Meet Jackie. An Attorney for the Department of Veterans Affairs. A serious role you would think, but she has some laughable moments from cases she got granted to her views on leadership.
Sharks or Lawyers?
Did you know Steven Spielberg named the shark in Jaws "Bruce" after his lawyer? Jackie, however, wants to emphasize: that’s pure nonsense. Lawyers are people too, and most are not sharks (sorry, Spielberg).
Jackie never imagined becoming an attorney. One day, her dad pulled a classic "Dad move" and said, “You need to get your life together—you’re taking the LSAT on Saturday.” With just days to prepare for a test most people study months for, Jackie showed up, took it, and found her calling in law. Fast-forward 30 years, and she’s now an attorney for the Department of Veterans Affairs, proving that neither attorneys nor sharks are as scary as they seem.
To drive her point home, Jackie shared a heartwarming story from early in her career. A veteran had been repeatedly denied service connection for a medical issue he felt was justified. The reason? His medical records supposedly showed the condition predated his service. But with her figurative magnifying glass, Jackie noticed a critical error: the entrance and exit examinations had been mixed up. Her discovery overturned the denial, granting the veteran his benefits.
“That case taught me early on to examine evidence carefully,” Jackie said. “At the end of the day, people make mistakes. And while I knew the veteran would be happy, more than anything, I felt like I’d done right by him.”
Anyone else tearing up? No? Just me?
Hearing this reminded me of my current job at the Career Center. I help students with resumes, cover letters, and job searches. When a student thanks me and says, “This was so, so helpful,” I feel that same satisfaction Jackie described. It’s nice to help people. As Phoebe from Friends would say, maybe it’s selfish because it feels good to help others—but I’ll take it. Are you a little selfish too?
Jackie also had a story that had me laughing for days. A veteran sought medical compensation after waking up from surgery missing…one testicle. Right or left? No idea. But this unexpected "adjustment" left him depressed, and Jackie empathized, granting him compensation.
Soon after, her boss, a judge, flagged the case. In his office, he said, “Jackie, everything looks fine, but for that last issue—we don’t have a medical opinion.” Jackie, without missing a beat, replied, “Well, Howie, if you went in for surgery and came out missing one of the boys, wouldn’t you be depressed?”
Howie promptly pulled out his pen, signed the decision, and Jackie walked out victorious.
Pro Tip: Think twice before questioning a woman’s decision-making.
Next, I asked Jackie about leadership—this is a leadership blog, after all. After three decades at the same organization, she’s learned a thing or two. She shared insights from a leadership work retreat, emphasizing that leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. “The most successful leaders have different strengths and perspectives,” she said. “There’s no single ‘right’ way to lead.”
As a senior in my Leadership Labyrinth course, I couldn’t agree more. Leadership, like cookies, has no perfect recipe. The way I lead will never look exactly like my peer’s approach, and that’s okay.
Fun Facts About Jackie:
If she weren’t an attorney, she’d be a teacher.
Loves movies for stress relief.
London Fog (the drink) enthusiast.
Coffee ice cream lover.
If her life were a movie, it’d be titled Defying Age.
Personal slogan: “See the Big Picture.”
If you’ve made it this far—whether you skimmed, read with your heart, or accidentally landed here—thank you. I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. I’m currently practicing rejection therapy, so this totally counts.
Best,
Leadership Unfiltered Author
Emilia Marie Feltner
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