Anita Gupta Faced Problems In Her Career Like She Had A Dispute With Her College Landlord. College Landlord Inspired Her To Pursue A Career In Law. She Was Comfortable In Real Estate Area Of Law As She Was A Property Manager For Almost Two Years Before She Entered Law School.

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Anita Gupta: From Economics in Suburbia to Law in the Big
City
[By Mahsa Khalilifar]
For Anita Gupta, the decision to go to law school did not come from an ‘’innate calling nor a sudden impulse’’ but from past
experiences and interests.
“In fact, it was a dispute with my college the first school in the country to be located Gupta was a property manager for almost
landlord that first inspired me to pursue a adjacent to and working with a federal two years before she entered law school, so
career in law,” she explained. “At the start courthouse and state courthouse.” she definitely feels more comfortable with
of my final year of college, I was displeased the real estate area of law.
to find my new apartment in complete Gupta, the former president of the Women’s
disarray. The landlord, failing to meet his Bar Association (WBA) at Touro, said she has “I guess you can say that real estate is in my
contractual obligations, refused my several taken an interest in various aspects of the blood because my father has been in the real
requests to present his property in good law. estate business for over 30 years,” she said.
working condition. Not intimidated by his
authority or level of expertise and armed “I enjoy learning the different areas of law. Gupta said that her most memorable law
with a basic knowledge of tenant rights It was the learning aspect that I found very school moments came from when she
from a real estate management internship, challenging but interesting,” she said. “I was the president of the WBA. The WBA is
I fervently disputed my landlord’s claim went into law school with a very clear plan an organization in place to “promote the
that he was not legally bound to make the to why I wanted to go into law and what I advancement of the status of women in
necessary repairs.” want to do after law school. Although it has society and women in the legal profession, to
changed a bit because of the many new and promote the fair and equal administration of
Unfortunately, Gupta did not come out exciting experiences I have had, I am still justice, and [to] act as a unified voice for its
a winner in that claim, but she said the interested in pursuing a legal path in real members with respect to issues of statewide,
experience taught her “that legal success is estate.” national, and international significance to
not only based on who is right but also based women generally and to women attorneys in
on who better understands the law.” Q. What do you do for fun? particular,” according to Gupta.
A. I love to ski.
26-year-old Gupta, who is of Indian descent, Even though Gupta is no longer the WBA
Q. What CD is in your CD player right now?
did her undergraduate work at Michigan, president, she is still an active member and
A. In my car stereo I have Black Eyed Peas.
studying economics, and she now attends participates in various events.
the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Q. What is the last magazine you read?
Center, located in Central Islip, NY. The A. The American Law Journal…no…just “I had a great year and an amazing executive
smaller school is predominately Jewish, but kidding…it was actually In Style. board, and together we accomplished a lot,”
it opens its doors to a variety of students. she elaborated. “However, I believe that
Q. What is your favorite TV show? someone else should have an opportunity
“The education at Touro is absolutely A. No joke…ever since Evidence, I am to run WBA and have the same rewarding
totally into CSI.
phenomenal. The teachers at my school are experiences as I had.”
extremely knowledgeable in their fields, and
Q. Who is your role model?
the majority of them have been published Gupta has also interned a bit during her
A. My parents.
nationally,” she commented. “[Also, it] is summers off from school. She has interned
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at a real estate firm in the city for the past any adversity. I have a very supportive social On The Net
two years. and academic network which has helped me
succeed in law school thus far,” she said. Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law
“Until these past two summers, my “I do everything 100%, and I like to finish Center
knowledge of the legal system was confined anything that I start, and this is no different.” tourolaw.edu
to what I had learned in the classroom,” she
said. “My first practical legal experience She also said that students should venture New York Women’s Bar Association
was the summer after my first year as a out and get involved in different groups www.nywba.org
law clerk at a real estate firm in Manhattan, around campus.
which I found to be very stimulating and Central Islip, NY
challenging.” “The benefits are getting to work directly www.city-data.com/city/Central-Islip-New-
with directors and deans of the school,” York.html
Gupta credits her parents, among others, for Gupta said. “Being involved also helps build
their encouragement throughout her years in contacts within the legal community.”
law school.
Gupta advised future law students to “[stay]
“Law school can be very difficult, but my committed, be confident, and persevere” through
parents constantly supported me through it all. She plans to graduate in May 2008.
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