First-year JD student Joseph Rousos-Hammond came to the University of Arizona from just down the street, literally. In a recent Q&A, he shared: 

 

However, on the way to law school, he first became a professional violinist. Joseph began playing violin at age 9. 

"By the time I was halfway through high school I knew that's what I wanted to do. I went to music school for six years, and coincidentally the first orchestra audition I won was here in Tucson. I've been in the Tucson Symphony for eight years, and for most of that time I've been in the position of Principal Second Violin. The violins of the orchestra are divided into two sections; the concertmaster leads one and I lead the other."

 

As for making the big switch to law, Joseph realized that the difficulties of the pandemic for the arts also presented an opportunity to pursue another one of his dreams.

 

"I've been interested in law for years just from following politics and reading about American history. Whenever a legal issue came up, I would often find myself going down a rabbit hole and trying to learn more about it. Law was what I saw myself doing if for some reason I couldn't do music anymore. When the pandemic made performing impossible and I didn't know when I could perform again, I thought it was a good opportunity to try something new. I wanted to stay in Tucson, and thankfully the UA's late application deadline [in July] gave me a chance to apply."

 

Joseph is happy with his Arizona Law experience so far. All of his 1L classes have been interesting, and he's drawn to labor and employment law, in part based on his time with the symphony.

 

"People spend so much of their lives working, and it's often in situations where they have very little power. You can't vote for your boss, and few workers have the option to just leave for something better. The Tucson Symphony has a union and other mechanisms that make it relatively democratic compared with most workplaces, and I think that's really valuable. It would be great to advocate for people who aren't as lucky."

 

As for starting law school during the pandemic, Joseph takes things in stride: 

"I don't know what it's like to go to law school when there's not a pandemic, so I haven't needed to adjust anything!"

 

Outside of class and music, Joseph's main hobbies are hiking and backpacking. 

"In Tucson there are places to hike every day of the year (even in the summer), and there's always a trail or a peak yet to explore. My favorite place to go near Tucson is Mica Mountain in Saguaro East. I also try to go to Colorado every summer and spend a week or two camping and hiking fourteeners [peaks exceeding 14,000 feet]."