University of Kansas School of Law Blog

Ch-ch-ch-changes! The latest and greatest at Wheat Law Library.

2012-01-25T16:03:00.001-06:00

Meet Allison Reeve, the newest librarian.

As we start a new year and a new semester, we are happy to announce a few changes at the Wheat Law Library.

Our new Kansas Supreme Court Research Clinic is under way. Thanks to Associate Director Chris Steadham for spearheading this venture, and a special thanks to Dean Mazza for his support in this process. The clinic is a wonderful opportunity not just for students but for the law school to build a stronger relationship with the court. The students will no doubt learn some incredibly valuable skills while helping the court answer some tough questions. On the schedule are lunch with the Kansas Supreme Court early in the semester and presentations at the end. We are very excited for this new class.

We also have a new hire! Allison Reeve is our new Cataloging and Technical Services Librarian. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2006 with a bachelor’s in Spanish and anthropology. During her time at KU, she also worked as a circulation student assistant and library assistant at the Wheat Law Library. Allison earned a Master of Information and Library Studies and a Master of Foreign Language and Literature with a concentration in Spanish literature from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in May 2011. While living in Milwaukee, she worked at the Golda Meir Library in various positions and as an assistant lecturer in the Spanish department. Allison returns to the Wheat Law Library in her new position and is glad to be back in Lawrence and at KU. Please join us in welcoming Allison.

Welcome back students! We hope you have a fantastic semester!

W. Blake Wilson, Head of Instructional and Research Services

Legal Education: A Positive Outlook in an Uncertain Time

2012-01-05T08:50:00.001-06:00

What do Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln all have in common? Among other things, they were all lawyers. These three political figures have arguably done more for social justice than anyone else in history. However, it might not have been that way had they not been legally trained. As a lawyer, Mahatma Gandhi became a highly influential political activist, leading several nonviolent campaigns to defend his people’s rights and gain independence for India. Nelson Mandela became a lawyer to equip himself with the necessary tools to fight apartheid and alleviate racial segregation in South Africa. Abraham Lincoln used his legal education to lead an entire country through the American Civil War, ending slavery and rededicating our nation to equal rights. In my opinion, legal education is an intellectual boot camp of sorts that prepares people for leadership roles beyond the confines of the courtroom. It not only teaches future lawyers the vastness of the law, but also introduces a new way of thinking and conceptualizing that enables people to discover new perspectives of our world.

In the midst of the “Great Recession,” much attention is paid to the lack of job opportunities available to law school graduates. Unfortunately, this negative focus sometimes overshadows the actual quality of training acquired in law school. Although the relentless Socratic method is not always enjoyable, I believe that legal education deserves to be viewed favorably – even more so during these harsh economic times. The true value of law school should not be judged solely on the merit of immediate job opportunities, but on the abilities we develop in training to be a lawyer. There is no other curriculum out there that can duplicate the wide range of benefits associated with learning to “think like a lawyer.” The following are a few underappreciated benefits of a legal education (with or without an immediate job offer):

You Acquire Options No Other Education Can Provide

Upon graduation, a legal education will open a wide variety of proverbial doors. Subsequent to bar passage, most law school graduates choose to become lawyers and apply their legal education to the revered practice of law. Fortunately for these people, the legal universe is immense and specialty areas of practice are practically infinite. Some may choose to open their own solo practice, whereas others have their sights set on the big firm. Some will take their legal education straight to the courtroom, while others will devote their knowledge to complex transactional matters from the comfort of their office. A lawyer’s options in the practice of law run the gamut and nothing inhibits a lawyer from exploring the terrain of every avenue. With a little determination, there is virtually no limit to what a law school graduate can achieve within the profession.

That being said, law school graduates are by no means bound to the legal profession. On the contrary, law school grads may become whatever it is they want to be. Unfortunately, legal education alone will not send you to Mars aboard NASA’s Constellation, nor will it propel you to the first round of the NBA draft. Nevertheless, a law degree will show future employers that you are an ambitious and intelligent person. Law school graduates have excelled in practically every legitimate job out there. The J.D. gives graduates a leg up in almost every career path, simply due to the skills and attributes it cultivates. At the very least, all careers value the ability to understand and comprehend the law because of the relationship between the legal system and our economy. Regardless of what career path is taken, the multiple career options available to legal graduates are a relative luxury that should not be overlooked. While job opportunities may not currently be as plentiful in comparison to past years, if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you will definitely find something.

You Develop The Ability to Gather, Analyze and Communicate Information

John Quincy Adams once said, “[T]o furnish the means of acquiring knowledge is . . . the greatest benefit that can be conferred upon mankind.” In the Information Age, the ability to gather, analyze and communicate information is invaluable. Not coincidentally, these skills are part and parcel of modern legal education.

To most law students, an unanswered question is merely a research challenge. As more information is uploaded to the Internet everyday, the skill of online researching has become increasingly important. Information that seemed nearly impossible to obtain in the past is now only a few clicks away. Whether it be a research assignment from an employer or a heated dispute among friends, the ability to find pertinent information in a timely manner is invaluable.

Of course, to make a good decision, you not only need good information, but you must be able to analyze it. The study of law sharpens critical thinking, reasoning and analytical skills. Law students develop the ability to identify a myriad of factors that can affect an outcome and understand how they relate to each other. Law school instills in students the ability to quickly and accurately make assessments and decisions.

Finally, the last piece of the information-flow puzzle: communicating. The values of communication skills extend well beyond success in your legal career. The ability to effectively communicate a message will largely determine whether any given endeavor is successful. The value of gathering and analyzing information is quite limited if the findings cannot be clearly and concisely expressed to others. Even in personal relationships, the ability to communicate is at the very core of connecting with another person.

You Gain Confidence in Your Own Judgment

While others often try to avoid confrontation and questioning, lawyers cannot. Every lawyer knows that there is no clear answer to every question. This means that part of your job as a legal professional is learning to gain confidence in your judgment. Indeed, this is exactly what made Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln so special, because they trusted their own judgment even when up against seemingly-impossible opposition. They were able to stare adversity in the eye and fight it off with a reasoned stance. By definition, leaders must have the ability to trust his or her judgment.

I came to law school not only for the possibility of becoming a lawyer, but also to receive what I believe to be the best educational experience in the country. I will never again have the opportunity to devote every waking moment to the study of such a vast and complex system. Like Ghandi, Mandela, and Lincoln, my legal education provides me with the necessary tools to succeed and the potential to make a difference. If I choose to practice law after graduation – excellent. If I choose to use my legal education for a non-legal career path – equally great. I think the balance to being happy and successful is the ultimate goal and legal education can provide this balance in numerous ways. Legal education should be appreciated for its unique virtues, regardless of the state of our economy or the many uncertainties that lie ahead.

Anthony Michael Knipp is a third-year law student. This piece originally appeared in the December 2010 edition of the Journal of the Kansas Bar Association.

The town that built me

2011-12-20T09:51:00.002-06:00

As a small girl, I would walk in circles around the giant metal cross that stood outside my church. As my parents caught up with their friends after mass, I would trace my hand across its rough surface, rusted from the weather, biding my time until I could pick out a Sunday donut. After a few trips around, I would stop, stare up at the towering rood, and slap my hand against it to listen to the echo move through its hollow center up to the sky.

In that stage of my life, I told my parents I wanted to be a hospital when I grew up. Impossibility meant nothing to me, and not a single real worry wandered my way. Life was a given, just like that cross standing tall to greet us every Sunday morning, or my brother walking home from Irving Elementary with me every Monday afternoon, or a stadium of fans cheering on the Eagles at home football games on Fridays nights. But even as a young girl, that town began to build skills in me that I would need somewhere down the line, slowly teaching me lessons about respecting others, facing challenges head on, and never giving up. Because two blocks away from that church, at a small two-story brick elementary school, I learned that sometimes just being nice to others can change their whole day when a classmate helped dust off my jeans after a spill on the playground. A few more blocks down the road at South Middle School, I learned that perseverance pays off after spending hours and hours squeaking notes out of my clarinet before I could play the song just right. And a few miles away on the volleyball and basketball court of Joplin High School, I learned that success isn’t necessarily measured in the number of wins at the end of the season, but in the way the game is played.

