Campbell Law Spotlight: Lynn Johnson ’24

Lynn Johnson is a rising 3L at Campbell Law School, where her different types of employment experiences have informed her career and professional development journey. 

Johnson is a member of the Moot Court team, has served as the Publication Editor of Volume 46 of Campbell Law Review and served as a research assistant for Professor Bobbi Jo Boyd.  Johnson externed for the N.C. Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division during the summer of 2022.  She spent the first half of this summer at the Wake County Public Defender’s Office and spent the second half at Batten Lee PLLC doing civil litigation with an emphasis on medical malpractice defense.  Johnson found her internships and externship positions through Campbell Law’s On-Campus Interview (OCI) process and Symplicity.  Upon graduation in 2024, Johnson plans to serve as a judicial clerk for Chief Judge Donna Stroud ’88 of the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Q: How have your diverse experiences shaped your professional journey and informed what you hope to do after graduation?

A: Coming into law school, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my career.  I had lots of different interests and passions and no clue as to which ones I wanted to pursue.  Thus, when it came to internships and externships, I knew I wanted to gain as diverse of an experience as possible.  This diversity has allowed me to explore all of my interests, and it has left me feeling confident in where i am today and what I will be doing after graduation.

Q: What professional experience has been particularly impactful and why?
A: I spent the first half of this summer interning for the Wake County Public Defender’s Office.  Whether I pursue criminal law down the line or not, I will forever be grateful for this experience.  I gained invaluable courtroom experience, as I spent nearly every day in the courtroom, and I even got to handle a few cases on my own thanks to third year practice rule.  I also got to interact with clients, interactions which I value greatly considering the uniqueness of the people public defenders represent.  Finally, I got a personal insight into the imperfections of our criminal justice system, and I got to see first hand the incredibly important role that public defenders play in keeping this system as just as possible.

Q: What practical skills have you gained through your professional experiences?
A: The courtroom experience that I gained through my public defender’s office internship was extremely valuable to me, and I am so fortunate to have been able to work on that skill so early on in my legal career.  Additionally, at both the DOJ as well as Batten Lee, I have been able to develop my legal research and writing, a skill that will be essential as I embark on my professional career.

Q: What value does having a diversity of professional experiences provide?
A: Law school is the perfect time to explore many different interests and passions.  A diversity of professional experiences throughout law school allowed me to connect with incredible attorneys from various different fields, all of whom I hope to maintain relationships with throughout my career.  I have been able to get my feet wet in many different fields of law that I am passionate about.  Ultimately, it has made me more confident in knowing that I will end up in the right spot.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: After graduation, I plan on clerking for two years for Chief Judge Stroud at the North Carolina Court of Appeals.  I cannot be more honored and excited!