Where are they now? Lynette Paczkowski: GNA’ 97

Notre Dame Class of 2001; Boston College Law School Class of 2004

Lynette Paczkowski is a 1997 graduate of Greater Nanticoke Area High School. Today she is a successful trial attorney and Senior Associate at Bowditch & Dewey LLP. She is the founder and president of the Young Professionals Women’s Association. This association gives women the opportunity to share their voice on issues relating to the region’s strengths. Paczkowski is on the Community Legal Aid Access to Justice Campaign Committee, and co-chair of the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Worcester County Bar Association. In the courtroom, Lynette helps businesses avoid lawsuits, while advising them on  strengths and weaknesses of their defenses to a lawsuit. She appears in state and federal courts and conducts bench and jury trials. She also represents clients in meditations and arbitration’s.

 What are your fondest memories of GNA? 

Waiting for that first spring day when it was finally warm enough to get outside for softball practice; Fridays in Prob & Stat; friends, classes, sports, and everything else I probably took for granted at the time!

 What extracurricular activities were you involved in at GNA? How did this participation help prepare you for your life after high school?

I played volleyball and softball, managed the boys’ basketball team, and was editor of the yearbook and a member of the Honor Society. My participation in extracurricular’s helped shape my work ethic and my time management and multi-tasking skills. Being involved with team sports also instilled in me a sense of dedication and loyalty to my teammates, as well as an understanding both that other people depend on you and that it’s ok to rely on others to pick you up when you’re having a bad day.

If a student asks you, “why should I consider Notre Dame,” how would you respond? What does it mean to have a degree from the University of Notre Dame?

Notre Dame was perfect for me. It offered classes that were both interesting and challenging; extracurricular, service/ volunteer, and study abroad opportunities; a beautiful campus; and an alumni network that is second to none. It was also a place where your success was not someone else’s failure; it was all about challenging yourself to be and do your best and wanting that same success for those around you. I am proud of my degree and the academic accomplishments and commitment to service to others that it represents. 

Why did you choose to attend Boston College Law School?

Growing up in Nanticoke and attending college in the Midwest at a very “campus-centered” school, I knew that I wanted to be in a city for law school. When I visited the school, I met faculty and students who described a supportive “family” atmosphere similar to what I was used to at Notre Dame, and it felt like it would be a good fit.

 What achievements are you most proud of and why?

 In 2012, I was named one of the Worcester  Journal’s “40 Under 40,” and this year was named by GoLocal Worcester as one of the “14 to Watch in 2014.” Both of these honors mean a lot to me because they are recognition for and  of everything I have done personally and professionally in this community since moving to Worcester, a city in which I knew no one, in 2005. 

What are your future aspirations?  

I plan to make partner at my firm and travel more! 

What do you consider most rewarding about your career?

 I don’t kid myself. As a litigator, a client is usually only calling because there is a problem. So, when I get a good result for the client and can see him breathe a sigh of relief or hear her say, “thank you,” it’s pretty gratifying. 

What advice can you offer to current GNA students?

 Don’t underestimate yourself. I think it was Wayne Gretzky who said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Believe in yourself and take that shot; you just may make it after all.