UVA Law Alum Tiffany Graves On Mississippi, Mentoring, And Finding Your Mission

This public interest attorney is doing all she can to close the justice gap.

Tiffany Graves

Tiffany Graves

“I put my lyric and my lifeline on the line / And ain’t no limit when I might shine, might grind.”Kendrick Lamar

In the coming months, the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission (MSATJC) plans to do “spin-off” events from its ten-year-anniversary celebration, where it hosted an all-day summit to reflect on its work over the last decade and share information about current initiatives aimed at improving and expanding access to justice for all in Mississippi.

Tiffany Graves, its Executive Director, planned every aspect of MSATJC’s decade commemoration and will, no doubt, be thoroughly involved in its “spin-off” events over the next several months. The turnout to the decade anniversary was outstanding and many left wanting to become more involved in supporting the state’s civil legal aid community.

This month, Above the Law had the opportunity to catch up with Tiffany Graves. She was gracious enough to provide a detailed account of her career journey and mentorship advice for ATL’s younger audience. Here is a (lightly edited and condensed) write-up of our conversation:

Renwei Chung (RC): What attracted you to the law and how did you choose University of Virginia School of Law?

Tiffany Graves (TG):  I originally planned to be a doctor. That changed after I took chemistry and decided the sciences weren’t for me.  After a long visit with my high school guidance counselor one afternoon, we decided I should consider a career in government or the law. She connected me with a local lawyer who talked with me extensively about her career. I was sold after that.

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I knew I wanted to stay in Virginia for law school. I loved everything I read about UVA Law, and Charlottesville is one of the best cities in the country. When I got in, it was a no brainer. I feel fortunate to have attended UVA Law and I have stayed very involved in the alumni community since graduating.

RC: Being born and raised in Virginia, moving to Mississippi must’ve been quite a transition. During your first few years of living in the state, what surprised you most? What do you think others would be most surprised by regarding the current state of affairs in Mississippi today?

TG:  Moving to Mississippi was a big transition! Fortunately, I’ve adjusted well to my surroundings. What surprised me the most about the state is how much it isn’t like how it is portrayed in the media and otherwise. Now, there are many things about Mississippi that aren’t great, but I think the same could be said of nearly every other state. I have met and worked with some of the smartest, passionate, and most creative people I have ever known and they inspire and motivate me every day.

They want Mississippi to be better, to rise from the bottom of all of those lists, and thrive. They recognize that the state’s residents deserve better and they are doing everything they can to make it possible. I am happy to play a small role in improving Mississippi’s status through my work with the Access to Justice Commission.

RC: Last week, you spoke to the Mississippi Bar Leadership Forum class about how young lawyers can help your organization close the state’s civil justice gap. Why is this important to you and what can attorneys do to help close this gap?

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TG: Mississippi is the poorest state in the country and we rank 48th in the number of civil legal aid attorneys.  Currently, we have one legal services attorney for every 21,000 people who qualify for free legal assistance. In a perfect world, we would have enough money to hire more legal aid attorneys.  Unfortunately, we don’t, and that doesn’t look like it is going to change any time soon.

Closing the civil justice gap to allow everyone equal access to Mississippi’s civil courts, regardless of income, will require an “all hands on deck” approach.  Most of the attorneys graduating from law school today have done pro bono and/or taken a law school clinical course where they had an opportunity to work with low-income clients. I often focus on young lawyers because they get it and they don’t need to be persuaded that giving back through pro bono service is the right thing to do.

RC: I’ve noticed you talk quite a bit about mentorship on social media. You’ve stated, “I count it as a privilege to be asked to mentor someone. I don’t agree to do it for everyone, only those who will invest the way I will.” Can you expound on this?

TG:  I think there can be considerable value in mentorship for both the mentor and the mentee. It is important for anyone considering becoming a mentor to make sure they have the time to do it. It is also important to make sure you have a mentee who understands and will agree to your approach to mentorship.

I have turned down mentees who have asked me to become their mentor simply because they wanted to include my name on their list of references but not otherwise be engaged or invested in a mentoring relationship. My time is valuable and limited. I can only share it with people who appreciate that and understand that the mentoring relationship shouldn’t be one-sided.

RC: You’ve had the privilege to work in both the private and public interest sectors. How has this been beneficial to your career?

TG:  I often say that my work in private practice has made me a better public interest lawyer.  I firmly believe that you can learn how to practice law in private practice better than you can in most public interest law settings. You learn how to handle a client’s file, engage in motion practice, take depositions, and prepare for and attend trial.

I was privileged to work with some of the best and brightest attorneys in Mississippi when I was in private practice and I soaked up every bit of knowledge I could get from them. When I left my law firm for a position in the public sector, I was able to effortlessly and immediately transfer the legal advocacy skills I had developed in private practice.

RC: What advice do you have for attorneys who want to become more involved in pro bono work, but don’t know where to start?

TG:  Having spent time in private practice, I know how hard it can be to get involved in pro bono work with so many things demanding your time and attention. While a lot of firms have in-house pro bono programs, not all of them do.

One of the easiest ways to become involved is to reach out to a local legal aid organization or pro bono program to find out how you can help. Those programs provide many ways for you to volunteer from limited scope, short-term projects to full legal representation of pro bono clients. They can also provide malpractice coverage and staff members who can answer questions that may arise as you are working with clients. Pro bono work can be incredibly rewarding. The key is finding the right way to do it and the support you will need to do it successfully.

RC: It was great chatting with you. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?

TG: Supporting the evolving needs of under-served populations and elevating the voice of community are critical components of my work with the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission. The challenges are great in Mississippi, but they also present wonderful opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

I do what I do because I want the promise of “equal access to justice for all” to be more than an aspiration; I want it to be a reality for the hundreds of thousands of Mississippians who desperately need it to be.

On behalf of everyone here at Above the Law, I would like to thank Tiffany Graves for sharing her story with our audience. We wish her continued success in her career.


Renwei Chung is the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law. You can contact Renwei by email at renwei@footnote4.com, follow him on Twitter (@renweichung), or connect with him on LinkedIn.