You may assume being a primary yr affiliate at a serious Biglaw agency like Sidley Austin can be greater than sufficient to maintain somebody busy. However Rochelle Ballantyne has greater plans. The NYU Legislation grad is at the moment ranked by the U.S. Chess Federation as an professional, however she has has her sight set on the grasp rank.
As Ballantyne informed ABA Journal, the world of Biglaw litigation and aggressive chess aren’t as totally different as you could assume.
“Chess is a combative sport, and so is litigation,” Ballantyne says. “There’s a winner and a loser, and I prefer to win.”
Since she was a baby, Ballantyne competed in chess tournaments all through the nation, and on a number of events, she competed overseas—studying expertise that she says assist her in her authorized profession.
“In chess, you must have the flexibility to assume steps forward of your opponent,” Ballantyne says. “As a litigator, you aren’t simply interested by the opposing argument however the arguments and responses that come after that. You may have to have the ability to anticipate what’s going to occur far forward.”
This isn’t the primary time Ballantyne has garnered consideration for her chess exploits — she appeared within the 2012 documentary Brooklyn Citadel in regards to the chess program at I.S. 318.
“My junior highschool group was actually good, among the best within the nation,” says Ballantyne, who attributes partly her educational success to the experiences that she had enjoying chess.
If she achieves her aim of grasp rank, she’ll be the primary Black girl to take action.
“My reaching this aim would I hope present Black women that somebody who seems likes like them can obtain in male-dominated sports activities like chess,” says Ballantyne, who’s on the board of administrators of the Reward of Chess. The group focuses on donating 1 million chess units globally by 2030 to make the sport accessible and reasonably priced worldwide.
“I’m proud to be a part of this group as a result of I understand how a lot chess has meant to me, and I wish to share that with extra folks that appear to be me and are available from my background,” Ballantyne says.
Better of luck to Ballantyne as she continues to stability the worlds of chess and Biglaw.
Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Legislation, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Considering Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the very best, so please join together with her. Be at liberty to e-mail her with any suggestions, questions, or feedback and comply with her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @Kathryn1@mastodon.social.
