(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Track and field athlete Lizzie Bird may be representing Great Britain in the 2024 Olympic Games, but her law school education is all American. Bird graduated from Colorado Law this past December, took — and passed — the bar exam in February, all while training for her second Olympic Games.
Bird, who qualified for the games in the 3000 meter steeplechase, says that balance was particularly challenging during exam season.
It was much easier at Colorado Law than I think it would be anywhere else, partly because of the location—endless running trails and high altitude—and partly because of the culture—everyone does something outside of school, usually something more exciting like skiing. I was lucky that I found a classmate to train with (thanks, Paul!) who kept me accountable when we met for morning workouts before class.
Exams were probably the hardest time to maintain a balance. After rolling my ankle on a run the morning before my 1L Torts exam (and taking the exam with an ice pack on my foot!), I decided I should take training a bit easier during exams. Biking up the Folsom Street hill to class after training was also hard—I usually showed up to class with about 10 seconds to spare and a little out of breath!
Bird made quite the name for herself on the academic side of her life. Prof. Andrew Schwartz said, “Lizzie was a standout student in both my Contracts and Corporations classes (where I called her Ms. Bird, of course). In class, I use the Socratic Method and call on students at random. And in both classes, whenever I called on Ms. Bird, she was always very quick on her feet!”
She’ll need to be quick on her feet in more than a metaphorical sense in the steeplechase finals. Bird qualified for the finals following a harrowing semifinal, as described by the Daily Mail.
Team GB’s Lizzie Bird booked her place in tonight’s 3000m steeplechase final in dramatic fashion.
The St Albans native was at the back of a pack of six during the final straight of the gruelling semi-final race, where she was positioned on the inner side of the track, the unfavoured position to most athletes since you risk getting boxed in.
However the 11th ranked in the world showed her composure and experience, managing to sneak through a gap on the inside line, to sprint towards the line for a fourth place finish.
After the Olympics are over, Bird will embark on her legal career. First up is a federal clerkship with District of Nevada Judge Anne R. Traum. Pretty impressive post-Olympic plans.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].
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