Charlotte Berry, hailing from Longmeadow, Massachusetts, has been teaching at a boarding school in New Hampshire for the past two years. A graduate of Harvard with a degree in Classics and government, Berry says that her undergraduate studies illuminated for her how the legal system could be used as a tool for advocacy and the articulation of civil rights. In addition to her teaching, she has also worked in the nonprofit sector, served in AmeriCorps, and had a stint living in New Zealand.

Tell us a bit about your background and professional path.

After graduating college, I worked at a nonprofit rowing club in my hometown before serving with AmeriCorps at a legal aid firm in Helena, Montana. Over the past two years, I taught Latin and built a rowing program at an all-boys junior boarding school in New Hampshire. 

What key experiences do you feel have shaped you?

Learning and teaching in boarding schools has taught me the importance of compassion and cooperation. Walking on to my college’s rowing team instilled discipline and resilience that has helped me navigate new experiences from living with extended family in New Zealand during COVID to community outreach in small-town Montana.

What motivated your decision to go to law school?

Studying Classics, government, and human evolution taught me to appreciate the legal system as a tool for conflict resolution, advocacy, and articulation of civil rights. My experiences in legal aid and staffing a congressional campaign reinforced my desire to effect change through the judicial system as opposed to electoral politics.

Why did you choose the University of Chicago Law School?

When I first encountered Martha Nussbaum’s work, I was struck by her use of Classical literature, history, and philosophy to approach contemporary legal issues. The interdisciplinary environment of UChicago stood out to me as I applied to law schools, as did the school’s commitment to free expression and dialogue. 

What do you hope/plan to do with your legal education?

I hope to extend my legal education through a clerkship, before gaining experience in litigation. Eventually I’d like to go into public service and work in administrative law. I’m also really interested in the intersections of education, children’s law, sports law, and civil rights.

What are you most looking forward to about being a law student?

Being back on the other side of the classroom! Teaching was a fun challenge, but I’m excited to learn from the University’s talented professors and my new classmates.

Any interesting hobbies or interests?

I love to hike and camp, and I finished summiting New Hampshire’s 48 four-thousand-foot mountains this summer. I’ve run one ultramarathon and one marathon, and I’m looking forward to exploring the lake trail. I really love podcasts (I’m always looking for recommendations!), especially about history or science. My indoor hobbies include knitting and cheering on the New England Patriots.

What is a “fun fact” about you?

I coached my school’s Hockey for Non-Hockey Players club during the last two winters (I have never played hockey).