James Wilkerson (Vinson Chapter)
Adjunct Professor, Indiana University Southeast/Speaker, Greek University
TITLE: The Wall of Windows: Empowering Young Attorneys in the Face of Imposter Syndrome
Presenting Friday, August 2nd from 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Imposter syndrome is a common experience among young attorneys, characterized by feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy, and fear of being exposed as a fraud despite evidence of competence. This session aims to provide future attorneys and lawyers with strategies to overcome imposter syndrome and thrive in their legal careers. Through a mix of empirical research, personal anecdotes, and practical tips, participants will gain insights into recognizing imposter syndrome, reframing negative self-talk, and building confidence in their professional abilities.
Learning Outcomes:
• Participants will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of imposter syndrome, including self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of failure.
• Participants will explore the underlying beliefs and experiences that contribute to imposter syndrome.
• Participants will learn practical techniques for challenging negative self-talk and reframing unhelpful beliefs about their abilities.
• Participants will understand the importance of building a support network of mentors, peers, and allies in overcoming imposter syndrome.
Biography:
James Wilkerson began his role at Indiana University Southeast on April 6th, 2020. He is a Kentuckiana native, born in Louisville, Kentucky and raised in New Albany, Indiana. He received his Bachelors degree in English from the University of Louisville in 2006. Later, he would earn his Masters degree in Communication from Bellarmine University in 2013. He would then receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of Louisville in 2018.
James’ career in higher education began at Ivy Tech Community College in 2010 where he served as an academic counselor. In 2011, he would join the admissions team at Bellarmine University as the minority recruitment counselor. There, Wilkerson would create the Multicultural Visit Program; a series of admission outreach events that focused on multicultural high school students. In 2014, Wilkerson would return to the University of Louisville as the Senior Program Coordinator for the African American Male Initiative. As the head of this program, Wilkerson would work to strengthen black male retention at the university and provide resources to raise the overall black male grade point average.
In 2015, Wilkerson began his role as an advocate for sexual assault prevention and healthy masculinity practices. This role has seen him guest lecture to numerous colleges, high schools, and Greek Life chapters, nationwide. He is also an accomplished TEDx speaker, speaking at TEDxBloomington in 2021, TEDxBellarmineU in 2022, and TEDxLakeSuperiorState in 2023. In addition to being published in numerous legal publications, Wilkerson has served as a regular columnist in the Louisville Eccentric Observer and the “I Taught the Law” online legal journal. His column “The Title IX Guy” focuses on matters of sexual assault, masculinity, and bystander intervention. In 2021, his book “The Title IX Guy” was published on Nanny Goat Press. It would be named a best seller in Amazon's Gender and Law genre. He would release his second book, "Consent Is ____: The Things They Didn't Teach You in Sex Ed in 2023. This book would also reach best seller status in the Gender and Law genre. Wilkerson also serves as a professor in the areas of gender studies and sex crimes. His signature course, Advanced Issues in Criminal Law: Sex Offenses, examines sex offenders and discusses their motives, the laws surrounding them, and various rehabilitation methods.
Wilkerson was named one of Louisville Business First’s "20 People to Know in Law" in 2019 and was inducted into the publication’s 2021 "Forty Under 40 class." In 2022, he would be named a part of Southern Indiana Business' "Twenty Under 40 class." Wilkerson has been named Best Local Writer twice in the LEO's Reader's Choice Award (2021 & 2022). He also serves on numerous boards including Louisville’s Domestic Violence Prevention Commission.
In his spare time, he loves to travel with his wife Alexandria and cheer on their favorite football team, the Minnesota Vikings.