Years down the line, after I used those skills to persevere through the struggle that is law school, I watched my town begin to struggle its way through the biggest battle that it would ever face. Because on the night of my commencement from law school, all that was left of my church was that towering metal cross, the walls of my fifth-grade classroom splayed out to cover the site of many tether ball battles, broken blinds protruded out of the windows of the band room at old South Middle, and the gymnasium ceiling crashed down to meet that wooden court at the high school. Seeing those buildings, which always stood like bookmarks of my past, crumbled and torn apart sent a deep sorrow through me. But throughout this past summer, I’ve realized that my foundation doesn’t lie in those buildings. No, I’ve learned that it is the people of Joplin who have always been my foundation—supporting me, leading by example, and bringing me back to who I really am. And while my heart broke when I saw their hurt and heard their stories, my heart has filled with pride as I have watched them begin picking up the pieces and marching back towards normalcy.

What I’ve learned from Joplin is that integrity, charity, and resiliency shine in a time of tragedy. But as I reflect on this summer, I can see that these characteristics don’t need to be stored away for some unimaginable catastrophe. No, they are applicable in every aspect of life—every day. They are the same lessons that have pushed me through small crises, the same lessons that saved me from going crazy in law school, the same lessons I’ll use in the future for some new challenge I’m sure I’ll face. And as a fresh class heads toward its first set of finals in Green Hall and my classmates head into their new careers, I thought it might be helpful to share some of those lessons for others to use when facing their own personal challenges.

Lesson 1: When it looks impossible at first, just start working and worry about the impossibility later.

More than a few times, I have looked at a research assignment, an insane editing schedule, or just the unknown future and thought, “There is no way I can handle this.” When my brain starts to panic, I have to remind myself to just take it one step at a time and trudge through what I can at that moment.

I had to remind myself to focus on the small steps when I went home the week after the storm. To walk into a place that is so familiar, with images etched into your every fiber, and not recognize anything or even know where you are standing is more than unnerving. For the people who stood in front of their own homes and saw nothing left, that feeling multiplied into incredulity. But brick by brick, tree limb by tree limb, and board by board people literally just started picking up the pieces, not focusing on the impossibility of it all. Soon, truck after truck hauled the shattered pieces of the town away, leaving a barren scar across its face. And slowly but steadily, new nails, boards, and bricks have begun to soften the jagged edge of that scar, making the new beginning, which seemed impossible a few months ago, a closer reality.

And so, Joplin has again reminded me of a valuable lesson: When it seems impossible, just start moving, and with a little work, the finish line will soon seem much closer than first thought.

Lesson 2: You can’t always do it by yourself—you have to rely on others; they can’t always do it by themselves—you have to help.

When working through something challenging, it becomes easy to get caught up in personal battles and forget the people around you. In law school, I constantly had to remind myself to step back and see the people who could help me and the people who I could help—it’s too easy to forget that you don’t have to face all challenges by yourself.

The people of Joplin haven’t had to travel this journey by themselves either. In fact, in a place that has seen so much heartache, I’ve never seen so much generosity and love. For example, as a friend started the task of tearing rain soaked walls and ceilings out of his house, a crew of strangers showed up at his door. In a few hours, their saws and muscles had taken out every wall and ceiling in that house. When they were done, they moved down the road to the next person in need. This group was just one of hundreds. The various efforts have been organized on rebuildjoplin.org, allowing anyone to find a way to help. Many attorneys have assisted and continue to assist in Joplin, including the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys and Legal Aid of Western Missouri. All of these people and groups recognized a need and gave what they could. The outpouring of help is overwhelmingly wonderful.

Maybe the outpouring of help has been so great because the hurt is so raw and easy to identify. But a helping hand has the same impact in less drastic situations. You don’t need to wait until a tragedy strikes to offer assistance and strike a chord in someone’s heart. Every small gesture of kindness can have a huge return. And any small gesture is a blessing in the competitive environment of law school, where students can get so focused on the individual battle.

So, take a step back and look at the people around you—you can probably do something to make their life easier. And if you let them, they can probably do the same for you.

Lesson 3: No one knows exactly what they’re doing; don’t make that your excuse.

I’ve heard it from fellow law students, I’ve heard it friends, and my own thoughts have screamed it at me: “Everyone else knows what they’re doing, but I just feel like I’m stumbling along.”

You probably are stumbling along, but everyone else is probably in the same situation. The people who look like they have it all together and who end up being the most successful are most likely just putting their insecurities aside, focusing on the skills they can use, and using their resources to make up in the areas they lack. Sometimes, you just have to ignore the stumbling when work needs to be done.

Nowhere has this been more evident than in the Joplin schools. How can any school district know how to get back to teaching kids when ten of its schools suffered damage and hundreds of teachers lost their classrooms and supplies all in one day? No one knows. But in the spring, the district promised to start the school year on time. While I’m sure the path wasn’t exactly smooth, on Aug. 17, those schools opened their doors to welcome students back. And to the outside world, the school district looked like it implemented a plan that had been in place all along. Why? Because even though it might not have known exactly how to get those kids back into a school, it got to work, using the resources it had and reaching out to find the help it needed—something we can all do when faced with a new challenge.

So move forward one step at a time, help where you can, accept help when you need it, and act like your stumbling is all part of your plan. The people of Joplin have, and so far they are pushing through this tragedy.

On my last trip home, I walked around that now lonely metal cross one more time and brushed my fingers across the metal face. This time the feel of that cool metal on my hand sent an echo through me, rumbling memories to my core. This town may never look the same, and those places that have always stored my memories may never be replaced. But the values and principles that they stood for will live on in me and all the other people that this town helped to build.

— Melissa Plunkett was extremely blessed that her family suffered no damage to their home from the storm, she will forever be a Joplin Eagle, and she listened to Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” too many times while writing this article. She is a 2011 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Kansas Law Review and as a member of the Moot Court Council. Melissa is currently clerking for Judge Julie Robinson in Topeka, Kan. This column first appeared in the November/December 2011 issue of the Journal of the Kansas Bar Association.

Local restaurant fare makes law school more delicious

2011-12-08T11:45:00.001-06:00

As most people who know me will attest, I like to eat – and I like it more when someone else does the cooking for me. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook, but sometimes after a long week of focusing on law, I prefer to pay someone else to do it. Luckily, Lawrence boasts a wealth of local flavor, and after two years of law school, I’ve eaten at my fair share of hometown restaurants. While each of these is a small luxury and not as cheap as a McRib, they do represent a sampling of my favorite Lawrence foods. I know that these have little to do with law school, but they sure have made my time here a little more delicious. Not to mention, I have studied at each one of these places at one time or another.

So here are five of my favorites, in no particular order.

Beef Wellington Burger
The Burger Stand @ the Casbah

A friend brought me to the Burger Stand when it was still located in the back of another restaurant in Lawrence. They’ve since moved to their own location, and the burgers were, and still are, some of the very best in Lawrence. While any of the other selections make for excellent eating, the Beef Wellington Burger with a side of truffle fries takes a high spot on my pre-execution short list. It includes specially blended beef patty, sitting upon a freshly cooked bun, covered with liver pate, fresh locally grown greens, and topped with a little puff pastry. Served infrequently, you’ll see more KU football victories than days this burger is on the menu. But for the lucky and patient, it’s well worth the experience. If you miss it, the other burgers are also very good and most are available year-round.

They also have a 62-inch TV. Seriously.

The Craig’s Italiano
23rd Street Brewery

Far easier to obtain, and sized to stretch into leftover territory, are the calzones at 23rd Street. Introduced to these monsters in my first year of law school by a former roommate, I thought he was joking when he said he used this as a way of making his parents treat him to several meals. The Craig’s Italiano is the king of these and filled with every meaty topping available. Half of one of these bad boys is enough to satisfy most, and the taste is phenomenal. Golden brown with a soft bread crust, each comes with a little dipping sauce on the side. Combined with one of their homebrewed beers, it is a filling and delicious experience – today and tomorrow.

Pizza
The Wheel

A Lawrence staple recently listed as one of the 100 most iconic college bars, The Wheel also serves pizza, though I failed in my first attempts to grab a slice. I found out later that they only make pizza at night, and on game days they only sell pizza after games. While there isn’t any real seating inside The Wheel, the pizza is quite good for late-night fare, and I don’t mind standing to get it. Not to mention they serve honey for dipping the crust in, so it’s like a mini dessert. Maybe I’m biased because I had to walk there four times to finally get pizza, but the effort matched the taste in my book. Get there late, or don’t get any at all.

Burnt Ends
Biggs BBQ

While there are several places to eat barbecue in Lawrence, I find myself coming back to Biggs for the burnt ends. You can get them as part of a platter, by the pound or – my personal favorite – as a half-appetizer between 9 and 11 p.m. Biggs’ own version of the Kansas mainstay, these smoky, chewy bits concentrate the best smoky taste into the smallest space. Served with sweet, regular or hot barbecue sauce on white bread, they make the perfect meal. Or snack. The only problem is they run out. People really seem to like these things.

