by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
Former Rogers Towers partner and Jacksonville Area Legal Aid pro bono attorney Sandra Hedrick is leaving the legal community for the Presbyterian Seminary in Decatur, Ga.
She said that the legal and ministerial professions have a lot of similarities, although most people view them as almost opposite in nature.
“Most lawyers think it (my leaving for the seminary) sounds great,” said Hedrick. “If I tell a layperson I’m going to seminary (and leaving law behind), they say, ‘Thank God!’ ... And they’re not being worshipful.”
According to Hedrick, both professions focus on the written word. For example, lawyers look to cases and statutes, while religious studies examine the Bible. Lawyers and ministers also try to help people work through their problems, Hedrick said, adding similar persuasive speaking skills develop, as well.
“A person (in ministry or law) has to be able to turn something difficult into something easy to understand and compelling,” said Hedrick.