Rebekah Robinson

Name:

Rebekah Robinson, née Bisson 

MSU Degrees:

BA in English with a minor in Linguistics, 2018

BA in Philosophy, 2018 

          MBA, 2020

Other degrees:

JD, University of Alabama School of Law, 2023 

Favorite memories:

I love the tulips and daffodils all over campus in the spring. 

Current Position:

Assistant Public Defender 

Organization:

Office of the Public Defender, First Circuit - Pensacola, FL 

When you graduated with a degree in English from MSU, what were your plans for your future?  Has your career path mostly realized those early plans, or have you discovered new plans and goals along the way?

When I graduated, I had just made the decision to apply for law school. I still wasn't sure of where I wanted to go or what exactly I wanted to do with a law degree, so I took advantage of MSU's 1.5 year MBA program to give me more time to broaden my skills. I initially thought that I would combine my interest in literature with business and law and practice transactional law somewhere like Nashville, where I hoped I could get involved in the music and publishing industry by writing contracts and copyrights. That remained my goal when I decided to accept the University of Alabama School of Law's offer. Once I was taking law courses and internships at various firms and offices, I realized that transactional law was not my calling. I applied for a position at the Public Defender's office in the First Circuit of Florida, and I was accepted as an Assistant Public Defender. 

What is your current occupation, and what does your work mostly consist of?

I am a criminal defense attorney, and most of my work is conducted in the courtroom. I am appointed to represent the indigent. It's my responsibility as a court-appointed lawyer to inform my clients of the charges against them, advise them on the best way to achieve their goals with the tools available, and defend their rights as outlined in the state and country's Constitution. Essentially, my job is to hold the government accountable. If someone's liberty is at stake, the government needs to be able to prove their charge against my client beyond all reasonable doubt - a high burden but justifiably so. Day-to-day, I meet with clients either in the office or in the jail. I write motions and negotiate with the prosecutor on plea deals. Since I've been licensed to practice, I've conducted 10 trials, with charges ranging from resisting arrest without violence to grand theft. 

Which skills that you learned as an English major do you use most in your job?

I spend so much of my time as an attorney trying to understand my clients and convey their humanity to the prosecutor or to the jury or the judge, which I believe reading has helped me to do. Empathy is certainly a learned skill, and nothing conditions you better for that skill than reading—getting into the head of characters and authors you'd never encounter in-person. Writing essays helped me with my arguments in court. I speak more than I write in my practice, but I always prepare my closing arguments for trial the same way I would write an essay. Similarly, all of the times I had to speak in class and present projects and defend them in front of a class or teachers helped me with my ability to argue in open court. I find that speaking to a jury is similar to how I would teach a class. You have to understand what the issue is, what point you're trying to make, and present it in a way that the jury will follow and find convincing. 

What additional skills did you need to learn in order to do your job, and how did you learn them?

The biggest skill I've learned with this job is how to stand up for myself and others. I'm more assertive and confident than I was before I started working as a defense attorney. 

Are there common misconceptions about your career field, which current English majors might share, that you have learned the truth about?

I think many people believe that if you want to practice law, you need to major in something like political science or sociology. However, I've seen all sorts of undergrad degrees end up at law school. I'm grateful that I studied literature and linguistics before going to law school because it has informed my practice in a full way. Anyone can be a lawyer, not anyone can be a good lawyer. I'm very far away from where I want to be in terms of being a "good lawyer," but I strongly believe that having a rounded education is helping me with that pursuit. I still read, and I need to read. I enjoy reading more because my studies in undergrad taught me how to read in a deeper way. That has helped me in my practice in terms of relating to people, weaving arguments, and keeping sane and balanced. 

In what ways does your career enrich your life and help you to achieve your personal as well as your professional goals? 

I love the work that I do, even when it's hard. There are many hard days when you practice criminal defense. Many of my clients are faced with decisions most people are never exposed to. Some of my clients are difficult to work with and difficult to relate to, but even the most hardened criminal is a human being worthy of the protections that our Constitution has promised. I've found that this job has helped me be more open-minded and brave. 

What advice do you have for undergraduate English majors right now who might want to follow the career path you did?

If you are wanting to pursue a career in law, specifically criminal law, keep doing what you're doing. Keep reading and writing. Pour yourself into your studies as an undergrad because they will benefit you so much as a professional and as a person. Try interning at a courthouse or law firm if you can. Plenty of people go into law school not knowing what they want to do, and they find it along the way. It's okay to not have a clear plan right now. So enjoy what you're doing at the present. Talk with professors in office hours and reach out to attorneys around you. 

[Updated August 2025]