Alum of the Month: Neva-Marie Polley ('99)

Neva-Marie Polley ('99) is executive director at the Legal Aid Society.

We asked her to reflect on her experiences as a Brandeis Law student.

Why did you choose Brandeis?
Louisville is my hometown. I grew up in Fern Creek and am a graduate of duPont Manual and the Youth Performing Arts School in the Jefferson County Public Schools.

I knew that I wanted to practice law in Louisville and Kentucky in general following graduation. And I knew that Brandeis was where I wanted to be.

The education provided at Brandeis was and still is highly regarded in the Kentucky legal community, and the opportunities for local student employment and public service made Brandeis the perfect choice when I started law school in 1996.

I knew that Brandeis had a strong commitment to public service, and this shaped my decision as well. Brandeis' long-standing history of service in the community appealed to my sense of justice and public service.

What is your best memory from your time at Brandeis?
I don't know that I have one best memory — it is more a collection.

My best memories are of sitting with other students, outside the law school, in the lounge, at each other’s kitchen tables, studying and learning but also sharing in the experience of law school and all the challenges it encompasses. I enjoyed the sense of camaraderie and a shared passion for learning.

Law school was one of the most formative experiences of my education, and the atmosphere at Brandeis was one that I will not forget and continues to help shape the work I engage in every day.  

How did your experience at Brandeis help you in your career?
My experiences at Brandeis shaped my legal career in so many ways.

The connections that I made in the legal community got me my first job as a public defender — one that I held for six years and laid the foundation for the public service work I continue to do today at the Legal Aid Society.

The legal work at Brandeis that I engaged in — both in and out of the classroom — instilled a strong sense of advocacy, excellence and ethical representation that helped to shape how I viewed the practice of law, not merely as a career, but as way of helping others.

My ties to Brandeis continue today, and I feel a great sense of pride in being an alum and sharing in the traditions of the past and watching Brandeis as it grows and changes to meet the needs of the students of the future.   

What advice do you have for law students today?
One of the most important pieces of advice that I was given at the beginning of my legal career was “Be yourself.”
It sounds so simple, but it is true and one which I continue to hold strongly to today. If we look at other attorneys and attempt to take on their personality characteristics, demeanors and even theatrics — if that is not who we are, it simply doesn't work.

Be who you are. Find your strengths and use them to be successful. People will know that you are genuine and sincere, and that will go a long way toward your advocacy for matters that relate to both you personally and to the clients you will eventually serve when you become a member of the bar.   

Who was your favorite professor?
My favorite professor was David Leibson. I always looked forward to torts class and trying to find the "nugget" in every case.

Professor Leibson was truly invested in his students, and it showed. He made learning interesting and engaging.