When Kirby Tyrrell interviewed for the associate professor position at the Washburn University School of Law earlier this year, she was impressed by what she saw.
Probing questions about one of her legal articles and a welcoming vibe from faculty won her over.
Tyrrell will lead the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic at the Washburn University School of Law this fall.
She has high aspirations.
"I hope that I'm able to serve as a support and a mentor to students," Tyrrell said, "particularly students who are interested in my areas of interest, including gender justice, civil rights, reproductive rights, immigration and family law. And really help students further develop those in their interest in those areas and kind of think about what type of lawyer they'd like to be.
"But more generally, I think I'm really interested in being a faculty member and available to students. I think law school is a really fantastic experience but can be overwhelming."
Who is Kirby Tyrrell
Tyrrell has a bachelor's degree in history from Harvard University and earned her juris doctor degree from Columbia Law School. She previously served as a Robert M. Cover Clinical Teaching Fellow at Yale Law School, where she co-taught in the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic.
Her other experience includes working as a staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights and as a Skadden Fellow at Her Justice in New York City.
Tyrell said she and her family will move to Kansas in late July. She'll begin working at Washburn the beginning of August.
"We like really good food," Tyrrell said of her and her husband. "So we're excited to try all the food in Kansas. We just like to explore, so it will be fun to be in a new area."
From Yale Law to Washburn School of Law
When asked how Tyrrell transitioned from Yale Law staff to Topeka, she said she was impressed with the Washburn School of Law during the application process.
"I was really impressed with the faculty when I visited," Tyrrell said. "They were incredibly kind and welcoming, as well as really academically rigorous. Part of the interview process is that you present an article you've written and the faculty asks questions and provides comments.
"I was really impressed by their questions, the comments and how engaged they were in my scholarship."
Tyrrell also said she's looking forward to getting to work and meeting her new students.
"I've really valued the opportunities to get to know students," she said, "to help them in the questions that they're struggling with and to help them develop their legal skills."
What is the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic?
In Tyrrell's new role leading the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic, she will oversee representation in domestic relations and immigration cases. Washburn clinic interns, under Tyrrell's guidance, will represent community members and work on policy projects.
The Family Justice and Immigration Clinic is a litigation clinic that students work at to get real work law experience under a faculty member's law license.
Those students provide representation in domestic relations and related immigration cases, focusing on serving children and victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, according to the clinic's website.
"Then I'm also really excited to be involved in the advocacy community in Kansas, in the issues that I care about," Tyrrell said, "to kind of dig in and really get to know the other individuals and groups working in those areas and hopefully contribute based on the kind of skills and experience that I'm bringing."
Here's what Washburn School of Law dean says about Kirby Tyrrell
"Professor Tyrrell's extensive background in public interest law and her dedication to clinical education will greatly benefit our students and the community," school of law dean Jeffrey Jackson said in a written statement. "Her leadership in the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic will enhance our commitment to providing practical, hands-on legal training while serving those in need."
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