Externships, summer work experiences helped James Gravely find his purpose 

Becoming an attorney was always loosely part of James Gravely’s life plan. His strategy was simple. Work for several years after college; then go to law school; then on to a career in government affairs or politics. “I was told by mentors that a law degree would give you a step up in any field—even those unrelated to law. At the time I wanted to be active in politics, so getting a law degree was something I thought would open a lot of doors for me.”  

A native of Cincinnati, Gravely has always had a strong interest in the political sphere and government work. While attending The Ohio State University (OSU) for his undergraduate degree in political science, he had the opportunity to participate in a summer work opportunity at law firm Katz Teller. Recognizing his good fortune, he started working at Katz Teller as an intern during the summer of his freshman year at OSU, building relationships with the attorneys there and getting a bird’s eye view of the legal profession. “I wanted legal experience as an undergrad and Katz Teller was one of the few places that offered this kind of opportunity [for college students].”  This summer experience and the relationships built would be invaluable several years later.  

After graduation, Gravely returned to Cincinnati with a renewed purpose. “I thought being a lawyer would give me a lot of professional flexibility and that it would help advance my career.” One of his first choices for law school was UC College of Law.  

“We hired James as a clerk before he went to law school, and he summered with us both years at UC. When the opportunity came to further his education through a more intensive externship experience, we jumped at the chance, as the more time we spend with James, the more excited we are to have him join our team,” said Jody Brant, President and CEO at Katz Teller. 

Gravely took advantage of many Cincinnati Law programs to build his legal skills. He worked as a Fellow for the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic (ECDC), where he gained practical experience representing local small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs on transactional legal issues critical to their success. Working under the direction of volunteer attorneys, ECDC Fellows learn how to help clients who need assistance with a variety of business activities, such as forming their businesses, complying with regulations and licensing, protecting trademarks and copyrights, contract negotiations, and more. To date, the ECDC team has provided more than $1Million in legal advice to support business and community development for for-profit and non-profit clients in the Greater Cincinnati region.   

“My (ECDC) clients were small businesses in fields ranging from tech startups to retail consultancies to breweries—all local to the Cincinnati area. We investigated the consequences of one of our clients reincorporating their business, advised a client on licensing a piece of their IP back to their company, and drafted various agreements and memos throughout the year.” These experiences further strengthened Gravely’s skills in the corporate law sector.   

In addition, he served as a student contributor for Legally Speaking Ohio, the well-respected legal blog run by former judge Marianna Brown Bettman ‘77, Distinguished Teaching Professor and Professor of Practice Emerita at the college. “ [The blog] covered select cases in front of the Ohio Supreme Court and required analyzation of oral arguments and decisions.”   

He also served on the Black Law Students Association executive board in various positions. “The friends I made and the community I found were invaluable to my education at UC.  For black students, BLSA provides the community and support system that allows so many of us to thrive.” 

"James took full advantage of the experiential learning opportunities offered through UC Law by extending his summer clerkship into a semester-long externship. This allowed him to expand the depth and breadth of his practical training,” said Christine Szydlowski, Director of Externships at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. “The Externship Program, comprised of a field experience and an accompanying class, helps students determine what, where and how they want to practice. While completing a series of reflective exercises and working alongside licensed attorneys, students are better able to define the type of lawyer they want to be and develop the professional competencies necessary to best serve their clients. James is a perfect example of a student who has graduated practice-ready, and we look forward to watching him soar at Katz Teller." 

Assistant Dean Durbin concurred. “We have no doubt that James will thrive at Katz Teller.”

Now a 2023 graduate of UC College of Law, Gravely is excitedly looking to the future. “I’ll be working in the corporate group at Katz Teller; it’s the perfect match for me,” he said. “It was a natural extension of the political work I did prior to law school, and also gives me the flexibility and opportunity to develop my own unique practice.” 

Lead photo: istockphoto.com; Gravely: provided