Fabian Marriott worked as a paralegal in both a private law firm and for the Rutgers Office of the General Counsel before enrolling at Rutgers Law School in Newark.

A night student who worked full-time during the day, Marriott was still able to get involved in activities at law school – including becoming the Executive Editor of the Rutgers Law Review and taking part in the C. Willard Heckel Inn of Court.  Marriott also found time to volunteer in the Hon. Morris Stern Bankruptcy Project, which provides legal assistance to indigent community members who need bankruptcy protection, and he assisted immigrants filing for citizenship at Northeast New Jersey Legal Services.

“I was especially drawn to Rutgers Law School due to its focus on diversity and public service,” he said. “Prior to joining Rutgers Law, I always envisioned myself as a transactional/corporate attorney.  After taking a few courses . . . I realized that I really liked being on my feet arguing and advocating in a courtroom setting.  I look forward to pursuing a career in litigation as a result of these courses.”

After he graduates on May 24, he will clerk for state Supreme Court Justice Walter F. Timpone and hopes to join a litigation or appellate advocacy group, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office afterwards.

Marriott credits his success in part to the skills he learned from Professors Kelly Deere and Amy Soled, “The time they spent helping me form, develop, and continually perfect my legal writing, analysis, and research abilities as a student and Teaching Associate for LAWRS were invaluable in helping me get into Rutgers Law Review and landing the clerkship with the NJ Supreme Court.” 

Marriott was born in India and moved to the United States when he was 12. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick and said his experience there gave him the confidence that “the quality of Rutgers Law School’s faculty and curriculum would be excellent” and, he added, affordable.

He had this advice for incoming law students, “Step out of your comfort zone!  Law school is the best place to try new areas of law and practice certain aspects of lawyering that you are unfamiliar with.”  And his advice for evening students in particular, “Life as an evening student could be very challenging trying to balance work, school, and family life.  However, make the effort to join the law journals, clinics, and pro bono projects that Rutgers Law School has to offer.  These extracurricular activities are not only great for your resume, but are a great opportunity to meet and work with classmates and future colleagues from the day program.”