Layne Huff studied language arts and once considered technical writing as a career but ultimately decided it was not the most rewarding way to spend her time. Instead, law school became the right option after years spent raising her children.
“I have been interested in social justice for a long time, and as my kids were getting older I wanted to use my growing free time to do something productive,” Layne recalls.
She recently finished a summer field placement at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which allowed her to channel her passions and support coworkers with legal research and writing.
“I loved that every day I got to work on something that matters. My coworkers were great. They were smart and funny and interesting, and I loved that we cared about similar and complementary issues,” Layne recalls.
As she embarks on her final year of law school, Layne is grateful for S.J. Quinney’s small size and inclusivity.
“I feel like I matter as an individual,” she says. “The school has been accommodating of my somewhat unusual circumstances and made it possible for me to juggle my life responsibilities while still succeeding academically.”
Layne says she would love to work in the field of reproductive justice after graduating and is most passionate about protecting reproductive freedom.
“Reproductive justice is my passion because it is a holistic approach to a vast area of human need. I believe that if we want a society that actually supports human thriving, people must have the entire range of reproductive options open to them,” Layne says. “No one should be forced to carry a pregnancy against their wishes, and no one should be forced into terminating a wanted pregnancy due to lack of care and support. People must have the right to make their own choices unhindered by outside interests, and society’s and the state’s role should be to support whatever choice that is with whatever resources are necessary.”
Learn more about Layne in the video spotlight below.