With each year that passes there are more and more BIC graduates doing great work all over the world. Each spring we publish brief “Alumni Updates” where our alumni can tell us some about their post-BIC lives. In addition to these annual updates, we post interviews with our alumni. Today we are excited to post an interview with Farrah Najmuddin Lang (’09). We hope you enjoy, and if you are interested in being interviewed for a future blog post, email us at BIC@baylor.edu.
What year did you graduate from Baylor? What did you study?
I graduated from Baylor in December 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science. I then went on to get my J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 2013.
What are you doing currently for work/career? What do you enjoy most about your work?
I currently practice law with Alimohammad & Zafar, PLLC, a boutique law firm in Sugar Land, TX. I primarily practice family litigation and breach of contract litigation. I really enjoy litigating. Only a few cases will get to the point that I have to be in front of a judge arguing my case, but those few are really exhilarating. I also really enjoy the closure and resolution when a case is completed, regardless of whether it’s at trial or through a settlement. Knowing that a client can now move forward with their life and I was able to help them get to that point is very satisfying.
How has your BIC education influenced your life/career since leaving Baylor?
BIC taught me not to look at the world in a vacuum, both personally and professionally. Everything we do touches and affects the world around us. It’s important to understand the power of education and communication. As a society, the more we can learn about each other and from each other, the better our likelihood at making actual and substantial progress.
BIC taught me that people, in general, are more similar then they are different, but we have to be open to the differences.
Do you have a favorite memory from your time in BIC?
I have lots of wonderful memories from BIC and I loved all of the field trips. But, I have to say that some of favorite memories are from just studying for exams, usually for a Cultures class. We would get together either somewhere on campus or at someone’s apartment and sit in a big circle and quiz each other about the material for hours the night before an exam. There was always a lot of laughter and good discussion.
Is there something you learned in BIC that still sticks with you today?
In my capstone course, with Drs. Lynn Tatum and Ann McGlashan, we read Letters to a Young Poet, by Ranier Marie Rilke. There’s a passage in the book that says “And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.” I think about this passage quite often. Life is always presenting more questions than answers and this quote reminds me that it is the questions themselves that make life interesting. The answers will come in their own time.
What are your goals for the future?
I hope to continue to practice law for a while, but I would like to eventually move into public policy. While I was at Baylor, I had the opportunity to work in the Texas legislature, which was an unforgettable and priceless experience. I think one day, I would like to get back to a more policy-based career.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I want to thank my BIC professors. I won’t list them, out of fear of leaving someone out, but I can easily think of many professors, and their classes, that have had a lasting impact on me. I don’t know that I appreciated their enthusiasm for the material and the program while I was at Baylor. I think BIC is a wonderful program that not only prepared me for law school and practicing law, but also taught me to strive to be a better person.
