CU Law Profiles
Alumnus Profile

Brian Mason

Class of 2006

Age

29

Hometown

Littleton, Colorado

Family Status

Single

Undergraduate Institutions and Degrees

B.A. Kenyon College 1998

Hobbies, Sports, or Extracurricular Passions

Choral music, racquetball, political biographies, and traveling

What were you doing before you came to the University of Colorado Law School?

I worked as a White House staffer in the Clinton Administration for two and a half years. Specifically, I was a legislative aide in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs (located in the East Wing.) In that capacity, I wrote weekly reports to the President and nightly reports for senior White House staff on the activities of the Congress and the progress of the Administration's legislative agenda. It was a great job -- a dream job, really.

At the end of the Clinton Administration, I accepted a job on Capitol Hill as press secretary and legislative advisor to Congressman Pete Stark, a senior Member of the House of Representatives and one of the ranking members of the powerful Ways & Means Committee. I also served as the Congressman's interim chief of staff.

After working for Congressman Stark, I accepted a fellowship through the Robert Bosch Foundation to work in the German government for a year. During my year living in Berlin, I worked in the German Foreign Ministry and the German Bundestag (parliament.) Living and working in Berlin was a memorable experience -- and I came away from it with a much better command of the German language, and a high appreciation for German beer!

After my year in Germany, I moved back to my home state of Colorado to attend law school at CU.

What is one interesting, fun, or offbeat thing you have done in your lifetime?

I used to walk by the Rose Garden every day. It's an experience I will never forget.

Where do you live now (e.g., Boulder, Denver, etc.)?

Boulder

Why did you choose to live there?

I wanted to be close to the Law School.

What do you like most about where you live?

Walking out of my door every morning and looking at the Flatirons.

What do you like least about where you live?

Those Boulderites who care more about prairie dogs than people. And the high property rates.

What piece of advice would you give a student about surviving being a 1L?

The most important thing I learned after my first year is that law school is doable. I was intimidated when I started -- the "aura" of law school is hard to get past sometimes. But it really is doable. You have to work hard. Very hard. But with a strong work ethic (and the right study group!) it's absolutely manageable, and even rewarding.

Why did you want to go to law school in general?

I spent five years working in government before law school. In those five years, one thing became very clear to me: those with a law degree had a leg up on those who did not. In many situations, my boss would ask a question and turn to the lawyer in the room to answer it. I said to myself then: I either want to be able to answer that question'or not have to ask it.

What made you decide to come to the University of Colorado School of Law specifically?

I was looking for a top caliber law school -- and I was looking to come home. CU Law School was a perfect match on both counts. It's a top national law school and is located in my home state of Colorado.

I was also particularly drawn to CU Law School because of its strength in constitutional law.

What do you like most about attending the University of Colorado School of Law?

The sense of community. The quality of the students. The high caliber of the teaching.

What area of law do you want to practice, and why?

Honestly, I'm not sure I want to practice law. I worked in government & politics before law school and I hope to get back into that when I'm done.

If I were to practice, however, I think I'd go into public law. I also really enjoyed my Trial Advocacy course and could imagine doing litigation and trial work -- perhaps as a district attorney. We'll see. The nice thing about a law degree is that it's so versatile. It opens the door to many possibilities.

What piece of advice would you give a prospective student about choosing a law school?

There are lots of factors to consider: reputation, location, cost, and areas of strength, to name a few. You should strive to find a school that is the right match for you with all of these factors, not just one or two.

What was your favorite Law School class? Why?

What student organizations have you been involved with at the Law School?

I represent the Law School on the CU campus student government, called the University of Colorado Student Union. In that capacity, I was heavily involved in writing and passing legislation to fund the construction of our new law building.