Madeline Townsend is a 3L at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) whose pursuit of a career in law was never just about choosing a profession. It has always been about purpose. Shaped by resilience and empathy from an early age, her background continues to influence the way she approaches her legal education and future career.
“I come from a background that taught me a lot of resilience and empathy early on. I grew up around difficult family circumstances and it shaped the way I see the law and how it affects people daily. I am not defined by those circumstances but they do influence how I see the world and approach things.”
Before enrolling at AJMLS, Townsend earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Georgia. During her time in law school, she has been recognized as a CALI Award recipient, a John Marshall Scholarship and Ann Kinsey Scholarship recipient, and is Westlaw and LexisNexis Advanced Research Certified. She is also provisionally licensed under the Student Practice Act.
Her personal experiences have shaped the focus and direction of her legal studies. “I decided to pursue a career in law primarily because of my upbringing and what I saw growing up,” she shares. “My family was directly impacted by substance abuse and incarceration, and that has made me want to help people who may not have the resources or necessary support when dealing with difficult legal issues. People who helped my family as a kid did not necessarily have to, but they did, I think, because of their empathy and desire to do great advocacy work in the courts and community.”
Townsend has intentionally sought opportunities that allow her to serve others and make a meaningful impact. “This motivation has shaped my time at AJMLS a lot. I have been intentional about the opportunities I pursue that align with service and advocacy, like my time externing in public defense work. Law school has instilled in me a better understanding of how I can use the law to make a difference to help others.”
She currently serves as Editor in Chief of the John Marshall Law Journal, where she has taken on significant leadership responsibility within the student publication. “My proudest accomplishment has been serving as the Editor in Chief of the John Marshall Law Journal. It has been a challenging role, and an incredibly rewarding one.”
As Editor in Chief, she acts as the chief executive and editorial authority for the student-led scholarly publication. She oversees substantive and stylistic decisions for articles, student notes, and legislative summaries. She also leads a multi-tier editorial board, manages deadlines, and ensures compliance with academic and professional standards.
“Helping lead the Journal with the Executive Editorial Board has pushed me to grow more as a person, professional and leader. I have learned how to manage a lot of responsibilities, collaborate with others, and work towards common academic and professional goals with amazing peers. It has been one of the experiences that make me feel most confident in my abilities entering practice and I feel confident about those I am entering the field with.”
Throughout law school, Townsend has intentionally pursued service-oriented opportunities. She externed with the Flint Circuit Public Defender’s Office, where she represented clients during first appearance, bond, and preliminary hearings, reviewed discovery, and prepared arguments that contributed to case reductions and dismissals. She also served as a Legal Extern with the Tahirih Justice Center in Atlanta, assisting survivors of gender-based violence through client interviews, legal research on immigration statutes related to U Visa, VAWA, and asylum applications, and connecting clients with vital social service resources.
In addition, she has worked as a Research Assistant to Professor Jeffrey Van Detta, conducting research involving Seventh Circuit appellate decisions and Uniform Commercial Code, tort, and remedy issues. Prior to law school, Townsend gained substantial experience as a Lead Foreclosure Paralegal at Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane and Partners, PLLC in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There she supervised a team of paralegals and managed foreclosure and bankruptcy matters from intake through post-judgment proceedings.
“Those professional experiences, along with everything else I have learned during my time at AJMLS, have shaped my values and identity as a future lawyer.”
Through leadership, scholarship, and service, Madeline Townsend continues to carry forward the empathy and advocacy that first inspired her to pursue the law. She is preparing to make a meaningful impact in the communities she will serve.