Originally from Ohio, rising 3L Ashley Fink earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental conservation biology from Kent State University and initially thought she wanted to pursue a PhD program instead of law school. While pursuing her bachelor’s degree, she participated in a research experience for undergraduates (REU) funded by the National Science Foundation that simulated a PhD program.
Fink enjoyed her REU experience working with a Clemson professor on environmental engineering research, but she realized a PhD program was too specialized and limiting for the broader impact she hoped to make.
“My goal was to get a degree that would open more doors and broaden career opportunities. ” Fink says regarding her journey to higher education. “That’s when I considered law school.”
While working at an environmental consulting company for a year, Fink applied at law schools around the country. Utah Law was on her radar initially because of its environmental law program through the Wallace Stegner Center for Land, Resources and the Environment—but other factors also swayed her decision to attend.
“After being admitted, I scheduled a visit to Utah to see the law school and the surrounding area. Being from Ohio, I was not used to being so close to the mountains, so when I came to Utah, I was amazed by the law school’s proximity to hiking trails in the mountains,” she recalls. “Also, during my visit, the admissions staff member I met with went out of her way to prepare and provide materials that directly addressed the questions I had asked in advance about the environmental law program and employment outcomes. The personalized support I received during this visit stood out and ultimately led me to attend the S.J. Quinney College of Law.”
Fink says she has continued to enjoy Utah Law’s culture, outdoor opportunities, and the relationships she has built over the past two years.
“Law schools can be very competitive, and there is still an element of competition here at SJQ. But I have been able to make genuine connections with people and have found some of my best friends here,” she says. “That’s something that was really important to me since I was moving from out of state for law school.”
She is also grateful that students, faculty and staff have continued to be helpful and supportive, especially since she realized after her first semester that environmental law was no longer the path she wanted to pursue.
“A couple of my friends had taken a class from Professor Jonas Anderson and told me he had a background in intellectual property law and that I should connect with him. We set up a meeting, and he told me all about the different careers in IP, Utah Law’s IP certificate, and the Student IP Law Association (SIPLA),” she says. “After that meeting, I immediately joined SIPLA and started doing research on IP law, which I realized combines my interests in STEM and law.”
Since that time, Fink has begun working toward the IP law certificate and taken classes in patent law, trade secrets, and copyright law. The Utah Bar selected her for its IP scholarship in spring 2025, and she served as vice president of SIPLA from 2024-2025. Fink also enjoyed a patent drafting course taught by Eric Maschoff and Mark Ford of IP law firm Maschoff Brennan and is working there this summer.
While she has enjoyed diving into the IP law space, Fink is also passionate about her job as a student ambassador in Utah Law’s admissions office.
“I’m the first person in my family to go to law school, so while I was considering various law schools, the school faculty and student ambassadors were integral in helping me make my decision. Now, as a student ambassador myself, I am able to support others in the way I was supported,” she explains. “I truly enjoy developing connections with so many prospective students and hearing about their experiences that led them to consider law school. Ultimately, the most fulfilling part of the job is being part of the reason why a prospective student chooses Utah Law.”
When she graduates in 2026, Fink plans to work at an IP law firm and connect with researchers, entrepreneurs, and inventors who want to protect their intellectual property.
“I am drawn to intellectual property law for many reasons, one of which is that it blends my passion for science with the legal field,” she says. “Plus, I enjoy engaging with clients, and it is rewarding to know that my legal work can help bring impactful technologies to the public while protecting the rights of the people behind them.”