seniors deciding where to enroll, O’Keefe is confident in her ability to guide them in the right direction.
“I do not have any reservations,” said O’Keefe.