Embracing the uncertainty

Within the first hours of law school, all 1Ls are taught to embrace the uncertainty in the law. Little did I know, uncertainty would become a constant in my life. It started as merely a part of what I do, and it has become a part of who I am. 

My first experience with uncertainty came in my last year of undergrad through KU’s accelerated LEAD program. Specifically, it was in the “Intro to Law” class, where I, a biology major and thoroughly scientific person, struggled with the uncertainty of the law. I came from a black-and-white place where everything had a single, right answer. But here, everything is up for interpretation. Here, every answer starts with “arguably,” “probably,” and of course the crowd favorite; “it depends.” The number of right answers is practically endless. It is limited only by the imagination and case citations. It took me a few months of actual law school to become comfortable with answering these types of questions. Then, towards the end of my 1L year, I think I almost preferred them. I learned to handle the uncertainty, but — to be fair — I had no choice but to learn. Law school yanked me from my comfort zone and forced me to adapt.

My second experience with uncertainty came when it was time for me to pick my own schedule for the 2L fall. Even though I had picked my own schedule all through undergrad, this time felt different. This time, enrollment required more thought and carried more weight. From the lengthy course catalog, I was choosing which skills I wanted to develop, which areas I wanted to specialize in and which professors I wanted to build relationships with. In addition to classes, I had to choose which side opportunities to pursue. Should I do research? Should I work? What about clubs and positions around the school? There was so much I wanted to do. The number of options was endless. It is limited only by my fear of overextending myself. Surprisingly, I found my answer when I embraced the uncertainty in my future. Call it a leap of faith, but I ultimately committed to focusing on one path — litigation — and ran with it. Today, that is probably the best decision I have ever made. Again, law school yanked me out of my comfort zone and forced me to adapt.

My third experience with uncertainty is something I am currently going through. However, uncertainty is no longer a source of stress. It is a source of hope and endless possibility. Being almost two-thirds of the way through law school, I can’t help but thinking about what all I could do in the future. I could move anywhere I want. I could practice in any number of fields. I could even start my own firm. The possibilities are endless. They are limited only by my imagination and courage.

One thing is for certain, although I initially dreaded dealing with uncertainty, law school made me love it. I no longer fear uncertainty. I embrace it. After all, uncertainty is arguably another form of freedom. It all depends on your interpretation.

— Omar Husain is a 2L from Lenexa and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Don’t box yourself in!

When I began law school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with a law degree. Criminal prosecution and defense has always been a near and dear subject to me. I had no doubt that working in Kansas City as a Prosecutor or Criminal Defense attorney would be the move after graduation. That being said, I did not intern with a criminal defense firm the summer after my 1L year. Nor did I intern with a prosecutor’s office. Instead, I decided to branch out and intern at Bell Law KC, a civil litigation law firm that deals in consumer protection cases.

I knew nothing about consumer protection, but I made this decision because I felt it was important to expose myself to other areas of law. In all honesty, I had no clue whether that was actually true or not, but it seemed legit! After all, a law degree is wildly flexible. It made sense to at least keep my options open. Only with the benefit of hindsight do I know that it really was the best decision I could have made for myself. On top of learning that I enjoy consumer protection law, choosing not to confine myself to one particular area of law has enhanced my ability to understand and solve problems. And through my internship, I learned a ton of skills that I have been able to incorporate into my life as a student and even in other areas of law.

In law school, we’re taught a lot of abstract concepts that sometimes prove difficult to visualize in real practice. For example, we learned what a “complaint” is, and how it works in Civil Procedure (a class all 1Ls take). But what does a complaint actually look like in practice, and how do you even begin to draft one? Those were questions I did not have the answers too. Funny enough, I sat in on an interview with a prospective client and then drafted a complaint on my first day at my summer internship at Bell Law. That first day, I quickly realized how important it was to actually see these concepts at work in real-life litigation. There are some things that only EXPERIENCE can teach you and I’m so thankful for the opportunity I had to grow and learn over that summer.

