BPI Alumni Spotlight: Nick Carson

Enjoy the latest from our blog series highlighting former BPI staff, fellows, interns, and directors. Today we’re profiling Nick Carson.

Affiliation with BPI
2015 Summer Fellow for Affordable Housing

Current Position
Associate at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP

Fun fact about yourself
I do improv comedy, and I think everyone should take an improv course before becoming a lawyer. The biggest thing that improv has helped me to do is focus on other people. It’s also helped me be more confident and take more risks.

Why did you choose to work at BPI?

I joined the BPI team because of their history of excellence in public and affordable housing reform. I came in with a real estate background and have an interest in working in real estate in the future, so I really wanted to work with a group that focused on those housing issues.

What unique skills and/or experiences do you bring to your work as a fellow at BPI?

I have a background in historic preservation and have had a lot of exposure to various urban planning and community development issues. That’s a perspective that a lot of law students don’t have.

Why does public interest law attract you?

Public interest law is at the intersection of history, politics, and community development. I think it can play an important role in promoting development in under-resourced communities. A lot of people associate development with gentrification, but I think a lot of new developers are innovative in ways that can have a big impact on places with old housing and without good parks and public amenities.

Why did you decide to get a law degree after earning an undergraduate degree in historic preservation?

Since lawyers are serving the state, they are ultimately serving the public. I believe lawyers have a responsibility to give back and help out their communities. That mindset has always been important to me. Lawyers can use their skills to help other people and challenge the status quo.

What would you like to do after graduating from law school?

My goals are to become a great lawyer and to make sure that I establish a strong relationship with the pro bono community in Chicago so that no matter what I end up doing, I can give back to the community.

What does social justice mean to you?

I think social justice is about building a resource system that gives everybody equal opportunities. I don’t think we have a system in this country in which the government does enough to offer everyone equal opportunities. There are so many aspects of our society and justice system that do not support many segments of the population.

What is one big lesson that you took away from your time at BPI?

At BPI, I learned how important it is to build coalitions with people in the community you wish to serve. You can have noble goals and limitless resources but still fail to achieve those goals if you don’t have people on the same page. You will be much more effective when you ask what people need and then work to meet the needs of the parties involved, rather than trying to impose your strategy on everyone. It is easy to forget that what works on paper doesn’t always work in practice. I appreciate that BPI has taught me to challenge my own conceptions and be adaptable.