After three years of law school and nearly 400 hours of preparation, Gabrielle Altenor ‘21 can proudly say she passed the Kansas bar exam.
According to the American Bar Association, exam prep requires candidates to pass an exam related to professional responsibility, apply for attorney admission based on character and fitness, complete a preparation course and more. The bar exam is offered twice each year. The first of the two six-hour days of testing consists of essay questions while the second day consists of multiple-choice.
In addition to studying for the exam this summer, Altenor also competed in Pratt, Kansas, for the Miss Kansas title. She finished as third place runner-up and became Miss Wichita 2024 alongside fellow Newman alumna Alexis Smith, who was crowed Miss Kansas 2024.
“Both the bar and the pageant took seemingly endless preparation, so when I read that I passed the bar exam, I was happy and relieved,” Altenor said. “I’m not a crier, but after finding out I passed, I immediately started crying and called my family. Most job offers are contingent on bar passage… So, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders after all the studying and waiting.”
Altenor cleared the final hurdle to become a licensed attorney, making her family, friends, supporters and colleagues at Martin Pringle Law Firm proud.
Sentiments from supporters
Michelle Witte, a partner at Martin Pringle, describes Altenor as a “strong, driven, tenacious woman.” Witte was awe-struck by Altenor’s ability to serve as Miss Wichita while completing her last year of law school, working and studying for the bar exam.
“Gabby did it all and did it well,” Witte said. “She used her platform to invest in and advocate for others and our community is better for it. If she can do all that in just three short years, I cannot wait to see what she does with her legal career ahead.”
For Kim Doze-Lohmann, director of marketing at Martin Pringle Law Firm, she will always remember the day she met Altenor. Doze-Lohmann served as a judge for the Miss Wichita competition in 2021 and was immediately struck by Altenor’s confidence, beauty, poise and elegance as she entered the interview portion of the competition.
Doze-Lohmann said her passion for the state of Kansas, education for youth and her drive to succeed was “unmatched” in the competition. She immediately took a photo of Altenor’s bio and messaged the law firm’s recruiters. Doze-Lohmann encouraged them to consider interviewing Altenor for a clerkship opportunity the following summer.
“Fast forward three years and Gabby not only nailed the interview with Martin Pringle, but did an outstanding job during her first summer at the firm as a law clerk, earning her an invite back the following summer and eventually a job offer before she even began her third year of law school,” Doze-Lohmann said. “There is no end to what Gabby will accomplish and I am excited and honored to be along for the ride.”
Witte encourages Altenor to continue using her voice, embracing challenges and “always lead with values.”
“(Gabby’s) journey is just beginning…. She has the power to create change and inspire others,” she added.
Newman roots
Altenor didn’t always want to be a lawyer. Early on in her Newman University journey, the biology student and St. Newman Scholar experienced an unexpected shift in what she believed was her lifelong calling.
“There was an Honors Program event where Dr. (Kelly) McFall brought in honors alumni to discuss their careers,” she explained. “At that point, I was studying biology/pre-med, intended to become a surgeon and had even worked in the medical field and hospital as a certified nurse aid.”
Two of the alumni panelists particularly drew her attention: one a doctor, the other a lawyer. As each discussed a day in their lives, Altenor was captivated by everything the lawyer shared about her experiences.
“That’s when I realized I was called to a career in law,” she said.
Altenor continued with her biology major and Spanish minor but began a pre-law minor, where she immersed herself in legal courses. She also became a member of the Wichita Bar Association during her final year at Newman — something she highly recommends to current students that enabled her to connect and network with local attorneys.
A path to the career of her dreams
Immediately following graduation, Altenor got to work, starting with an internship with Spirit AeroSystems. There, she drafted and negotiated contracts to purchase supplier-design products for use in manufacturing aircrafts.
Throughout her years at Washburn University School of Law, Altenor had a heavy caseload. She clerked at law firms in Topeka and Wichita, served as Martin Pringle’s first extern through Washburn Law’s Third Year Anywhere® program, served as Miss Capital City 2022 and finally Miss Wichita 2024.
Serving as a titleholder while pursuing her future as a lawyer was nothing short of rewarding, she said.
“I’ve earned scholarships for law school through these programs and joined a lifelong sisterhood of highly accomplished women,” Altenor said. “I’ve also been blessed to serve my community in a uniquely beneficial way, as well as develop critical personal skills like public speaking, interviewing, advocacy, modeling, fundraising and confidence.”
For students or alumni juggling a heavy workload, Altenor’s advice is to develop a healthy routine and block time for the people and activities that mean the most.
“Something that helped me was … I still went to the gym, I still budgeted time to volunteer through pageantry and do Miss Wichita appearances and I still made time for girls’ nights with my friends,” she said. “It was important to take study breaks to keep from getting burnt out.”
Altenor said it’s a privilege to continue serving the Wichita community she loves.
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