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Esquire in Progress: Navigating the Post-Law School Journey

Meet our Panelists:

Michael Jamal Strickland, J.D. graduated cum laude from Georgia State University College of Law, where he was active in Moot Court, Mock Trial, and served BLSA at the local, regional, and national levels. He is now an Associate at Hall Booth Smith and an Adjunct Professor at Clark Atlanta University.

Jo’Anna Clayton is a law clerk at Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP and a recent graduate of Florida A&M University College of Law. During law school, she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, Sub-Region IV Director of the Southern Region of the National Black Law Students Association (SRBLSA), and President of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at her law school.

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Sophia Howard, JD
Vanderbilt Law '25
ACLU of Texas Fellow

A native of Nashville, TN, Sophia Howard is a 2025 graduate of Vanderbilt Law School and

a proud 2021 graduate of Spelman College. While at Vanderbilt Sophia was 2024-2025 President of VLS BLSA, 2023-2024 Vice President of Programming, and 2022-2023 1L Rep at Large. She founded the Vanderbilt Community Civil Legal Project which provides civil legal aid to brown and Black people in the greater Nashville area. Additionally, Sophia was the Executive Digital Editor of the Vanderbilt Social Justice Reporter. As a Marshall-Motley Scholar, Sophia has begun a two year fellowship with the ACLU of Texas where she will be working on issues of racial and reproductive justice. 

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Sheridan A. King, JD, MPA
NCCU Law '25
Macon Judicial Circuit ADA

Sheridan A. King is a native of Statesboro, Georgia, and a recent 2025 graduate from North Carolina Central University School of Law. While at NCCU Law, Sheridan earned her juris doctor and her master's in public administration (Summa Cum Laude). Sheridan was an active member of the Black Law Student Association by serving as the 1L Liaison, Vice-President, and President, as well as the Graphic Design Specialist for SRBLSA 52. However, before her law school career began, she played a vital role in starting the Pre-Law BLSA chapter at Mercer University, and even served as the Vice-President! 

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Michael Strickland, JD
GSU Law '25
Law Clerk at Hall Booth Smith

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Jo'Anna Clayton, JD
FAMU Law '25
Law Clerk at Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP

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The Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association ("SRBLSA") is a regional affiliate of the National Black Law Students Association (“NBLSA”), a student-run, national organization formed to articulate and promote the needs and goals of Black law students.

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