Ep 45. Ayana McPherson, Esq.
From professional dancer to entertainment attorney, Ayana McPherson’s career is proof that you don’t have to leave your old self behind when you become a lawyer.
In this episode of The Whole Lawyer, Ayana joins Akeem to talk about her journey from growing up in Brooklyn and studying dance at the University of Michigan to working in talent representation and eventually becoming a production attorney in film and television.
Ayana breaks down what production attorneys actually do, how her background as a dancer still influences the way she practices law, and why law students should stop thinking there is only one traditional path into the profession.
She also shares her unconventional journey through the LSAT and law school admissions, the moment she found herself in the bottom 9% on a bar exam diagnostic just two weeks before the exam, and how changing the way she studied helped her turn things around.
The conversation also gets into networking, finding opportunities outside of your school’s job portal, reaching out to people who are only a few steps ahead of you, and how a LinkedIn connection eventually helped Ayana find her way into entertainment law.
Plus, Ayana talks about working in film and television, including her experience on Dexter, finding her voice as a production attorney, and why the stories she gets to help bring to the screen matter to her.
At the center of Ayana’s story is one message: don’t leave yourself behind. The interests, experiences, and skills you had before becoming a lawyer might be exactly what makes your legal career unique.
00:00 Intro
06:08 If Ayana Wasn’t a Lawyer
06:58 What Does a Production Attorney Do?
10:44 The Path to Entertainment Law
11:32 Growing Up in Brooklyn and Becoming a Dancer
14:03 Majoring in Dance at Michigan
15:17 Leaving NYC and Experiencing Culture Shock
19:04 From Dance to the Business of Entertainment
20:10 Discovering Talent Representation
24:03 Turning Her Dance Background Into an Advantage
25:22 How Entertainment Law Entered the Picture
28:58 How Her Mom Introduced Her to Law
31:52 Your College Major Doesn’t Define Your Legal Career
33:35 Finding Opportunities Outside the Traditional Path
35:46 You Only Need One Yes
36:50 Ayana’s LSAT Struggle
41:45 The Law School Interview That Changed Everything
43:29 Learning How You Learn
47:04 Bar Exam Horror Story
48:40 Bottom 9% Two Weeks Before the Bar Exam
49:20 The Conversation That Stopped Her From Quitting
50:20 Completely Changing Her Bar Prep Strategy
54:52 Finding the Study Method That Worked
57:36 Law School Is Built Around Litigation
59:19 Networking Her Way Into Entertainment Law
1:02:07 Working on Dexter
1:04:50 Finding Her Voice as a Production Attorney
1:05:19 Working on If I Go Will They Miss Me
1:07:49 The Closing Argument
1:09:17 Anna Chronistic 😂
1:09:47 Bring Your Whole Self Into the Legal Profession
1:12:29 Final Thoughts
evenaftermedia.com
06:08 If Ayana Wasn’t a Lawyer
06:58 What Does a Production Attorney Do?
10:44 The Path to Entertainment Law
11:32 Growing Up in Brooklyn and Becoming a Dancer
14:03 Majoring in Dance at Michigan
15:17 Leaving NYC and Experiencing Culture Shock
19:04 From Dance to the Business of Entertainment
20:10 Discovering Talent Representation
24:03 Turning Her Dance Background Into an Advantage
25:22 How Entertainment Law Entered the Picture
28:58 How Her Mom Introduced Her to Law
31:52 Your College Major Doesn’t Define Your Legal Career
33:35 Finding Opportunities Outside the Traditional Path
35:46 You Only Need One Yes
36:50 Ayana’s LSAT Struggle
41:45 The Law School Interview That Changed Everything
43:29 Learning How You Learn
47:04 Bar Exam Horror Story
48:40 Bottom 9% Two Weeks Before the Bar Exam
49:20 The Conversation That Stopped Her From Quitting
50:20 Completely Changing Her Bar Prep Strategy
54:52 Finding the Study Method That Worked
57:36 Law School Is Built Around Litigation
59:19 Networking Her Way Into Entertainment Law
1:02:07 Working on Dexter
1:04:50 Finding Her Voice as a Production Attorney
1:05:19 Working on If I Go Will They Miss Me
1:07:49 The Closing Argument
1:09:17 Anna Chronistic 😂
1:09:47 Bring Your Whole Self Into the Legal Profession
1:12:29 Final Thoughts
evenaftermedia.com
