This is an article about Notre Dame Law School Alum John Crowley, who created Amicus Therapeutics and was applauded by President Donald Trump in an address to Congress. A former attorney, Crowley created the biotech company to try and find a cure for Pompe disease, which his daughter and son survived.
The article discusses how Crowley “transitioned from a career as a lawyer to a career in business consulting and how he became a biotech entrepreneur, despite not being a particularly strong student in math and science.”
Discussing the legal field’s role, the article states: “James Farrington, an adjunct professor at the Law School and a partner in the Corporate Practice Department and Life Sciences Practice Group at Wiggin & Dana LLP in Stamford, Conn…said that it’s important for lawyers to remember how their work can impact scientific advances.
‘You’ll find in your career that you’ll be working many late nights…. One thing that motivated me – being fortunate to work in the life sciences industry – was to know that with most transactions I was working on, there was a Megan or a Patrick somewhere in the world that was affected by that,’ Farrington said.
‘Keep that in mind,’ he said. ‘It’s a race against time. I’m not a scientist, I’m not discovering the drug, but I can get that contract out a day earlier, a week earlier, and get things advanced. That’s what really motivates me and has been very gratifying for me in my career.’”
This is a really inspirational read about a father, a Notre Dame alum, who changed his career to find a cure for a rare disorder that was slowly killing his two children. I can’t get over his quote: “There are several characteristics that entrepreneurs need to be successful, he said. They need to have vision, a tolerance for risk, and – perhaps most of all – the ability to persevere.” He is absolutely correct in stating that perseverance is one of the qualities that is of utmost importance in order for people to thrive in whatever career they put their mind to.
I had the chance to listen to John Crowley speak. His story is very inspiring. He was very lucky that all his efforts came to be a success. He also spoke about religion and the importance of having a support network. He funded his lab with $36k via visa and MasterCard credit cards. He was lucky that people he knew wanted to contribute to the research efforts. And he was willing to risk losing his house to save his children. I think that his story shows that compassion can go a long way, reiterating “a different kind of lawyer” mentality.