The Lieutenant Dan
Java Break

Either named after a real soldier names Dan, or inspired by “Forrest Gump,” this coffee concoction is the best-selling drink at this small Lawrence study spot. While not necessarily unique in ingredients, this drink is just a solid example of a good drink done well. Caramel, vanilla and double chocolate. The chocolate is homemade, and the espresso is brewed fresh daily. Covered with whipped cream and a little extra chocolate sauce, it’s a treat you can get 24-7. But it’s half off between 7 and 9 a.m.

Nate Behncke, 3L and Student Ambassador

Practice makes perfect: recent moot court successes highlight importance of courtroom skills

2011-11-30T14:45:00.001-06:00

From left, Joshua Hawley, Jill Moenius, Glen Norton, Eddie Penner and James Layton.

Nathan Lindsey and Chris Omlid.

You might have heard about the recent successes of the KU Law Moot Court Council in big time competitions.

Third-year law students Nathan Lindsey and Chris Omlid won first place in the John Marshall Law School International Moot Court Competition in Information Technology & Privacy Law, beating out 23 other team from across the country and around the world. Another dynamic third-year duo, Jill Moenius and Eddie Penner is headed to nationals in New York after winning regionals. They topped 15 other schools, including Arkansas, the school that had the best team in the nation two years ago.

Their wins extended a streak of achievements for KU Law moot court, including a team that advanced to nationals earlier this year, two students placing in the top ten oralists at another international competition last year, and a team that traveled to Taipei in 2009 to compete in the international finals of European Law Students’ Association Moot Court Competition.

All law students get a taste of the moot court experience with Lawyering Skills, but continuing beyond that is optional. For those who enjoy the experience, second-year students can participate in KU’s own Moot Court Competition, and the top eight teams form KU’s Moot Court Council. The Council represents KU in various national and international competitions every year.

So what does this have to do with careers? Well, some recent KU grads who were also on the Moot Court Council have found early career success. Beau Jackson, who was part of the team that traveled to Taipei and who won best oralist in the opening rounds of the competition, now works as an associate for Adduci, Mastriani and Schaumberg LLP in Washington, D.C. Brooke Edenfield, who won sixth-place oralist in the international competition last year, is an associate at Walters Bender Strohbehn & Vaughan PC in Kansas City. And Lindsay Grise, a 2011 graduate who competed at nationals, is now an environmental/construction associate at Shook, Hardy & Bacon in Kansas City.

You can chalk this up to coincidence, but it makes sense that students who were successful in moot court are also successful lawyers, since moot court mirrors a central part of the actual profession. It might seem nerve-wracking to get up and argue a brief before a judge, but consistent practice often leads to consistent success upon graduation. Participating in moot court can help you become a better lawyer and, at the very least, give you a better grasp of the skills you’ll need in the courtroom. And if you decide to participate in the Moot Court Competition, you will get some feedback from the very best in the profession, like in 2008 when Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was the judge.

If this has convinced you that moot court is worthwhile, be sure to sign up for LAW 960 Moot Court Competition and look for a partner before the spring semester starts. For more information about the program, visit the moot court section of the KU Law website, or get in touch with Pamela Keller, the faculty adviser for the program.

Wrongfully convicted civil rights activist, exiled 40 years, speaks to Innocence Project students

2011-11-22T12:54:00.001-06:00

Alyssa Boone (second from left) is pictured with Frederick Umoja, his daughter, and Project for Innocence staff, attorney Alice White and clinical associate professor Elizabeth Cateforis.

Law professors are fond of telling their students not to “lose sight of the forest for the trees.” However, often as a law student, my here and now seems like little more than a string of reading assignments that teach me the divergent tax treatment of support, property and alimony, or how to navigate an endless maze of statutes. While I know there are greater goals for my career in the long term, I have a hard time feeling like I’m accomplishing it in the day to day.

The greater goals that brought many of us to law school are things like justice, equality, and opportunity. Justice is a big concept, but it’s alive and well in the crowded offices at the Innocence Project.

Technically, we’re the Paul E. Wilson Project for Innocence and Post-Conviction Remedies. I started the Project this semester, and one of my first assignments was Rev. Frederick Umoja’s case. I knew that he was wrongfully convicted, along with several other people, in Kansas about 40 years ago. He fled to Africa and has been there since, even though his daughter is in the U.S. and hasn’t seen him that entire time. After the Project helped him wipe his record clean, he enlisted the Project to help him find a way back. I’d hardly started working on his case when Beth, my supervisor, caught me outside the law school and said, “You know Mr. Umoja’s case?” I started to explain that I finally had a chance to start working on it as she said, “He’ll be in class tomorrow, so apparently he’s worked some of it out on his own.”

I was a little dumbstruck. His case had seemed so complicated and remote. Up until then, I’d been reading about a string of administrative problems that were mostly rooted in events that occurred in foreign countries. Suddenly, his story couldn’t be more real.

And the next day, there he was. Rev. Umoja showed up with his daughter, Jackie Johnson. His voice filled the room as he shared his story. He first told us about his time in Kansas. He was an activist for racial equality, but as he explained it, such activists were divided into two groups: those who proceeded with violence and those who believed there was another way. Umoja believed there was another way. However, racial tensions ran high, and many people refused to distinguish between these groups, labeling all equal rights activists as violent extremists. These same people accused Umoja and eight others in a trial full of fabricated evidence and racial prejudice.

Umoja wasn’t worried because he knew he had done nothing wrong. However, he was convicted, and he lost on appeal. At this point, he looked at us and asked, “How could a nation that claims to be the epitome of justice and equality, a nation that prides itself on being a civil nation, allow this to happen?” The fact remains that our country allowed this to happen. As a result, Umoja fled to Tanzania, leaving behind a 3-year-old daughter, eventually settling in Liberia.

For 40 years, Umoja lived through brutal civil wars, counseling child militants. He sought to teach children the value of education and the path to self-awareness.

He described living in a community where bodies littered the streets. The bones became a part of the landscape, such that children would play football with the discarded skulls.

Umoja described being under attack. He was once shot at for four hours while hiding inside his home. Eventually, his attackers got in and a young boy put his AK-47 in Umoja’s mouth. As he tells it, “He asked me, ‘Why didn’t you let us in?’ and I took his AK from my mouth.” He motioned gently, moving the gun aside. “And I said, ‘Because you were shooting at me.’” The boy seemed to respect Umoja’s resistance to violence. Later that night, that same boy came back, along with others, and asked Umoja for water. The Reverend not only gave them water, but also fed them. They sat down with him, and he asked them all, “Who are you?” None of the boys knew, and Umoja began helping them find their purposes and identities. Every week, they would come by Umoja’s house and talk.

In his time there, Umoja counseled 5,000 youth combatants like those boys. Only two returned to fight. He taught at a high school that became the top high school in Liberia and worked to establish a university there. Recently, attorneys and student interns at the Innocence Project helped get Umoja clemency. His record is cleared, and he repeatedly expressed his gratitude. He is thrilled to be reunited with his daughter, Jackie Johnson.

When class was over, I got to speak with Ms. Johnson. I asked her when she and her father had first reconnected.

“A year before last June,” she said. “I didn’t know if he was dead or alive. I didn’t know anything. I’d been trying to find anything I could, but in the ’80s we didn’t have the Internet. We didn’t have cell phones. I asked my mom, but she would always say, ‘I’ll tell you when you’re older,’ and one day I was older, and she was dead. I asked my grandma where the papers were, but she had Alzheimer’s, and she couldn’t tell me.”

Johnson told me that she has barely slept since her father bought his airplane ticket, and even less since he arrived. They have stayed up until the early hours of the morning, and he has told her all about his life. She asks him for more stories until neither can keep their eyes open.

“He’s the best dad in the world,” she said. “Nobody has a dad like him. Nobody.”

When I was a senior at KU, finishing up my degree in flute performance and frantically applying to law schools, I didn’t know why I was doing it. Rev. Umoja and Ms. Johnson are why I am in law school. They are why most of us do it: because our legal education allows us to be the voice of justice in our community.

Sometimes our work becomes routine and our day-to-day tasks seem mundane. Rev. Umoja was a helpful reminder that those tasks are just trees in an impressive forest.

