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Hiya [USER=7258]@l789[/USER]Absolutely, this is perfectly fine to mention. I’ve seen applicants talk about everything from personal experiences with medical devices to the impact of certain therapeutics as a way into their interest in life sciences and product liability. Mentioning these sort of experiences can add a layer of authenticity as well. I'd just make sure to keep it concise and frame it as something that sparked your interest, rather than the sole reason for it. You'll also want to reflect more broadly on what draws you to product liability as a practice area. For instance:Mixture of legal and scientific complexity: For many people I've spoken to at Cooley and elsewhere, it’s the mix of legal, scientific, and strategic complexity. You often need to engage with technical detail (e.g. understanding how a product works, consulting experts, and analysing potential failure points). There's also some of challenges of balancing clients' regulatory obligations and exposure to litigation risks.The high-stakes nature of the work: Product liability cases often involve significant financial exposure, media attention, or reputational risk, especially for clients in the life sciences or tech sectors. There are too many to mention here, but you'll find some of the work Cooley has done in this area in its Legal 500 page.So again, yes you should feel free to include the personal angle briefly, but use it as a stepping stone to demonstrate a well-rounded and thoughtful interest in the practice area itself (and specifically on the defendants' side, which is what Cooley is particularly well-known for). Good luck!
Hiya [USER=7258]@l789[/USER]
Absolutely, this is perfectly fine to mention. I’ve seen applicants talk about everything from personal experiences with medical devices to the impact of certain therapeutics as a way into their interest in life sciences and product liability. Mentioning these sort of experiences can add a layer of authenticity as well. I'd just make sure to keep it concise and frame it as something that sparked your interest, rather than the sole reason for it. You'll also want to reflect more broadly on what draws you to product liability as a practice area. For instance:
So again, yes you should feel free to include the personal angle briefly, but use it as a stepping stone to demonstrate a well-rounded and thoughtful interest in the practice area itself (and specifically on the defendants' side, which is what Cooley is particularly well-known for). Good luck!
