For Tanya Bovée '01, law school changed the way she approached her daily life.

"You don't necessarily take things at face value," she says. She learned how to tackle problems in a logical way and how to find solutions to them.

Bovée puts those skills to good use in her current job as an associate with Jackson Lewis LLP, a national labor and employment law firm. Working in the firm's Hartford, Conn., office, Bovée handles cases related to discrimination and retaliation claims against management. Bovée also conducts training for employers to ensure that they understand the law.

"I love it. The nice thing about representing management is that you can partner with your clients. It creates close relationships," she says. Bovée joined the firm in 2004.

She says she didn't always picture herself practicing in this area of the law. As a student, Bovée was primarily interested in tax law. Her favorite professor was Mary Ferrari, who was able to make the required tax law class interesting, she says. "You didn't expect to like it. She was able to really break down complex concepts." Bovée also participated in moot court competitions, including the Mugel National Tax Moot Court Competition in Buffalo, N.Y.

Bovée's early interest in tax law was the impetus for starting her legal career at Arthur Andersen, where she worked on international tax law matters. After a year there, she decided to switch gears and pursue employment law. She started by representing employees, working at two small law firms in Connecticut. The experience helped her understand both sides of employment law.

She also makes time to give back to the community. She serves on the diversity committee at her firm and the Connecticut Bar Association and she's president of the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association. The group runs a mentor program to assist local Asian Pacific American law students in becoming successful attorneys. They also partner with local and national bar associations to host programs and conferences.

A member of the School of Law's alumni association board, Bovée works hard to get current Quinnipiac students involved in CAPABA . "It's a great way to meet other area attorneys and learn about their practices," she says.