Dear 1L – Summer Spotlight Jonathan Koehler

🔷 Dear 1L – Summer Spotlight 🔷

This week, I introduce incoming 1L, Jonathan Koehler. 

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Jonathan grew up in a world marred by alcoholism and family failure. Corporal punishment, periodic homelessness, and a steady dose of tongue-lashings taught him to defend himself—with words.

He says he was creating and winning “rules-based rebuttals” to thwart discipline by age 8.

Later forced into paramilitary school and maimed with its scars, at 17, Jonathan found himself living alone and without familial support.

He attempted to make his way in the world. He failed. For the moment.

▫️ County prison, an in-patient, long-term rehabilitation center for heroin addiction, and a series of halfway houses would be home for the next year.

▫️ In this home, Jonathan was transformed by the warm and novel (to him) kindness and compassion that his caregivers and fellow patients showed him. He seeks to infuse more of that into the world.
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Here are some stats:

▫️ 2016: Associate’s degree in Applied Sciences in Behavioral Health (Community College of Philadelphia (CCP)).

▫️ 2018: Bachelor of Science, Public Health (Temple Univ.).

▫️ 2020: Paralegal Certificate (CCP); Certificate in Professional Development, Tobacco Treatment Specialist (Univ. of Pennsylvania).

TODAY:

🔸 Senior Legal Assistant (Temple Univ. – Beazley School of Law).

🔸 Incoming 1L (Rutgers Univ. – Camden).

🔸 Author, LinkedIn Newsletter, Microsoft as Legal Technology. 

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Jonathan is “a testament that people’s lives may change when we show the slightest bit of empathy, compassion, and mercy.”

Jonathan is 27. His post-prison probation ends on July 19.

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Please join me in welcoming and encouraging this determined survivor into our legal LinkedIn community.

Fondly,
💌 Amanda