Now I feel more prepared to take on issues in a new area of law, even if I’m not familiar with the subject. If I don’t know it, I know for a fact that I WILL learn it. That’s why it’s so important not to box yourself in. You don’t really know what you’re capable of until you actually get out there and do it. I definitely didn’t know what I was capable of. Now I’m no longer afraid of stepping outside my comfort zone, and I treat every day as a chance to go out of my way to learn something new that I didn’t know the day before.

For the people that know they want to be a lawyer, but don’t really know what they want to do, this is especially important. I encourage you to be OPEN to the opportunities that are available to you. Although I came in to law school with a couple years of work experience and a set plan, I noticed that many of my peers (especially the ones coming straight out of undergrad) didn’t enjoy that same benefit.

To the students that may be in that same boat: Don’t feed into any pressure that you need to have your long-term plans figured out in your first few weeks (or even your first semester) of law school. Find a subject that you’re interested in or passionate about and see where it takes you! If it turns out that you can’t see yourself making a career out of it, that’s still okay! The skills you learn through an internship can’t be taken from you; and I’ve learned that more likely than not, those skills are transmutable into other areas of law.

Between KU Law’s expansive alumni network, and the dedicated staff working in the Career Services Office, opportunities are certainly available everywhere. However, those DOORS didn’t open for me until I stepped outside of my comfort zone and opened them for myself. Now, with the benefit of my internship behind me, I know that I have options that expand beyond criminal law. Additionally, I know that I have the means to make those options happen if I choose.

This summer, I will be taking the next step forward in my professional career by working for the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office. This will be my first time working for a prosecutor’s office. I wish I could tell you I’m not nervous, but if I did, I would be lying. That being said, the reason for my nerves is not feeling like I won’t be successful there. I already know I can learn the tools necessary to thrive in this new capacity. I know this because I’ve already done it in a summer internship, covering an area of law that I was entirely ignorant about until the day I actually sat down my first day and did it.

If you weren’t reading between the lines, there’s a message in this blog that you may have missed. So to bring it all home, I’ll leave you with this: The opportunities to grow and learn will become available to you, but it’s on you to take advantage of them. Even more importantly, there’s no rush to figure out exactly what you want to do right at the outset, so find something you could see yourself settling in to and just go for it! Even if your first option doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean the skills you learn in that capacity won’t be useful later on. There are a wide variety of ways to make yourself desirable to potential employers, so always keep in mind that EXPERIENCE WILL OPEN DOORS.

— Dillon Williams is a 2L from Waynesville, Missouri and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Stop studying … it might help you get a job

Woah, did I read that right?

Yes, you did. But, don’t get the wrong idea. I am not saying that re-watching Parks and Recreation for the fifth time is going to land you a job. However, in certain situations, closing your books for the night and getting away from your study carrel will be extremely beneficial in your search for gainful employment. It might seem counterintuitive, but my experience this year has proven it to be true.

My favorite weekend of law school so far took place right before midterms last semester. I was lucky enough to be one of the twenty 1Ls signed up for “24 Hours of Wichita,” an event created by the Career Services Office to showcase Wichita as a potential post-graduation destination. Partners and associates from several different law firms took care of us while we were there. They put us up in a hotel, paid for great meals and even took us out on the town. The whole weekend was an absolute blast, in no small part because of the great relationships I was able to create with the attorneys that spent time with us.

I left Wichita jokingly telling the hiring partner at Foulston Siefkin to remember those 24 hours fondly when he found my resume on his desk in January. Much to my surprise, he did exactly that. During my interview with him, we spent a lot of time laughing about the events of that weekend. Long story short, I will be working at that firm this upcoming summer.

That weekend very well could have been a stressful weekend if I chained myself to my carrel and studied hours on end. Instead, I took full advantage of the opportunity to form lasting relationships with some incredible attorneys. This is not to say that studying is unimportant. In fact, quite the opposite is true. However, building relationships and growing your professional persona is also incredibly important. As is often said, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Though that is not entirely accurate (employers will care what you know!), there is certainly a kernel of truth to it.