Alyssa Boone, 3L and Student Ambassador

Poor lawyer? A 3L finds challenges, rewards in public interest law

2011-11-17T09:39:00.001-06:00

Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." It is for this reason that I love to work in public interest law. As a 3L and the president of our Public Interest Law society, I have had great experiences at KU Law learning about the opportunities in this field. Most of all, I've appreciated meeting community members who lead in the practice through example. Though it can often feel like the “road less traveled” in a busy trafficway of rock-star resumes, mounting debt and competitive classmates, I hope to find a career in public interest law. I think KU has given me the tools to do just that.

Jessica Lewicki (back row, third from left) is president of the KU Public Interest Law Society. The group volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity build site earlier this year.

In the field of public interest law, eager young lawyers have to jump on every opportunity they can. Through my work opportunities during my time at KU, I have had the privilege to work at the Department of Homeland Security, Kansas Court of Appeals, Army JAG Legal Services and Project for Innocence & Post-Conviction Remedies. I have researched and briefed complex legal issues concerning immigration, criminal, family and international law. My successful public interest-minded mentors have a few things in common: They love interacting with clients, participating in the courtroom and working as part of a team. Due to our tight-knit community at Green Hall, KU Law students graduate with these skills honed and practiced — an invaluable asset for new grads.

When not at work or in the classroom, I think it is important for public interest lawyers to stay involved politically, socially and philanthropically. My public interest mentor also told me to prepare to feel uncomfortable, be ready to step out of my comfort zone and embrace the learning curve. My Kansas City Immigration Court internship pushed me to do just that. I researched and wrote about female genital mutilation in Nigeria and how it affects some African asylum-seekers and their chances for relief from deportation. In unrelated cases, I researched deportees’ options within the Mexican health care system, African religion and culture, and Latin American economics. In the JAG, I worked with cases ranging from spousal abuse to paternity determinations and AWOLs. These experiences led me to appreciate not only the power of the courtroom, but also how global issues and topics affect the everyday lives of those in our community. Even though we are a Midwestern city, we are still part of a global community helping people. I am proud to have found that connection at KU Law.

Finally, as a young public interest law student at KU, I have learned to both lead and listen to people from all walks of life. From the elderly inmates I represent in the Project for Innocence, to law school hopefuls from diverse backgrounds, to parents of mentally challenged adults in need of legal guardianship, I work with a wide variety of people. A student intrigued by public interest law will have a diverse circle of supervisors and clients at KU Law. Working on emotionally challenging topics and a variety of backgrounds and issues is both a challenge and a thrill I look forward to continuing to pursue.

Overall, the community of young public interest law attorneys I have met at KU embodies a quality-focused and community-oriented mentality. I cannot imagine a better place to begin my legal career or a better opportunity to give back to my community than through a career in public interest law.

Jessica Lewicki, 3L and Student Ambassador

The perfect study break, trivia night also yields bragging rights

2011-11-10T12:33:00.001-06:00

In my few months as a law student, one of the most important things I have learned is how to balance the rigors of law school with the reality of the outside world. It is so easy to get caught up in reading, outlining, writing assignments and venting with fellow students that you forget there is, indeed, another world out there, a world you used to be an active member of and actually enjoy. It is of utmost importance to drag yourself away from your study carrel for at least a few hours a week and see the light of day. I have tried to make a priority of staying in touch with non-law school friends and family, working out when I can, and curling up with a good episode of "Mad Men."

One of my favorite activities is weekly trivia at a local bar. The Wednesday night trivia tradition began over the summer when a group of my fellow students and I decided to get a few drinks and try our luck at trivia. After six rounds of questions from categories covering topics across the board, we found ourselves the third-place champions and recipients of a $10 gift certificate – enough incentive to come back again the next week and shoot for the first-place $50 prize. It just so happened that the following week we, in fact, did win first place, confirming we were natural trivia whizzes. With the exception of a few weeks spent studying for finals, we have become consistent contenders, using our nerdiness to our advantage and accumulating hundreds of dollars in bar gift certificates.

We recently took it upon ourselves to make the 2L team our No. 1 rival. As long as we beat the 2Ls, we consider ourselves champions. Our greatest victory was the night we came from behind to beat the first-place 2Ls on the final question. It is important we have the bragging rights in Green Hall.

We are always looking for sharp minds with area expertise to join the team. If you are particularly knowledgeable in the fields of sports or music, we’d love to have you.

Whitney Novak, 1L and Student Ambassador

A day in the life of a 2L

2011-11-04T12:06:00.000-05:00

Day in the Life is a three-part series following a 1L, 2L and 3L through a typical day of law school. The second installment is written by 2L Andy Stein.

7:15 a.m.

The soothing tones of Incubus’ “Aqueous Transmission” emanate from my phone and awake me from my always-deep slumber. It’s important to pick a song you don’t mind hearing everyday — multiple times on the rough mornings (snooze) — for your alarm. After a quick get-ready routine, I grab a s’mores-flavored Pop Tart and head out the door to class.

8:10 a.m.

Jurisdiction is first on the menu for my weekly Thursday three-law-course meal. This class has proven helpful in a number of ways. Thanks to Professor Mulligan’s occasional “and which rule of Civil Procedure does this come from?” questions, it’s a great review of some 1L coursework. Secondly, I have gotten a good baseline understanding of such elusive topics as where, when, how, and what to sue and who can do it. The jokes about studying a plaintiff’s standing, even while we are sitting, are great, too.

9:15 a.m.

I stay parked right in the same comfy seat for my next class, Business Associations. I am thankful for this, because the case book, statutory supplement, and Professor Hecker’s notes join forces to form a formidable stack to carry around. Today we go over problems which methodically tease apart the dense statutory language that governs a corporation’s distribution of dividends to various investors. Despite how that description makes the exercise sound, Professor Hecker ensures that the 55 minutes of BA will be a good time for all involved.

10:20 a.m.

I head up to the second floor for my final course of the day: Secured Transactions. Today we discuss some specific provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code regulating competitions among creditors for collateral. After a class period of Professor Ware’s Socratic attack of the material, I leave with a more solid understanding of the previous night’s reading, but not before Professor Ware poses, with a smirk, a familiar open-ended question as to whether a particular law actually makes sense and agrees with our personal compass for justice.

12:45 p.m.

After some lunch, I am now halfway to Topeka for my weekly visit to the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of Kansas to fulfill my duties in the Judicial Clerkship Clinic. Today I spend about an hour observing courtroom proceedings and another three hours working on an order ruling on a motion for summary judgment. This motion is particularly interesting to me because the substance of the suit involves a question of agency law, which I recently covered in Business Associations. Additionally, I know why we are applying another state’s substantive law in a Kansas Federal court thanks to my Jurisdiction class. The immediate practical use of knowledge I pick up in class is something I really enjoy about law school.

5:40 p.m.

I am now back at the law school to finish an editing assignment for Law Review and to read a few cases for tomorrow’s triple-header of classes. Luckily, I was particularly productive yesterday and there isn’t too much for much for me to accomplish. I finish up in just a couple hours.

8:45 p.m.

After running home, changing, and grabbing a quick bite to eat, I arrive at T.G.I.T, the weekly social gathering for law students, sponsored by the Student Bar Association. I don’t always make it to T.G.I.T. because my class schedule is loaded toward the end of the week, so I’m particularly excited to be out and about this Thursday. I hang out for a couple hours, long enough to catch up with everyone and meet a few new people before heading home.

11:30 p.m.

Thursdays are particularly busy for me, and I’m wiped out. I’m excited to get to bed for that reason, but also because tomorrow is Friday, which means I’ll be playing basketball at the student rec center after class and looking forward to the weekend ahead.

Andy Stein, 2L and Student Ambassador

Annual Pub Games fundraiser tonight!

2011-11-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

The KU International Law Society (ILS) invites you to take part in its annual Pub Games fundraiser―a night to converse around the keg and put your brains and brawn to the test! This year, tournament games include beer pong, Big Buck Hunter, pool, darts, shuffleboard, and trivia. Participants can sign-up ahead of time to compete individually or in teams. Winners won't walk away with just pride and glory...prizes will be awarded, too!

What: Pub Games
When: Thursday, November 3 at 8:30 p.m.
Where: The Phoggy Dog, located on 2228 Iowa St.

Tickets sales start on Halloween. Price of admission is $10 if paid ahead of time and $15 at the door. For any questions regarding Pub Games, please contact event chair Alessandra McCoy.

As one of the largest and longest running organizations at KU Law, the ILS seeks to promote interest in and understanding of international law, comparative law, and international relations through panel discussions, guest speakers, informational meetings, and social events. Our next event is a study abroad informational meeting on Tuesday, November 15.

