Kristina Fischer '85: Do More Than You Think You Can

It took a while for self-proclaimed “journalism junkie” Kristina Fischer (class of ‘85) to find her calling as a legal journalist. Now the editor-in-chief of The New York Law Journal, she didn’t focus in on journalism until she was in her thirties.

Fischer got her first taste of the profession shortly after earning a degree in English literature in 1973. She taught English at San Jose Community College, and also worked as a reporter for the school’s newspaper, covering minority affairs and student organizations. While she was in San Jose, she also helped found The First Women’s Newspaper in San Jose, now defunct startup. “It was such a shoestring,” she said.

“This was the 70s, and we were a very egalitarian group, meaning we rotated every job. I was a reporter, editor, typist, layout person - you get the picture.”

From 1975 until she enrolled at NYU in 1983, Fischer went through a soul-searching period. She worked at a health food store while going to grad school for American Studies at San Diego State University. She dropped out when she ran out of money, and in 1976 she drove cross-country with a few friends. She ended up in New York, where she waited tables, taught English at a private school, and ran a small business tutoring adolescents in speech and acting. She maintained her business when she started at NYU, taking classes part time.

After graduating with her Masters degree, Fischer got to work right away, honing her skills as a “baby editor” at American Lawyer magazine, a monthly covering lawyers and the business of law, where the experienced staff was a big help. “I was taught by some of the best legal journalists,” said Fischer, including Ellen Pollack (now a page 1 editor at The Wall Street Journal) and Steve Adler (now editor of Business Week).

Her experience there taught her not to be intimidated by the size of a publication’s staff. “If the product is reputable and the editors are competent, it can be a terrific opportunity to learn and grow quickly, because you are forced to do more than you think you can.”

After American Lawyer Fischer worked as managing editor of New Jersey Law Journal. Her connection with Pollack helped her land a senior editing position at Manhattan Lawyer, a weekly started by Pollack. She worked there until she was recruited by Ruth Hochberger to be managing editor at New York Law Journal.

“I was motivated by the idea of working with Ruth, who was a terrific journalist and who ended up as a wonderful teacher and mentor,” said Fischer. Fischer replaced her mentor as editor-in-chief in 2001, when Hochberger retired. Hochberger now teaches as an adjunct journalism professor at NYU.

Fischer likes the fast-paced world of daily newspapers, and forging a connection with reporters and readers, both of which she found at The New York Law Journal.

“I’m very, very happy as an editor,” she said. “I like being able to create an atmosphere where reporters are dying to come to work.”

Many reporters on the staff are lawyers themselves, and the paper gets frequent contributions from writers in the legal community. “There’s tremendous satisfaction in being that close to the readership.”

Fischer advises recent graduates to get right to work, preferably at smaller publications where they will have a significant role. “Small publications give you the opportunity to do so much more,” she said. “Stay open and be willing to dive in and see how it’s done. Look for a job really forces you to learn the basics.”

— By Dietrich Knauth