Fortunately, KU Law provides nearly endless opportunities to expand “who you know.” If Wichita isn’t your particular cup of tea, there are opportunities to meet with firms from towns all around Kansas, as well as Kansas City and beyond. The Career Services Office hosts the Government Agencies Fair, the Small and Mid-size Firms Fair, and Legal Career Options Day just to name a few. But while these opportunities are there, they will only have an impact if you close your books, turn off your study light and go talk to someone.

— Jake Schmidt is a 1L from Atchison and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Clearing your head

Finding balance in law school is all about allowing yourself simple pleasures. I love my daily coffee at the Burge Union, my Friday night movie marathons, and the potluck dinners my friends and I host. The nicest thing I do for myself, though, is walking to and from school. Unless the weather is bad (or I oversleep my alarm), I make every effort I can to walk instead driving or taking the bus.

It helps me stretch my legs.

Honestly, I’m not a gym rat — anyone who knows me would say I’m no athlete. But walking for almost an hour every day, up and down KU’s hills with a 60-pound backpack on isn’t bad exercise. Walking gives me a good chance to maintain my KU calves without having to spare too much time going to the gym.

Walking clears my head and makes me happier.

When I walk to class, I don’t think about law school, homework or my to-do list. I don’t have to stress about traffic or worry about whether or not I need to change my oil. Instead, I get a chance to think about anything and everything I want to, to clear my head from the pressures of the day. I know this is a personal preference: Some of my friends love driving and would never give up their daily Starbucks drive-through run. But I like walking, so I go out of my way to make sure it happens regularly. The trick is to know what you like and allow yourself the time to do it.

When I have a clear head, I think and reason better when I am thinking about law school.

Sometimes getting your head out of your law books is exactly what you need to solve problems and reason out theories better. A few weeks ago, I had a big assignment due in class. I’d worked late into the night and still wasn’t happy with some of the arguments I made in my paper. The day the paper was due, I walked to class and thought about the good weather and the newly-green grass. I didn’t agonize over my paper, but I was working through it in the back of my head the whole way. Getting up, smelling fresh air and moving around all helped me think more clearly than hunching over my laptop had. By the time I got to class, I had developed a much more interesting argument for my paper and I felt much better turning it in.

I’ve learned a lot this year about torts, contracts and civil procedure. As law students wind up for finals, I say: Work hard! Do good work! But allow yourself simple daily pleasures, too. You’ll be happier, and you will have the space and time to reason more clearly and study more effectively. As for me, I’ll be walking whenever there’s no snow on the ground.

— Ellen Bertels is a 1L from Wichita and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Elizabeth Kronk Warner announced as dean of University of Utah law school

Elizabeth Kronk Warner

Elizabeth Kronk Warner, KU Law’s associate dean for academic affairs and a law professor, will be the next dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Warner starts her new role on July 1. She will be the first woman to lead the Utah law school in its 106-year history.

“I am tremendously honored to serve in this role, and hope that I am able to live up to the storied legacy of past deans,” Warner said.

Warner joined the KU Law faculty in 2012 and became associate dean for academic affairs in 2015. She teaches courses including Federal Indian Law, Native American Natural Resources, Property and Tribal Law. Her service schedule is busy, with plenty of commitments outside the classroom. In addition to her role as associate dean for academic affairs, she directs the school’s Tribal Law & Government Center; serves as faculty advisor for the Native American Law Students Association and the Federal Bar Association; and leads the Faculty and Staff Committee on Diversity & Inclusion.

Through her years of teaching and staying active at the law school, Warner’s biggest point of pride has been her students.

“My greatest joy has been watching everything that former students have accomplished. It is incredibly rewarding to see a student go from struggling to understand the Rule Against Perpetuities to becoming a respected lawyer,” she said.

