When Maria Barlow finds herself standing in court, she gets excited. Being a lawyer is a thrill for her; it means she is seeing her dream come true.

“I like the argument aspects of it. I’ve watched the legal shows on TV and thought it was so cool. People respect lawyers because they have this perception that lawyers know what they’re talking about. And they do, because they have the law to back them up. That makes all the difference in the world.”

Barlow, a third-year student at The John Marshall Law School, splits her week between the Chicago Corporation Counsel’s Office where she’s assigned to traffic court, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office where she works in the Child Support Division in the Daley Center.

“Being in court gives me the chance to think on my feet. It is one of the best learning experiences I’ve had and it’s a great way to get practical experience,” Barlow said. “Growing up in my neighborhood, I saw people who had to rely on lawyers for their run-ins with the police. Being in criminal court, I see how the system works now.

“And as the mother of a young child, I recognize how important family court is. My work is letting me see the inside workings of these two very different facets of the law,” she noted.

Barlow received the Samuel T. Lawton Jr. Memorial Scholarship to help cover her law school expenses this year. The selection committee recognized Barlow’s academic record and her strong interest in public service law. She also received John Marshall’s Edward D. Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship and the Illinois Judicial Council Foundation Scholarship from the Illinois Judicial Council.

This year, Barlow is serving as president of the Black Law Students Association, and is vice president of the Criminal Law Society. She is a member of the Women’s Law Caucus and serves as its diversity chairperson.

Barlow, a Chicago resident, is a graduate of Chicago’s Kenwood Academy and Northeastern Illinois University.