Teresa Val, President, International Law Society

The librarians are coming! Wheat Law Library to host joint conference in Lawrence

2011-11-01T12:58:00.000-05:00

The Wheat Law Library will host the joint Mid-America Association of Law Libraries (MAALL) and Southwestern Association of Law Libraries (SWALL) conference on Nov. 3-5. On Nov. 3-4, all activities take place at The Oread. Librarians and information specialist from academic law libraries, law firms, and court and government libraries from 13 states in the area will attend. Approximately 125 people have registered for this exciting conference. Planning for this event has culminated in an excellent agenda of educational programs, tours to the Dole Institute and other venues on campus and in the city of Lawrence.

All of the law library staff will be involved in the conference. The library will be staffed, and public and technical services will continue during the conference. The local arrangements committee and staff have commitments as speakers, panelists, and other duties. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we will staff the library with a “skeleton crew,” consisting of circulation students, library research assistants and available staff.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, conference attendees will meet at the law school from 8 a.m. until noon. During their time at the law school, participants will tour the building and library. Thanks to Dean Stephen Mazza, Crystal Mai and all who supported us and helped us finish the “extreme makeover” of the circulation and reference desk area in time for the conference.

Learn more about the conference on the conference website. If you have questions or are interested in attending, feel free to contact me.

Joyce McCray Pearson, Wheat Law Library Director & Associate Professor of Law

A day in the life of a 1L

2011-10-26T14:44:00.000-05:00

Day in the Life is a three-part series following a 1L, 2L and 3L through a typical day of law school. The series opens today with 1L Michele Kraak.

6:30 Monday morning
My first alarm goes off. I don’t have class until 9:15, but I’m a snooze button abuser and I always like to start my day watching “Good Morning America” at 7. After majoring in broadcast journalism at Oklahoma State and working at a TV news station for three years, I’m kind of a news nerd. I also like to have some coffee and relax in the morning. It’s a good stress reliever and sets a good tone for the week.

8:30 a.m.
I pull into the Burge Union parking lot. My goal every morning is to get here at 8, but somehow I always seem to be a little late. As long as I’m here by 8:30, I can find a parking spot. After that, it fills up really quickly so I have to park at the Rec Center. It’s not a bad walk, though, and I get to walk by Allen Fieldhouse and think about how great basketball season will be. Before class, I either catch up on reading or get a little bit ahead or work on any assignments I might have. Sometimes, if I’m actually caught up on everything (which isn’t very often, but it’s amazing when it happens!), I just sit and talk to classmates in the commons.

9:15 a.m.
I’m up today in Criminal Law. I’ve been in law school for a few months now, and I still get nervous to talk in class. Luckily, my professor has us go up in groups of three, so I have two other people to fall back on. Every professor has a different system. Some have you go up on your own but tell you when you’ll be up, and some just randomly call on people. It gets a little intense if you get nervous like me, but the professors are always really nice about everything and no one kicks you out like in “Legally Blonde” if you don’t know the answer.

9:57 a.m.

My first time checking Facebook today. Not every teacher will let you bring a computer into class, probably for this reason. But in classes in which I am allowed to have one, I try to keep my distractions to a minimum. I even set up my Gmail to make me invisible so if I accidentally log on to chat, no one will see me.

11:25 a.m.
Criminal Law ended 10 minutes ago, and now Torts II is starting. I like Mondays because I have these two classes back to back and they’re in the same room, so I don’t even have to move. I get to take Torts II because I was a summer starter, and I really enjoyed taking Torts over the summer, so I chose this as one of my electives. It’s a little intimidating to have class with 2Ls and 3Ls, but they’re all really nice and helpful, and I don’t think they judge us too much when we talk in class.

12:20 p.m.
I’m done with class for the day, and I meet some of my fellow summer starters for lunch in the commons. Over the summer, we all brought our lunch to school with us, and after class we’d take an hour to eat and talk and relax before getting back to work. It’s a great way to unwind and get your focus back. The commons has a couple of microwaves and refrigerators, and if you don’t feel like bringing anything in, the Burge is right across the street and has all kinds of good lunch options.

1:30 p.m.
Back to work. I always start by doing my reading for the classes I have the next day, which are Criminal Law and Torts II again. Tomorrow after class, I’ll work on reading for my Wednesday classes: Civil Procedure, Lawyering, and Business Associations 1. Civil Procedure and Lawyering are required 1L classes, and Business Associations 1 is my other elective.

5:27 p.m.
All my reading is done, and I’m heading over to the Rec Center for an intramural indoor soccer game. KU has so many activities you can get involved in, and our 1L class is taking full advantage. We have a 1L flag football team, the soccer team, and we also try to organize pub crawls on Mass Street one Friday night every couple of months. School is definitely a lot of work, but you have to remember to find time to go out and have fun, or you’ll probably lose your sanity. Everyone is in the same boat, so we’re good about keeping each other on track. It is competitive, but we’re also becoming really good friends. I’ve also found exercise is a great way clear my head. I like to treat law school like a job. I’m there all day, but then I always try to leave by 6 and do something fun for the evening. On days I don’t have an intramural game, I like to have dinner with other 1Ls, or sometimes I come home and catch up on my TV shows or read a book that isn’t for law school.

7:03 p.m.
We won, and we’re heading to the playoffs! I usually stay and work out for a little bit after the games while I’m here. KU’s Rec Center is amazing. It has everything you could ever want to do, even a rock-climbing wall. There are also a ton of classes you can take at a really great price. There really is something for everyone.

8:17 p.m.
I’m back home again. I like to think of my apartment as a law-free zone. Sometimes I bring homework back here with me, but I usually leave it all at the school and come home to relax. I make dinner, shower, and turn on the Monday Night Football game for a little bit. About 60 students are going to the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game in a few weeks, and I can’t wait. I helped organize this event with a 3L. Having a smaller school is great because you get to be around people from your own class all the time, but you also get to hang out with the upperclassmen. They’re all really great about helping with classes any way they can. They’ve all been here, too.

11:06 p.m.
I try to be in bed around 11 because 6:30 is always a lot earlier than I think it will be. But it’s nice to have a routine, and it’s good practice for the 8 to 5 real world schedule that I’ll (hopefully) find myself in after law school. I can’t believe I’m already almost done with my first semester and that I’ll graduate in just two and a half years. Law school is flying by, and I’m so excited to see what the rest of my time here at KU will bring!

Michele Kraak, 1L and Student Ambassador

A race of wits: Bluebook Relays return for 22nd year

2011-10-25T13:16:00.000-05:00

Barber Emerson Bluebook Relays
Friday, October 28, 2011 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Green Hall

View photos from last year's Relays

Each fall, first-year law students participate in the Barber Emerson Bluebook Relays. The competition, sponsored by a Lawrence law firm, tests legal research skills learned in the Lawyering program. Working in teams, students locate references in the library and write the citation in correct Bluebook format. The point system rewards speed, accuracy and citation skills. There is a cash prize for the winning team, but the big reward is the fun that comes from putting competition in perspective.

The History

In 1990, 1L Steve Passer jump-started the Passer Bluebook Relays, which would become one of the school's most memorable traditions. Steve personally provided the prize money until graduating, when the dean took over as financial sponsor for the event. In the mid-1990s, the junior attorneys at Barber Emerson decided to provide prize money in honor of well-liked founding attorney Richard A. Barber. Barber Emerson remains the event's sponsor today, and attorneys from the firm sit as judges for the event each year.

The Rules

NO cell phones.
NO running.
Do not remove books from their locations on the shelf.
Only bring a pad of paper and a pen with you.
The Blue Book "expert" must stay outside of the library.

The teams will consist of 10 members: nine runners and one bluebook "expert." Each team has 45 minutes to complete the relay. A whistle will be blown to mark start and stop times. Each team receives nine questions covering nine citation examples learned in the Lawyering course. Each question is worth 10 points, and deductions are made for minor or major citing errors. There will be proctors monitoring runners throughout the library.

For more information, contact Jeff Montgomery, serials department manager and Bluebook Relays coordinator.

Blake Wilson, Head of Instructional and Research Services

Friendly faces and tasty food: New admissions dean confirms rumors, busts myths about Midwest

2011-10-24T15:06:00.000-05:00

Hello! It’s been six weeks since I moved from Philadelphia to Lawrence to begin my new position as Assistant Dean of Admissions here at the KU School of Law. Now there’s an old adage that a visitor can only really understand a place if they’ve been there two weeks or 20 years. I’m going to stretch that a bit and give you a few thoughts on my new home and my new law school after having spent six weeks here.

