Women of Campbell Law: Jessica Griffin ’26

Anticipated Graduation Year: Class of 2026

Leadership Positions in Law School:

Student Bar Association (SBA) President; 2L SBA Representative; 1L SBA Representative; SBA Cares Committee Chair; and SBA Traditions Co-Chair.

Undergraduate School and Degree(s):

Appalachian State University, bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management with a Concentration in Commercial Recreation and Tourism Management and a minor in Marketing.

Jobs/Internships: 

Post graduate federal clerkship in the Eastern District of North Carolina with United States Magistrate Judge Kimberly A. Swank XX and during law school I had a federal clerk internship/externship with United States Magistrate Judge Brian S. Meyers. Prior to law school I managed different outdoor recreation companies in Colorado and in N.C.’s Outer Banks (OBX). I also led various outdoor experiential education opportunities across the country including guided snowmobile tours, Side-by-Side/ATV tours and horseback riding tours in the Rocky Mountains outside of Vail, Colorado. In addition I guided kayak tours up-and-down the OBX; taught surf lessons during youth surf summer camps; taught and guided soundside paddleboard tours in Kitty Hawk; and managed logistics at a hang gliding operation in Beaufort, N.C.

How do I spend my free time?  With my dog, Ace!

What does Women’s History Month mean to me? 

Women’s History Month is about recognizing the women who made space for us in rooms that weren’t built with us in mind. In law and leadership, I’m constantly aware that the opportunities I have are the result of fearless women who pushed past expectations. To me, this month is also about remembering that those women were often labeled “too aggressive,” and being grateful they didn’t back down. It makes me think differently about what people consider “too aggressive,” because historically, that’s what it takes to move forward.

Describe a woman who inspires me: 

Every woman is capable of inspiration and I find something to admire in everyone. The women in my class inspire me for pursuing their goals despite stereotypes, motherhood, financial strain or misogyny. The women who teach my classes show me what academic excellence and authority can look like. And the women in administration remind me that we can shape the future of our legal institutions. I’m surrounded by women who excel in different ways, and that is what inspires me most.

How I plan to make history:

I’ve never considered myself someone who would “make history” with some big, grand plan. But, I hope to shape the future by leaving the spaces I’m part of better than I found them. Our paths have been paved by the women who came before us through dedication, hard work and fearlessness. If we can continue to pave the path for those that come after us, then we can “make history” by continuing to shape the future for the women who follow in our footsteps.

Best Advice for a 1L: 

“Take a breath. Touch some grass. It’ll pass.” Those are my top three phrases. Sometimes, we just need a reminder that our problems exist in a vacuum. Nearly every conflict in law school can be solved with an olive branch. Being the person to bring the olive branch will take you further than being the person who holds the grudge.