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Like Father Like Daughter: Mitchell Dinkin ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½˜92 and Amanda Dinkin ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½˜24

Posted
June 17, 2024
Elisabeth Haub School of Law at ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ alumnus Mitchell Dinkin '92 with his daugther Amanda Dinkin '24 at Haub Law's 2024 Commencement Ceremony

After the stock market crash of 1987, Mitchell Dinkin ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½˜92 made the decision to pivot from his aspirations in a career on Wall Street to law school. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œI changed my undergraduate major to Political Science and from there law school seemed like an obvious path. I had a strong skillset in comprehension, analysis, and a passion for arguing.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ Being a White Plains native also made what was then Pace Law School a natural choice for Mitchell. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œPace took a chance on me. I was accepted into the Conditional Acceptance Program (CAP), which meant that just two weeks after I graduated college, I was in law school and fortunately met the requirements in the CAP program for regular fall admission.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

MitchellΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s daughter, Amanda, a newly minted 2024 Haub Law graduate made the decision to also attend Haub Law based on her fatherΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s positive experience. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œWhile my fatherΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s career as an attorney was not the sole reason that I decided to pursue law school, his experience at Haub Law certainly was why I decided to apply and ultimately attend.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ After growing up as a White Plains native, Mitchell and his wife decided to move to Florida. After having taken and passed the New York and Connecticut bar exams, Mitchell also took and passed the Florida bar exam and began his career as an attorney there, which is also where Amanda grew up. Amanda notes that while she did not expect to move to New York, she is thankful she did. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œI have been provided with so much opportunity by choosing to attend Haub Law.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

Mitchell describes his time at Haub Law as thoroughly enjoyable and upon graduating he felt very prepared to take the bar exam. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œI had several clerking jobs throughout law school and having Pace on my resume was definitely a plus in Westchester and nearby Connecticut.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ AmandaΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s experience as a student at Haub Law was very similar to her fathers in terms of positivity. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œThe Haub Law community, faculty, staff, administration, and even other students have been nothing but helpful. Everyone at Haub Law is very welcoming and willing to help each other out. This goes a long way in law school.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

While initially surprised with the news that his daughter wanted to attend law school and the same school that he did, Mitchell had no doubts that she would succeed. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œI was beyond proud of her. When we took the campus tour after her acceptance it was my first time back on campus in nearly 30 years and I felt so happy for her that she would be able to enjoy the same legal education that I had received and sit in the same classrooms that formed me into the lawyer I am today.ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½

During her time at Haub Law, Amanda was a very actively involved student. She participated in the Amelia A. Gould Representation in Mediation Clinic, she was Haub LawΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s American Bar Association Student Representative, SBA Historian and Vice President, graduated as President of the Law SchoolΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s Jewish Law Students Association, a DeanΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s Scholar, and was part of several winning moot competition teams along with Internal Competitions Director for the SchoolΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s top ranked advocacy program. In recognition of all her positive contributions during her time at Haub Law, Amanda was selected to receive the prestigious 2024 DeanΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½™s Award at commencement.

Now that Amanda has officially graduated from law school, she notes that it is fun to converse with her father in ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œlegaleseΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ and that both can learn from each other. ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½œComing to law school was a very rewarding experience, although very challenging,ΒιΆΉ΄«Γ½ said Amanda. Both her and her father agree that the amount of personal and professional growth that occurs in law school is inspiring, and they are glad to have that journey in common. Now that she has graduated, Amanda will be joining the First Year Associate class in Kennedy's Law New York City office. An AV rated attorney, Mitchell has now practiced in Florida for over 30 years and has been a solo practitioner for most of his career.