How Law School Helped Me Find My Seat at the Table featuring Kyla Denanyoh

Kyla Denanyoh
Apr 15, 2020
2 min read

Kyla Denanyoh discusses her life after law school and how she found a seat at the table and created the You Are A Lawyer podcast.

About This Episode

Background

Kyla Denanyoh, a 2015 Southern University Law Center graduate, explains how her experience creating a role in a law firm taught her to embrace the value of her law degree.

This podcast was supposed to be a blog. I planned to record the interviews and was inspired to use the recordings and learn to podcast.

Kyla Denanyoh is the Operations Manager of an intellectual property legal department in a mid-sized law firm; a role that was created for her unique abilities.

Her path to success was not as easily written as she would have liked; Kyla worked a number of odd jobs before being hired at a law firm and slowly advancing in her career. However, much of the advancement arrived once Kyla acknowledged the value of her law degree. The way that she processes knowledge, her work ethic, and many of her leadership skills were honed in law school. Kyla took the Louisiana and Ohio bar exams.

Why Law School

Kyla Denanyoh attended law school to become an environmental lawyer. Because she attended law school in Louisiana, she quickly began meeting and spending time with big oil lobbyists who wanted her to use her advocacy to advance their interests. After interning with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Kyla knew that she wanted to spend her time supporting and enforcing environmental quality for everyone.

Prior to law school, Kyla only knew one lawyer before attending law school and was woefully unprepared for life as a law student.

After taking a construction law course, Kyla was determined to become a lawyer and stay in Louisiana. In October 2015, when Kyla learned she had not passed the Louisiana bar exam, she decided to stay in Columbus, Ohio, and build a new life. The initial episode of You Are A lawyer explains Kyla's role as an operations manager in a Big Law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What Can You Do with a Law Degree

The “You Are A Lawyer” podcast was created for those who, by choice or chance, are not admitted to a bar association or who are licensed attorneys who practice law in non-traditional ways.

Prospective and current law students are welcome to listen and learn, as well as anyone who wants to transition into a new career.

Lawyer Side Hustles

Deciding to create a podcast while working full-time as an operations manager was a big risk. Since 2020, Kyla has documented her love of risk-taking with every season and interview of the You Are A Lawyer podcast.