Napodano '24 Shares How Law School Involvement Has Helped Early Career

Isabella Napodano ’24, a recent graduate of Albany Law School and now an Assistant District Attorney with the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, opened up about the pivotal moments of her law school experience. As a law student, she served as President of the Latin American Law Student Association, Student Trustee on the Board of Trustees,  Co-Chair of the Women's Leadership Initiative, several roles within the National Latina/o Law Student Association, and participated in the Anthony V. Cardona ’70 Moot Court Program. 

From Law School to DA’s Office
 

Napodano credited her time at Albany Law for helping her hone the multitasking and prioritization skills necessary for working in a high-volume district attorney’s office. 
"The biggest skill that I got from being at Albany Law and balancing all of these extracurriculars along with coursework, along with internships, was prioritizing and triaging. You have to be able to first learn the weight of a case, but also learn which cases should be on the top of your list for today because there are so many,” Napodano said.
At the Brooklyn DA’s Office, she faces a heavy caseload, which demands the same steady balancing act she developed during law school. 
“Lawyers love committing to a lot of things,” she said. “It’s like an emergency room—somebody has a bullet wound, somebody has a broken arm, and somebody just has a cold. You want to be able to prioritize in a way that the bullet wounds are getting solved first.”

A Legacy of Service and Leadership
Napodano’s leadership journey started early, driven by her desire to serve her community. She recounted how she initially became involved with the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA), an organization that had gone dormant during the pandemic. 
"The president and vice president at the time were trying to bring back a community space for us, and I wanted to be a part of that, especially as a 1L. I didn't know that I could be part of an executive board as a 1L," Napodano said.
Her passion and commitment to reviving LALSA eventually led to her presidency in her third year. Napodano’s proudest achievement during this time was successfully bringing the 27th Annual National Latino Law Student Association (NLLSA) Conference to Albany Law, a first for the institution. 
The conference has been held in several cities over the years, usually major metro hubs like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, or Atlanta. 
“I thought, why not us? Right. Why not Albany Law? It can't hurt to put in an application. So I made the bid, is what they called it. I made the application where you talked about why Albany Law would be a great place for this national conference. And there's so many things that Albany has to offer, so many government attorneys, it's a great place for people from New York City to come up. The prices of hotels were cheaper. There were a lot of benefits for why people should choose Albany Law,” she said.Her efforts paid off, and the conference became a resounding success. The conference drew hundreds of attendees nationwide who spent several days in Albany for seminars about emerging legal trends, as well as practical non-academic topics with relevance to law students including financial literacy.
"It was an amazing opportunity for our faculty and staff to realize the importance of these extracurriculars… Not only are these leadership opportunities for us to have before we're going into the workforce, but they are internship and networking opportunities.”
Finding Meaning in the Chaos
Throughout her time at Albany Law, Napodano found purpose in her numerous roles. From reviving LALSA, to serving as a Fellow with the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), to managing internships and coursework, she credits her sense of purpose with keeping her motivated. “Don’t go into a club or an extracurricular just for the sake of the resume,” she said. “I think it's worth it to keep applying to things until you find the thing you really want to do. Because if you're passionate about it, you're going to find time for it. Even if it's the last thing on your priority list, you're going to find a way to get to it. So I think that was a lot, but I think that's my best advice for multitasking.”
As co-chair of the WLI, Napodano worked with her peers to create meaningful programming that addressed real-world issues affecting women in law. One such initiative was a podcast she launched to highlight the impact of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on women’s rights. “It became an opportunity for students and fellows in the WLI to interview amazing women, learn from amazing women, and connect with amazing women,” she explained.

The Importance of Self-Care
One of the recurring themes in Napodano’s story was her emphasis on self-care, a lesson she learned the hard way during her demanding law school years. “There’s always something you could be doing, even if it’s 9 PM,” she said, reflecting on the relentlessness of law school. However, she stressed the importance of drawing boundaries to avoid burnout. “You have to have some sort of school-life balance… Have a cutoff time.”
For Napodano, yoga and meditation became her go-to methods for managing stress and staying grounded. “Whatever it is for you, don’t let that go,” she advised fellow law students. “If you can’t make sure you’re at your best state, you can’t give back to others.”

Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Service
 

Napodano’s experience at Albany Law not only prepared her for the challenges of her current role but also instilled in her a deep sense of responsibility to help others. One of the most profound moments of her law school career came when she had the chance to meet Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor during a trip to Washington, D.C. with the Dominican Bar Association. The encounter left a lasting impression. 
“She took two hours of her day to talk to law students, even though she owed us nothing,” Napodano said. “It reminded me that that’s how I want to be as a leader. I want to give back to younger generations. People have taken chances on me, and I want to take chances on other people when they reach out for assistance and help.”
Her final piece of advice to current law students? “You’re your biggest cheerleader and advocate,” she said. “Take control over your future, find meaning in what you’re doing, and live a life that fulfills you.”