This week’s interview is with Bill Wallace, an assistant general counsel from the Office of the General Counsel in the Library of Congress.
Describe your background.
I moved to D.C. from New York City approximately 6 years ago to attend law school. After so many years in NYC, the move was somewhat jarring. D.C. felt suburban and sleepy. I consistently compared it to NYC. Once I accepted the fact that D.C. was its own city, everything changed. And I began to appreciate the culture and charm of our nation’s capital.
What is your academic/professional history?
As an undergrad at Fordham University, I studied English and urban studies. I had a fantastic opportunity in my junior year to participate in a year-long immersion program at Oxford, where I studied literature. After graduating, I moved on to attend Sacred Heart University to earn a teaching certificate and a Master’s degree in education. Simultaneously, I worked as a substitute teacher.
Thereafter, I began working in the NYC public school system, first as a substitute, then as a classroom teacher. As a classroom teacher, I taught English for four years at a neighborhood high school in Harlem. Having always wanted to be a lawyer – and with my wife’s blessing – I left teaching to attend the George Washington University Law School. My first legal job out of the gate was here at the Library in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC).
How would you describe your job to other people?
I usually don’t! Every time I try, it seems to come out wrong! Of course, that is because my job in the OGC allows me to work across a myriad of practice areas, from personnel to contracts, copyright to tax, and at times, even international and foreign law. It defies description! Each new assignment brings with it new challenges and provides a new learning opportunity – which is consistently rewarding and never boring.
Why did you want to work in the Library of Congress?
Maybe this is taking the easy way out, but I think I can sum this up pretty simply: “to support the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional duties and to further the progress of knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people.” Federal service has always been one of my ambitions. I cannot imagine a better place to serve than at the greatest cultural institution in the world.
What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?
I have a profound interest in foreign and international law. Needless to say, the Law Library’s collections and expertise in these areas is superb. And, it has been integral to my understanding of many intricate and nuanced points of law.
What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
For years, I could function almost at full capacity on four hours of sleep per night. It got me through college (and most of law school). Now, when my son’s cries wake me at 5:30 a.m., it takes great feats of strength and will to lift my head off the pillow.
Comments
Great story Bill !!!