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CAREER CORNER
William J. Pascrell III A career in public service, politics, and government [by Teresa Talerico] At the age of eight, William J. Pascrell III was already actively involved in political campaigns, thanks to a public service-oriented family. He recalls helping his father and others work on various campaigns in his home state of New Jersey. In fact, his father, a former high school teacher and mayor, would go on to become a New Jersey Assemblyman and U.S. Representative.
Today, Mr. Pascrell serves as Passaic County
year, 20-year goal—and pursue them. Talk to
Governor Florio was not reelected. I did not
(NJ) Counsel and is a partner at the Princ-
people who are a little more senior, who have
know what I was going to be doing. I spent
eton Public Affairs Group. He has remained
been through the fits and starts of a career
two months soul-searching. Then I went to
active in politics, assisting with Sen. John
and can give advice. If it’s not a parent,
work for a congressman back home in my
Kerry’s run for president and former New
maybe it’s a law professor, a partner in a law
district, and he lost a year later. So back-
Jersey Governor James Florio’s campaigns.
firm, or a next-door neighbor.
to-back years I was looking for a job; and I
Mr. Pascrell is a 1989 graduate of Seton Hall
Q: How does your law degree help you with
and that’s disconcerting. We tend to get so
Law School.
campaigns, considering you were already so
stressed out and perfectionist in our career
well versed in them?
track. Life isn’t perfect. Thankfully, I had a
had a wife, kids, a family, and a mortgage;
good support group. I had a really strong set
Q: What did you envision doing with your A: The reason so many attorneys enter poli-
of family and friends who helped me keep my
tics is that when you get grilled that first year
chin up through the tough times. I remember
A: I had planned on going into public service
and asked on the spot to get up and argue a
my second year of law school, coming home
with my law degree. I flirted with doing
particular principle or position, you become
and feeling like I was going to pack it in.
a stint in the prosecutor’s office. I ended
increasingly aware of the skills needed for
Thankfully, I didn’t quit. You just have to keep
up being fortunate enough to be asked by
advocacy. That’s very helpful. In addition to
plodding on.
Governor Florio to become one of his coun-
that, the diversity you experience with a law
sels when he became governor. I had just
degree—you’re going through torts and prop-
graduated law school. He had just won, and
erty and contracts, but there’s a multitude
I worked on his transition team, and the rest
of other selected electives—helps round you
A: Sometimes you just have to shut the door;
is history.
out better and helps enable you to roll with
and when you’re done doing a little soul-
the punches. That was one of the great as-
searching, you’ve got to open the book up
sets that I was able to bring to a campaign.
or pick up the phone and do whatever is the
degree in law school?
Q: It sounds like you had settled on a career
Q: How do you do that?
next step necessary.
path early. For other law students, their original ambitions evolve or change drasti-
Q: What’s one thing law schools should do
cally.
more of?
A: That’s the beauty of a law degree. It allows
A: I think law schools need to encourage
you the versatility to move with the ebbs and
students more to get out and experience a di-
nna, sweeping out rail cars as a 16-year-old
flows of life.
versity of positions. It’s very important to see
boy and worked his way up until he retired
what’s out there and what’s available.
at 70 years old as vice president of traffic for
When I first entered law school, I put an old black-and-white picture of my grandfather
Q: What’s your advice for students who are trying to find their niche? A: If everybody can be fortunate enough to
the Northeast region. It was kind of like an Q: You obviously have a strong passion for
inspiration. I put [the picture] above my head
your work. But how can one cope with burn-
level, so I had to look up to see him. It’s the
out or disillusionment?
little things. Finding an inspiration, either
have a mentor, I think that’s very important.
spiritually or emotionally, is critical. Nobody
It’s important to talk to a diversity of people,
A: I don’t want to get too melodramatic, but
to have some goals in mind—a 5-year, 10-
I’ve been through many dark days. In 1993,
PAGE
(in my room). He worked for Erie Lackawa-
can do it alone.