Alumni Spotlight

What You Can Do With A JD

This weeks Alumni Spotlight goes to Mary Amos Augsburger. Mary graduated from Cap Law in 2002. Today, Mary is the CEA of the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA). She is the first woman Executive Director and only the 4th Executive Director in OSBA's 138-year history. 

Mary Has described the OSBA as "a 26,000-member organization that is committed not only to advancing the professional interests of attorneys and legal professionals, but also to expanding access to justice and protecting the rule of law. 

Before Joining the OSBA, Mary worked in public policy in the Ohio House and Senate during law school and for a short time after graduation and passing the bar exam. She then went to work at the firm of Squire Sanders before returning to her true passion of public service, working at the Ohio Department of Commerce.  From there, she worked as the director of policy and public affairs at the Auditor of State’s office and then as Legislative Counsel to the OSBA before becoming Executive Director of the OSBA in 2013.  “I am so grateful that my position at the Bar affords me the opportunity to work directly with policy makers at the state and federal level and alongside men and women (our member attorneys) who are as dedicated to defending the rule of law and advancing justice as I am.”

Mary is a great example of non-traditional pathways a J.D. can take a student. She is in charge of a huge organization and has utilized her J.D. to get her there. She is now influencing policy and helping to ensure the attorneys of Ohio have what they need to succeed.

Mary is one example of how useful a J.D. can be; there are many ways to use your degree once you graduate. So don't worry, everything will work out.