First, the rumors about the Midwest are true. People here are really friendly, even when they don’t have to be. It is such a nice feeling to walk into a Massachusetts Street store or a law classroom and to have people just smile at you. I think my first real taste of this was at a football tailgate party hosted by the KU Law Student Bar Association. It was my first real chance to meet with our students, and it was just a really nice introduction to how closely knit the students were and how welcoming they were to someone new. I can’t wait until basketball season starts.

Second, the food here is really good, and I haven’t even been to Oklahoma Joe’s yet. Yep, Kansas is definitely famous for its barbecue, and I’m looking forward to entering the great “best barbecue joint” debate. But Lawrence has a really nice food scene with a mix of very foodie-friendly spots like 715 and Pachamamas, and great student spots like Esquina for tacos and Dempsey’s for burgers. And just about every restaurant here is on the locavore bandwagon, so you can feel good chowing down on a burger knowing that burger came from just outside of town.

Third and finally, our students have a great sense of pride in their law school. Our students know they are joining a law school with a long, rich history, and they look forward to adding to the success stories that our school has been generating for more than a century. And that makes me feel good, because one reason I moved here was the opportunity to be part of the Jayhawk story.

Rock chalk!

Steven Freedman, Assistant Dean for Admissions

Law school grades not most important hiring criterion for firms

2011-10-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

If you’re dead set on making great grades in law school to land a job, you’re overlooking something even more important.

At least, that’s what the National Jurist magazine found when it polled hiring partners at mid-sized law firms across the country. The survey showed that the most important criterion when making a hiring decision was the candidate’s personality, or fit with the culture already in place. In second place was the quality of the materials presented, from the resume to the writing sample. Grades came in third place, only slightly ahead of work experience. The least important criterion on the list was the courses that a candidate had taken during law school.

Unlike large firms, where background can make or break a candidate, smaller firms tend to focus more on the individual and how he or she will mesh with a tight-knit staff. You’ll still want to have a strong resume coming into the interview, but you’ll also want to think about how your skills can meet the needs of the specific firm. Think about how you can showcase your personality when answering questions, and try to establish rapport during the course of the interview. Smaller firms place a great deal of value on detail-oriented individuals with a positive, determined attitude, so if you can give them examples of how you fit these traits, all the better.

Networking is also essential. Strong referrals can speak volumes to the quality of your character, and the only way to get these referrals is to make connections, early and often, with professionals. Fortunately, KU Law gives you many opportunities to network, whether it’s with attorneys at Legal Career Options Day (on Nov. 3), or with alums through the Career Services Alumni Network (available at Symplicity). Over 15 percent of law students get jobs through referrals, and it’s another way to demonstrate your individual merits to smaller firms.

Even if you don’t plan to work at a small firm when you graduate, the economy dictates that it’s a strong possibility. Statistics from the National Association of Law Placement show that 53.3 percent of 2010 graduates ended up at firms with 50 employees or smaller. Here’s an even more eye-opening number: 48 percent of law students will get a job with a firm that has 25 attorneys or fewer. KU Law reflects similar statistics. For 2010 graduates entering private practice, 40.3 percent work for a firm with 2-10 employees, and 19.5 percent work for firms with 11-25 employees. Another NALP report indicates that while big firms had to cut back on hires, small firms continued to hire at the same pace.

Timing is also important. Fall OCIs are coming to a close, and most of the big firms are moving into decision phase for their hires. If you haven’t made OCIs, or you have a feeling that you didn’t do well, don’t despair. About half of mid-sized law firms hire on an as-needed basis throughout the school year, so there’s no set schedule for interviews. And a full 42 percent of these firms don’t make hires until after the fall semester. You still have plenty of time to find employment, especially if you know where to look.

One last piece of good news: You can’t change past grades or jobs, but you can always improve the quality of your interview materials and your interviewing skills. Stop by the Office of Career Services today to get started.

OutLaws and Allies brings successful event to campus

2011-10-17T16:06:00.000-05:00

OutLaws and Allies is a support system and safe social circle for LGBT students, staff, faculty and their allies within the University of Kansas School of Law who share a vision for equality regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, while providing a forum for the exploration of, and education in, advancing LGBT rights.

OutLaws and Allies hosts events that impact the entire Kansas community. In late September, OutLaws and Allies, the Federalist Society and KC Legal co-hosted a gay marriage debate. The event featured Dale Carpenter, a professor of civil rights and civil liberties law at the University of Minnesota, and Dale Schowengerdt, a litigator for the Alliance Defense Fund. Carpenter is a frequent writer and speaker in the area of sexual orientation law. Schowengerdt has litigated against same-sex marriage and in defense of a number of traditional marriage-law acts, including the federal Defense of Marriage Act. The event offered a rigorous discussion of diverging perspectives on the topic of gay marriage to a standing-room-only audience.

The evening before the event, KC Legal sponsored a networking reception with Dale Carpenter in Kansas City.

OutLaws and Allies’ next event will be a TGIT event, co-sponsored with the Public Interest Law Society. For more information about the TGIT or about OutLaws and Allies, please contact Matthew Riley at matthewriley@ku.edu.

Andrea Kalish, vice president, OutLaws & Allies

KLFP has KU Law covered

2011-10-13T21:47:00.000-05:00

Kansas Law Free Press is the student-run newspaper of the University of Kansas School of Law. KLFP is about new things, big ideas, awkwardness, intellectual diversity, refinement, and getting to the point. It's dedicated to informing, inspiring and entertaining the students, faculty and administration at KU Law, as well as the community at large. KLFP publishes every other Monday during the academic year.

KLFP was founded in March 2010 by Slade Bond, L'11. Since its founding, KLFP has had over 100,000 visitors. It has also recently appeared in the ABA Journal, Dime Magazine, Deadspin, Above the Law, the Pitch, and USLaw.com.

Issue 19 published this week. In it, read the second installment of the how-to-get-a-free-lunch guide, vote to rename the semicolon, relive the pain of OCIs, and learn about a pending case that could change college athletics. Check it out at klfp.org.

If you'd like to join our mailing list or submit an article for publication, please send an email to kansaslawfreepress@gmail.com.

Lani Leighton, editor, Kansas Law Free Press

Video game gladiators spark interest in media law

2011-10-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

Greetings! I wanted to share my experience in a place far from the middle of the United States that has helped guide my legal path. As an undergrad, I was fortunate enough to visit Seoul, Korea, where I have a neighborhood friend working full-time in the video game industry. Although I am not an avid video game player myself, the industry fascinated me. Here is an excerpt of an article I wrote for the International Business Newsletter after attending an e-sports event:

“It was as if I walked into a coliseum of virtual athletes. I purchased a ticket, and entered into a stadium that makes most concert venues look like a middle school Christmas pageant. Colossal TVs and advertisements completely covered every inch of free space. The seats were full. Everyone was making noise with their inflatable thunder sticks. People were even holding watermelons and bananas (I later found out that one of the competitors was named the Fruit Dealer). The hosts introduced the athletes to national television, which was then translated into various languages for spectators across the world. Tensions between the competitors were rising. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were on the line. It was time for intergalactic battle.

Glancing around, I witnessed a prevailing trend that is continuing to grow. Not only is the sport cheap to begin, for it only takes a small initial investment in the game and time, it is extremely marketable. When the wave came around to my section and I stood up flailing my hands in the air, it was evident: The fans are having bundles of fun, and businesses are making bundles of money. E-sports in the East are a force to be reckoned with.”

This sparked my interest in media law. Seeing the progression of a new industry, speaking with the interesting people involved, and the future of a newly developing law to me is very enticing. Although, being a 1L, I am waiting until I encounter all areas of law before I make my decision.

So now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with KU Law, and I can tell you: a lot. One of the best aspects of KU Law is the various clinics available. If I do happen to follow my interest in media law, there is a Media Law Clinic available. I will be able to experience practical, in-depth studies of law, policy, regulation, and professional ethics that shape the relationship between communications media and such institutions as the judiciary, legislature, agencies, businesses, education, and the professions.

KU Law offers various clinics, ranging from criminal law to tribal law. In fact, KU Law is ranked in the top 20 for clinical opportunities by the National Jurist Magazine. We are ranked 19th, just above Harvard.

Even though KU and Korea are very far apart, to me they are interconnected by the media, as are many places worldwide. KU Law has the ability to accommodate my future in media law, as well as the many unique paths of others.

George Sand, 1L and Student Ambassador

KU Law Interfaith Coalition joins student groups for common cause

2011-10-05T13:02:00.000-05:00

The KU Law Interfaith Coalition (KLIC) is an organization designed to promote education and service at KU Law. Our members include the Christian Legal Society, the Islamic Law Students Association, the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, the Jewish Law Students Association, the Saint Thomas More Society and a number of unaffiliated students. All students, staff and faculty are welcome to participate in our activities.

