Sarah Nichols, L'22

We are excited to profile Sarah Nichols, a 3L and founding student board member of the Richmond Law & Business Forum. Sarah has helped the Forum plan events on life as a merger & acquisitions attorney and in-house counsel.  Sarah is also in the joint JD/MBA program with the Robins School of Business, so we’ve invited her to share her thoughts on that program as well.

Why did you decide to join the Richmond Law & Business Forum?

I joined the Forum because I am pursuing a career in business law and an organization such as this will be pivotal in developing a network of remarkable people within the Richmond business law community.

As one of the founding board members of the Richmond Law & Business Forum, what are your goals for the organization?

I am overjoyed to be a founding board member because we have the opportunity to really maximize the Forum's potential from the beginning. As a dual-degree student, I would love to build a connection between JD and MBA students through networking events, pro bono opportunities, or even clinics. Additionally, I would love to help develop a mentorship program so Richmond Law students can be partnered with an attorney in their practice area of interest.

Why did you decide to get a joint JD/MBA?

I decided to get a JD/MBA because I believe that to be an effective business lawyer, it is crucial to actually understand the business of your client. Clients want the best choice for their business when evaluating business decisions, and often what is the "best choice" is not necessarily the best legal choice. Thus, approaching clients from a purely legal perspective/knowledge base is limiting. Plus, I love the content of the MBA courses and my friends in the MBA program, who I know will be a great network of people as I move forward in my career.

What has been the best part of the joint JD/MBA program?

My favorite part of the program so far has been the people I have met in the program. The staff and students of the MBA program are all fabulous and there is a huge emphasis on networking so people are always happy to make introductions for you. Also, a big part of networking is etiquette and social knowledge, so there are a lot of fun events like wine tastings and food pairings that are offered to MBA students!

What are your own career goals?

After graduation and the Bar, I will be moving to Washington, D.C.! I’m honored and excited to be joining Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr as an associate in their general corporate practice group. After a long three years pursuing my dual degree, I am elated to have landed a job where I can be hands on with business owners, planning and problem solving to not only keep their business running but to help it grow, too. I hope to be able to position myself as not only a great lawyer for my clients but also as a member of the firm with a focus on business development and legal operations.

What is your favorite thing about Richmond Law?

My favorite part of Richmond Law is our faculty. I have yet to have a bad experience with a professor, and they are always willing to help. There is also a feeling that our professors genuinely care about us and our success, which is certainly not the case at every law school!