Jasmin Robinson is one of only 5% of Black lawyers in the United States – that’s a statistic she is working to change. Through her coaching business Jas Talks Law she helps aspiring Black lawyers through the admissions process to law school and beyond. The Atlanta, Georgia-based attorney has decided to dedicate herself to every future lawyer who is lacking guidance and support, like she was when she first set out to become a lawyer. While she continues her work to mentor and guide, she also works full time as an entrepreneurship lawyer.
Robinson’s story, as told to The Story Exchange 1,000+ Stories Project:
I dedicate myself to every future lawyer lacking guidance and support like I did when I was going through the law school admissions process.
The unjust treatment in black and brown communities drives me to change millions of lives. Accordingly, I must remain focused on my mission: helping thousands of black men and women become lawyers that make the justice system better. I’m changing 5% of lawyers being black: I’m a force of nature and goodness for my community. When I share my story and work with my future law students, I see a weight lifted off their shoulders: more goodness. I continue working day in and out to ensure our voices are heard and systematic oppressions are dismantled.
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Success means freedom financially, spiritually and mentally. It means that you have security. Most importantly success means more than 5% of lawyers are black. My biggest success is securing $2 million + in law school scholarships for my future lawyers through my law school coaching brand: Jas Talks Law.
The biggest struggle, thus far, is not knowing what I don’t know. As an entrepreneur, a lot of times you’re doing things for the first time, and you don’t know you made a mistake until you make a mistake and as such, anxiety results which can stall decision making.
Moreover, to successfully start and maintain Jas Talks Law, I continuously have to ask myself what I can do to innovate my products and services because needs and technology changes daily but as a for-profit business, I do not always have access to resources that could assist me with innovation. Furthermore, Jas Talks Law will reach the highest level of success with the right publicity, but because of budget constraints, I can’t hire a publicist. Lastly, I sometimes struggle with being too invested in future lawyers. Like any coach, I want them to succeed, but I have to remind myself they must wish to attend law school more than I want them to do so.
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My role models come from history. As the founder of the first black woman-owned law school coaching business, I consider myself a mix between Harriet Tubman and Maggie L. Walker. My favorite TV series is Underground, an American drama series created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski about the Underground Railroad in Antebellum Georgia. Through watching this, I grew a stronger appreciation for Harriet Tubman. In a sense, I feel like I’m building an underground railroad to the legal profession and the kickback is this: I’m trying to get others off “the plantation.” Why? Because when it comes to my future lawyers, I teach that you can go to law school and not be in an outrageous amount of debt. African-American teacher and Businesswoman, Maggie L. Walker, has also been an inspiration. As a leader with roots in Richmond, Va like me, Maggie L. Walker achieved success by being the first black woman to charter a bank and serve as its president in the United States. We both had/have a vision for tangible improvements in the black community.
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