Kyle McClain (DC 2025)

Who am I?

My name is Kyle McClain, and I am the editor of the Carnegie Mellon Pre-Law Society’s Alumni Profile Series. I just graduated in 2025 with a degree in Ethics, History, and Public Policy (EHPP) and an additional major in Philosophy. And now, for the summer before I start my 1L year (at NYU), I’ve been working with CMU’s Pre-Law Society to develop the Alumni Profile Series for students, from the perspective of a recent graduate.

What is the Alumni Profile Series?

The Alumni Profile Series is a set of stories from and about CMU law alumni/ae. The alums who I interviewed had a range of backgrounds that brought them to the law, pursued a wide array of majors and research areas while they were at CMU and went to law schools all across the country. And their careers are no less impressive, ranging from patent law to employment law and even to space law!

When talking to these alums, I asked them questions that I thought CMU students considering a career in the law might care about. We talked about their time at CMU and how they found their way through college, including cases where they were unsure what they wanted to do after college. We talked about their decision to go to law school and how many of them had years of work experience between college and law school. We talked about the challenges they faced in law school and how they overcame them. And we talked about how they actually found their careers, what those careers look like and what the future holds for them.

Somehow, we managed to talk about all of that in just hour-long interviews. And it was all made possible because they were so generous with their time and so willing to share their insights with all of you.

What Did I Learn?

Though each conversation was unique, and each alum was impressive in a totally different way, I noticed some common themes I wanted to share.

Theme 1: Pursuing Your Passion Without Fear

Many of the alumni emphasized that their most meaningful academic and professional decisions began with a willingness to pursue one’s passion, even when the outcome was uncertain. Some described taking risks by leaving established firms to follow causes they deeply cared about, while others spoke about choosing practice areas that were less traditional but personally fulfilling. What united these stories was a shared belief that fear of failure should not hold back ambition. Instead, you need to have a passion that gives you both the motivation to work through challenges and the resilience to stay committed when external validation is slow to come. This mindset often led not only to career satisfaction but also to a stronger sense of purpose in their daily work.

Theme 2: Finding Lessons in Rare Places

Another recurring theme across the interviews was the idea that professional growth does not come solely from classrooms, firms or courtrooms, but often from unexpected experiences. The alumni reflected on how travel, volunteer service, mentorship or even personal setbacks shaped their outlook and skill sets. Some recalled how small moments — a conversation with a client, observing a local community dispute or working in a non-legal setting — provided lessons in empathy, negotiation or resilience that proved indispensable later. By staying open to learning from diverse and sometimes unconventional sources, these alumni developed adaptability and a broader perspective that enriched their practice of law in ways that formal training alone could not.

Theme 3: The Value of Interdisciplinary Thinking

A final strong theme was the recognition that law does not exist in isolation, and that drawing from other disciplines makes for more effective and creative legal practice. Alumni shared how insights from fields like business, science, public policy and even the arts — all things they pursued at CMU — informed the way they approached cases and engaged with clients. Some described how their ability to understand the language of another discipline allowed them to bridge gaps between lawyers and non-lawyers, making them more effective advocates. Others emphasized that interdisciplinary thinking encouraged curiosity and creativity, helping them reframe problems in innovative ways. This blending of perspectives not only enhanced their individual careers but also underscored the evolving and interconnected role of law in today’s world. And it all came from the wealth of interdisciplinary learning that CMU gives their students.

Note to the Audience

In the end, I hope you get as much out of these profiles as possible. Honestly, you might not feel moved by every single story, but that's okay! I think the main benefit from this series of profiles is that you’ll be able to find someone who has a compelling story or a career path that really inspires you. So if you read the first one or two interviews and you aren’t feeling especially excited, please keep reading, because I’m sure one of them will really speak to you.

Of course, I have to admit there’s one flaw in the idea behind the Alumni Profile Series: I got to spend my summer interviewing these alumni and learning from them first-hand, and you didn’t. I tried my best to ask the questions that seemed important at the time, and I tried to focus my questions on the things I felt CMU students might want to know, but I’m sure there are a hundred follow-ups you would have wanted to throw in: things I didn’t think of or maybe was too polite to ask. So in that sense, what you’re getting here is really a secondhand account (filtered through my own curiosity and note-taking skills).

But here’s the silver lining: just because you didn’t get to sit in on these particular conversations doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance. These alumni are still your alumni, and there’s nothing stopping you from reaching out and starting your own conversations with them — or with others whose careers you’re curious about. If anything, my role was just to give you a preview and a nudge to remind you that our network is full of people willing to share stories, advice and maybe even a little tough love. In fact, I only got the job as editor because I used my connections within the Pre-Law Program.

So please take advantage of the series. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing about these fantastic alumni.