Laura Komarek
Greater New Orleans '11
Vanderbilt University
Law
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Teach For America: Greater New Orleans Corps
After college, Laura spent two years as a special education teacher in New Orleans.
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Vanderbilt University Law School - Juris Doctorate
Laura received her J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School in 2016. At Vanderbilt, Laura received the Lightfoot, Franklin & White Best Oralist Award. She also served as the President of the Disability Law Society and the Treasurer of the Entertainment & Sports Law Society.
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U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota & U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Laura interned for the Honorable Paul A. Magnuson while in law school. She also spend a semester clerking for the U.S. Attorneys’ Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Law Clerk for the General Counsel of the Minnesota Vikings Football, LLC
Laura also served as a law clerk for the general counsel of the Minnesota Vikings during her time in law school.
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Associate at Alston & Bird LLC
After graduating from law school, Laura worked at Alston & Bird LLC as a summer associate in summer 2015. Laura joined the firm as an associate in Litigation & Trial Practice in September 2016. Laura represents clients in general business and complex commercial litigation, especially in antitrust, class action, and privacy and data security litigation. Laura’s practice also includes defending companies and individuals in criminal investigations by the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country.
Q&A
What led you to apply to Teach For America?
What inspired me most about Teach for America is the goal of one day all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. It should not matter what race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, neighborhood, family someone is born into, all children should be given a quality education - that is what compelled me to join Teach for America, and what inspires me about Teach for America to this day.
How did Teach For America help prepare you to become an attorney?
I remember one of the first weeks of school I was outside monitoring a bunch of eighth graders and I looked around and I thought, "Where's the adult in the room?" I was the adult. Standing up in front of a classroom is one of the hardest things I’ll ever do. Teach for America has provided me with the skills necessary to be a litigator. As an attorney, I stand up in front of clients, opposing counsel, partners at my law firm, and in the courtroom and I have the confidence and skills to be a strong advocate for my clients.
How do you stay connected to TFA’s mission?
Although I am an attorney now, I dedicate much of my time to philanthropic causes, including volunteering with Teach for America. I am a member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s board of directors, which aims its focus on policy-based changes to education. I am also working with the Atlanta Women's Foundation to help women and girls in Atlanta who are living below the poverty level. My legal career has allowed me the opportunities to serve as an champion of other causes I am passionate about - particularly education. I am so passionate about education and continue to work to ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive an excellent education.