KLIC sponsors a variety of events for the law school community. Our most recent one was a co-sponsored event with the International Law Society. The event, a 9/11 Forum on Sept. 20, was a panel discussion on the topic “Federal Perspectives on Religion, Security and Terrorism.” Professor David Gottlieb, who teaches international human rights, moderated a discussion between Robert Baumann and Donald Haider-Markel. Baumann is the director of graduate degree programs for the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth and also teaches at KU. Haider-Markel is a professor of political science at KU. The speakers had a rigorous discussion on how the political and social landscapes have changed since 9/11, both theoretically and practically. Students’ critical inquiries following the discussion were ultimately followed by a concluding message from Gottlieb of hope for positive change in the future. In a time rife with challenges to legal freedoms, it was a day of remembrance and hope.

KLIC’s next event is this month, when our members will spend a day helping a local Habitat for Humanity build a house. For more information or to participate, please contact Samantha Clark at samanthalclark@gmail.com. For more information about KLIC in general, please contact Andrea Kalish at andreakalish@gmail.com.

Andrea Kalish, president, KU Law Interfaith Coalition

From Lawrence with Love

2011-09-28T11:15:00.000-05:00

Homecoming festivities have already begun, and this year’s theme is “From Lawrence with Love.” If you’re reading this, you may think that Homecoming has nothing to do with law school. You would be wrong. Although many of the events that occur during Homecoming Week are aimed at the undergraduate student body, the actual day of Homecoming and its festivities are intended for everyone.

As a KU undergrad, I was fortunate to experience Homecoming traditions at KU for many years. Some of the events and my participation have definitely changed since starting law school; however, some things never change. KU prides itself on the unique traditions that give us national recognition. Homecoming gives alumni, current students, future students, family, and friends the opportunity to reunite and continue those traditions as we share them with others.
KU plays Texas Tech at 11 a.m. Saturday, but the Homecoming celebrations begin way before kickoff. The “Pregame Pancakes” begin at 7 a.m. at the Adams Alumni Center parking lot. Proceeds from the breakfast will be donated to the United Way of Douglas County. The Homecoming Parade at 8 a.m. is a great way to bring your friends and family out to see all the different floats that various student organizations have spent all week building.

Tailgating is a great part of celebrating and enjoying football season. The Student Bar Association is hosting a tailgate on the Hill, where free bagels, soft drinks, juices, and beer will be provided. The SBA tailgate is a great way to meet with other students, professors, and alumni in a more casual setting. Many alumni travel from all over to return to Lawrence for Homecoming, and it is a great way to learn about what it was like for them when they were students at KU. My mentor’s husband is a KU Law alumnus, and I met the couple for the first time last year at the Homecoming tailgate. My mentor and I had been in contact since the Mentor Program paired us together, but it was nice meeting her in a relaxed and comfortable situation. Another event where third-year law students have the opportunity to meet alumni is the KU Law Homecoming Reception, which takes place at the Oread immediately following the game.

Regardless of where you went to undergraduate school, your years at Green Hall will make you a Jayhawk for life. I strongly encourage you to go out and experience some of the great traditions the university has to offer. Years from now, you too will be able to return to Lawrence for Homecoming to reminisce and keep the traditions alive.

Juliette Nguyen, 2L and Student Ambassador

Speakers to present diverging perspectives on same-sex marriage

2011-09-26T13:05:00.000-05:00

KU Federalist Society, KU OutLAWS and Allies, and KC Legal are pleased to announce "Same-Sex Marriage: Diverging Perspectives" from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, in 104 Green Hall. We are fortunate to have two respected speakers who will give their arguments for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

The Federalist Society is proud to welcome Dale Carpenter (pictured, top right), the Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law at the University of Minnesota. He will be discussing the “Conservative Case for Gay Marriage” with Dale Schowengerdt. Schowengerdt (pictured, bottom right) is a seasoned litigator who has worked with the Alliance Defense Fund since 2003. Schowengerdt has been involved in dozens of marriage cases, including challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) and challenges to several state marriage amendments. He is currently representing Congressman Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, in a case against DOMA in the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

In true KU Federalist Society tradition, Chipotle will be served for lunch. We hope you will join us on Tuesday for this exciting and informative discussion.

Samantha Horner, president, KU Federalist Society

I accept: job offer etiquette and professional standards

2011-09-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

You’re probably well aware of job interview etiquette: be on time, dress professionally, make eye contact, ask relevant questions, and follow up post-interview.

But you might not know that etiquette is also involved in the job offer and decision-making process, and it’s important to remember as you search for employment. All ABA-accredited law schools and most of the largest legal employers of lawyers in the United States, including firms, agencies and some corporations, belong to NALP, the National Association for Law Placement. This association has created a set of ethical guidelines for participants in the job recruiting process. Employers who belong to NALP must leave offers open for specified lengths of time, and as a job candidate, you are expected to accept or deny offers (or apply for an extension) by the appropriate deadline.
So what are these deadlines? The chart below provides a quick reference point.

Say you’re a 2L who already has one summer of work under your belt. If you get a job offer from a larger company (40 attorneys or more) during the fall semester, NALP requires that they keep this offer open until at least Nov. 1. If the offer is made after Nov. 1, then it should remain open for at least two weeks from the date of the offer letter. After that period of time, the job offer will expire.

If you’ve never worked for an employer before, or you’re applying to a smaller company, it’s a little more straightforward. You will typically have 28 days to respond to the job offer if it’s from a company with over 40 attorneys. And whether you’ve been employed before or not, if the company has less than 40 attorneys you’ll have three weeks to respond to an offer made before Dec. 15, and two weeks if the offer comes after this date.

If you excel in the interview process and receive multiple offers, there’s another guideline to keep in mind. NALP recommends that students should not hold open more than five offers of employment at any one time. So if you’ve got five offers on the table and receive a sixth, it’s ethical to release one of your offers within one week. It may be ethical, but it’s also smart. Holding multiple offers keeps other qualified candidates from having a chance at a position, and it can also be more difficult to accept the right position when you’re overwhelmed with offers.

Job offer etiquette might not seem like a big deal, but employers who belong to NALP take it very seriously out of respect for fairness in the interview process. You’re even encouraged to report an employer who’s violating these guidelines to the Office of Career Services. As Fall 2011 OCI comes to a close, you’ll enhance your professional image by following this protocol during the next stage of the job-hunting process. But more importantly, you’ll also be upholding the ethical standards of the legal profession.

For more information, consult “Student Professionalism During the Interview Season: A Quick Guide to Your Ethical Responsibilities in the Offer and Decision-Making Process” (March 2010).

1L shares remedies to cure law school burnout

2011-09-21T13:42:00.000-05:00

There’s something about a day of sitting in classes, reading between classes, and looking forward to a night of more reading that can really wear a girl (or guy) out. Luckily, I’ve already found a few tried-and-true remedies to perk me up after a full day at Green Hall.

Veg out

This is definitely an old favorite. To veg out with real flair, I recommend investing in a Netflix subscription. If you don’t have cable (like me), Netflix is a necessity; but even if you do, it’s great for bingeing on hours of commercial-free TV. Even if you opt out of Netflix, make sure to give your brain some “candy” occasionally, whether it’s in the form of “Family Guy” reruns, a video game, a novel, or a magazine like Cosmo. Nothing recharges me for a new day of learning the law like spending an hour or two turning my mind into mush.

Work out

I have never been a huge fan of “physical activity.” There’s something about making myself tired and sweaty just for fun that’s always seemed counterproductive to me. However, since all of our law classes are in one building, eliminating any need for walking around campus, I realized I needed to get moving. Fortunately, KU has a lot of exercise options. Some of my sportier friends have joined the 1L flag football team or Lawrence’s ultimate frisbee team, but I wanted something more laid back. I paid a visit to KU’s Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center (the Rec for short) and started taking the yoga and pilates fitness classes they offer regularly. I really like yoga and pilates because they’re not too strenuous, but they allow me to relax, stretch out, and work my poor atrophied muscles. The Rec is free for students, but classes are $3 each, or $50 for a semester pass. That’s a really good deal considering other Lawrence fitness clubs charge between $100-$200 for six months. The Rec offers a wide variety of fitness classes during all times of the day and evening, so it’s easy to set up a schedule that fits my week and stick with it. After I work out, I feel refreshed, refocused and pleasantly reminded that my body is good for something besides sitting hunched over books all day.

