Our Interview With Zach Dowling & Arlo Lydford, Student National Vice Presidents Of The National Lawyers Guild

Zach Dowling and Arlo Lydford are the Student National Vice Presidents of National Lawyers Guild.

What inspired you to pursue leadership within the National Lawyers Guild?

We were inspired to pursue leadership within the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) because we saw a need for greater connection, coordination, and community among law students interested in movement lawyering. The NLG’s annual convention and student chapters demonstrated that there is a legal space where our values are genuinely reflected. The organization has provided an important sense of political home and belonging while creating opportunities to connect like-minded, future movement lawyers. Leadership within the NLG allows us to help student chapters learn from one another, build relationships, and contribute to broader movements for social justice.

What skills can aspiring law students gain from joining an organization like yours?

Students can gain practical experience in organizing while learning how to apply the skills they develop in law school to larger social movements for justice. Beyond those concrete skills, the NLG can provide students with a strong sense of justice, purpose, and belonging. Law school can be an intimidating and draining environment, particularly for students who feel tension between pursuing work that benefits others and building a financially sustainable career. Being part of a community committed to social justice can help students navigate that tension while giving them a clearer understanding of what is possible through movement lawyering.

How has this organization contributed to your law school journey?

The NLG has profoundly expanded our understanding of what is possible within movement lawyering. For some of us, the organization and the attorneys involved with it were an inspiration even before entering law school. Throughout our legal education, the NLG has connected us with countless inspiring, hardworking, and principled attorneys who have demonstrated how the tools of law can be used in service of social justice. Hearing their experiences and learning about their commitment to their communities has provided both a sense of direction and hope for the future of the legal profession.

What advice would you give to aspiring students currently on their law school application journey?

Our biggest piece of advice is to approach the law school process in a way that feels authentic to you and to find people who share your goals and values. You do not have to navigate this journey alone. If possible, avoid getting swept up in the comparison and competition that can surround law school and the application process. Put yourself out there, do your best, and seek out communities that support and inspire you—but don't allow the system's approval or disapproval to determine your sense of self-worth.