Eat out

Who wants to think about making dinner after a full day of school and studying? Not this law student. I want something easy, quick and cheap, and I can only eat scrambled eggs for dinner so many times in a week. Luckily, Lawrence is full of options that fit my budget. One of my favorite areas to grab a bite is Massachusetts Street. This is Lawrence’s soul, a cute downtown area full of shops and unique (but cheap) restaurants. For great pizza, head to Papa Keno’s, where the slices are big, the toppings are varied and the prices are low. If you’re craving Latin American cuisine, I recommend La Parrilla, which serves authentic dishes in huge portions. Is comfort food what your heart desires? Noodles & Co., although a chain restaurant, is a good bet for warm pastas and a cozy atmosphere. If none of those eateries sounds like what you’re looking for, just take a stroll down Mass. Street some evening and browse. Italian, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, seafood or a good burger: You’ll find it all at a decent price.

Go out

“Social life? What social life?” That’s something I expected to hear from most KU Law students when I first came here. Happily, nothing could be farther from the truth. While law school is undoubtedly time-consuming, the students here place a big value on taking time off to relax and socialize together. The Student Bar Association does a fantastic job of organizing all kinds of events, such as football tailgates, a weekly TGIT (Thank God It’s Thursday) outing to a local bar, and even a spring prom. There are gatherings on a weekly basis where we can all hang out and finally talk about something besides civil procedure. But even if you can’t stand the sight of your classmates after seeing them in class all week (which is unlikely), it’s important to see your friends and get out of your rut. Maintaining your social life will help you maintain your sanity. So find something fun to do with friends once in awhile, whether it’s at a law school function or not.

Long story short: Don’t let law school make you a sad little prisoner of the Wheat Law Library – it doesn’t have to be that way! Find what helps you unwind the best and make sure you take the time to do it regularly. Allow yourself the time to do something you enjoy, and give your mind and body a break from the grind. I haven’t been here long, but law school is proving to be an exciting adventure. I don’t want to miss a second of it from being burned out!
Aubrey Wilson, 1L and Student Ambassador

Could you be getting more out of Google's search engine? Some tips and tricks

2011-09-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

Recently, the Wheat Law Library received a book titled Google for Lawyers: Essential Search Tips and Productivity Tools," by Carole A. Levitt and Mark E. Rosch. I instantly fell in love with it.

For those of you who don’t know, Google started off as a basic search engine but has grown into a means of categorizing and disseminating electronic information. Included in its bag of tricks are services for navigating the Web, media storage and retrieval, geo-location, home and office tools, social sites and specialized searching.

Google for Lawyers goes into great depth into how someone might be able to use Google and all of its services to practice law. What I would like to do here is simply show you how to use Google’s search engine more efficiently. If you find this interesting, then perhaps you should give "Google for Lawyers" a look-see. We have it on reserve, available for a four-hour checkout. Then, if you like it, go pick up a copy!

Basic skills

Don’t worry about spelling. Google's spell checker automatically defaults to the most common spelling of a given word, whether or not you spell it correctly.

Check your Web history. Web history offers you a log of websites you've visited, a timeline of your actions and the ability to search your own online history.

KISS. No matter what you're looking for, your motto should be, “Keep it simple, stupid.” Start by entering a basic name or word. If you're looking for a place or product in a specific location, enter the name along with the town or zip code.

Choose simple, Web-friendly words. Perhaps this goes along with KISS. A search engine works by matching the words you enter to pages on the Web. So using words that are most likely to appear on pages will yield the best results. For example, instead of saying, "My head hurts," say "headache," because that's the term a medical website would use.

Less is more. Simple, one- or two-word search terms will usually give you the broadest results. Start with short search terms, and then refine your results by adding more words.

Choose descriptive words. The more unique the word, the more likely you are to get relevant results. So [celebrity ringtones] is probably better than [celebrity sounds]. Keep in mind, though, that even if the word has the correct meaning, if it's not the one most people use, it may not match the pages you need.

Some advanced tricks

Search by file type. One of my favorites. Did you know that you can search for specific types of files, such as PDFs, PPTs, or XLS? Simply add filetype: and the three-letter file abbreviation. For example: negligence filetype:PPT

Find related pages. Use the related: operator to find pages that have similar content by typing related: followed by the website address. For instance, if you find a website you like, try using related:[insert URL] to locate similar websites. For example, related:simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_guacamole/.

Let Google fill in the blanks. Put an asterisk * in a phrase or question you want completed and they will fill in the blanks. For example, you can find the lyrics to a song even if you only remember a few words. For example, I'll follow you * you * me.

Search within a specific site. Precede your query with site: if you know you want your answer from within a specific site or type of site (.org, .edu). For example: site:edu or site:nytimes.com.

Include or ignore common words and characters. Highlight common words and characters such as the and & if they are essential to your search (as in a movie or book title) by putting a + sign in front of them. You can also use plus + and minus - signs to specify particular items you want or don't want in your results, like ingredients in a recipe: salsa recipe +avocado –tomatoes.

Search images by color, size, style, or type. Use Advanced Image Search to find an exact size, color or type of photo or drawing. With the tools in the left panel, you can filter your search to include only photos with faces, clip art, high-res images or only images that are available for commercial use.

Search for numbers in a range. Stay within your budget by searching only for items within a number range by putting a string .. between amounts such as Sony TV $300..$500.

Track your packages. Track your UPS, FedEx, or USPS packages by typing the tracking number directly into the search box. The results will show you the status of your shipment.

Find public domain books. Read the complete texts of public domain works like "Moby Dick" for free by selecting "books" in the left panel of your search results.

Search along a timeline. Track a story or subject through time by using the timeline tools in the left column panel of your results page to zoom in on any time period, from "past 24 hours" to "past year," or a custom range.

Hone in on a particular range. To specify a particular number range, type “..” then a space, then the numbers in your range. For example, if you're searching for cars with over 300 horsepower, search cars "300.. horsepower". Here are some other examples: "220.. V" or "1.. RPM" or "8000.. mAh" battery.

Search for all similar terms. Get results that include synonyms by placing the ~ sign immediately in front of your search term. A search for Christmas ~dessert recipes, for instance, will return results for desserts, along with candy, cookies and other treats.

View population and employment trends. Search demographic terms like population or unemployment rate, followed by a county, state or country, and you'll get instant data about your chosen location directly from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. From there, you can click through to compare rates in different locations.

Mobile devices

Search using your mobile camera. Want to search the Web using your mobile phone's camera instead of words? On an Android, open your Google Goggles app (on an iPhone, open the Google Search app and select Goggles), snap a picture of the item you want to search for, and wait for your results. No typing necessary.

Search by speaking. To search the Web by speaking, tap the microphone button on the Google search box on your home screen, or press down for a few seconds on the physical search button on your phone to activate the "Speak Now" screen. Voice Search for Android supports Voice Actions on Android 2.2 (Froyo) and above.

Search for places that are open now. Go to Google on your iPhone and Android devices and search for a restaurant or place. The "open now" feature lets you filter local search results to show only businesses that are open right now, based on their listed hours.

These are just a few of the tips and tricks available on Google. Do you have a favorite that has been left off of the list? Let me know!

W. Blake Wilson, Head of Instructional & Research Services

Fundraiser to advance PILS mission to help students pursue public interest careers

2011-09-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

The KU Public Interest Law Society (PILS) will host its 8th annual Casino Night fundraiser from 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, to benefit PILS and KU Endowment. This year’s event at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H., will have games, food, drinks and live music. It's sure to be a good time. But in the excitement it is easy to forget what this event is all about. In the end, Casino Night is not only about playing poker or blackjack; it is also about raising money to support students who wish to spend their summer serving the underrepresented and underprivileged who need legal help.

PILS is an organization dedicated to encouraging law students to explore careers and opportunities in public interest law. We do this predominantly by giving stipends to students who do unpaid summer internships for an organization that practices public interest law. In past years, individually or with stipends from PILS, students have provided legal services in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and have worked at such places as Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), and a legal aid clinic in Khartoum, Sudan.

I have experienced the benefit of these stipends first hand. This summer, I was able to work at Legal Aid of Western Missouri because of a stipend I received through PILS and KU Endowment. Not only did I gain practical legal experience, but I also met some very inspiring people; people who have dedicated their lives to serving the public interest and who are constantly looking for ways to make a positive change in society. Even when the problems surrounding us feel overwhelming, it is uplifting to know there are so many people out there working to make a change. Some students may really want to obtain a public interest internship but simply cannot afford it. Face it: We all have bills to pay. A stipend makes this more possible and provides students with great opportunities. So join us tonight for a good time and a good cause. Let the games begin!

Bri Harris, 2L