“I am also very proud of my colleagues and all of the impressive things they accomplish on a daily basis – it is an honor to be part of this faculty.  I have fond memories of students succeeding in moot court competitions, and the progress we have made on our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” Warner said.

Warner leaves big shoes to fill as a scholar, teacher and administrator, said Stephen Mazza, dean of the law school.

“Elizabeth’s leadership skills were evident early on, which explains why she has been such a successful associate dean at KU Law,” Mazza said. “Highlighting her skill set and allowing her to develop those leadership skills carried a risk that she would be snapped up by another school.”

But that’s OK by Mazza.

“I’m proud that KU Law supports emerging leaders and has a track record of doing so,” he said. 

Warner’s departure to become dean at a flagship state university fits a trend at KU Law. In the past 10 years, two other associate deans have moved on to head public law schools.

Melanie Wilson, who also served as associate dean for academic affairs, took the helm of the University of Tennessee College of Law in 2015. Stacy Leeds, a former associate dean for academic affairs and director of the Tribal Law & Government Center, was dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law from 2011 to 2018. She’s now the school’s vice chancellor for economic development.

That KU Law leaders continue to earn deanships is no fluke, Warner said, crediting professional development opportunities in the law school and the broader University community.

“Dean Mazza is a tremendous mentor, who invests in his associate deans and provides them opportunities to develop the skills necessary to flourish as a dean. We are tremendously fortunate to have him at the helm of KU Law,” Warner said. “I am also thankful to the University for providing opportunities, such as the senior administration fellowship program, for faculty to develop administrative skills.”

In 2014, Warner received the Immel Award for Excellence in Teaching, and in 2016 she received the Dean Frederick J. Moreau teaching and mentoring award from the graduating class. Her scholarship, which focuses primarily on the intersection of Indian Law and Environmental Law, has been published in several prominent journals.

Prior to her arrival at KU, Warner served on the law faculties at Texas Tech University and the University of Montana. She received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.S. from Cornell University. Warner is a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She serves as an appellate judge for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Court of Appeals in Michigan and as a district judge for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas.

Warner said she’s thankful for her “KU Law family” and the community it provides.

“I have loved my time at KU. While I am excited for this new opportunity, I will greatly miss everyone who has touched my life in such a profound way,” she said. “I am very proud of KU Law and look forward to seeing all it will accomplish in the future. Rock Chalk!”

— By Margaret Hair

Arturo Thompson wins service excellence award

In reporting law school employment outcomes, clarity is critical.

Assistant Dean for Career Services Arturo Thompson, L’06, recently received a professional service award for his work on a national advisory board that helps give that clarity.

The National Association for Law Placement, or NALP, honored Thompson with its Service Excellence Award for his commitment to the NALP/ABA Employment Outcomes Reporting Advisory Group. The association gives the award to volunteers who go above and beyond in their service to NALP and its members.

Thompson collaborated with the reporting advisory group to build a structure for new ABA Employment Protocols. The resulting document gives KU Law and its peers a set of “readily understandable and consistent protocols that guide everything we need to do to meet our obligations to the American Bar Association,” Thompson said. The new standards will help career services offices run more efficiently and report more consistently.

“These standards make sure schools and students get credit for the hard work they’re doing, and ensure everyone is standing on the same platform in what they’re reporting,” Thompson said. “It was an honor to be asked by my peers to serve on the committee and even more of an honor to be given this award by the board.”

Law schools are required to report employment outcomes for each graduating class to the American Bar Association in accordance with their rules and standards. Accurate information is critical to understanding how law schools are performing in terms of job placement, empowering potential students and other consumers to compare schools over time. The outcomes and related documentation have been increasingly scrutinized in recent years and are now subject to annual random audits by the ABA. Failure to report this information accurately can impact a school’s continued accreditation.

For the time-intensive project, Thompson created templates and a style guide to consolidate several ABA employment outcomes reports into one document. The advisory group worked closely with the ABA on how to improve employment data reporting, streamline the data collection process, clarify expectations and develop best practices.

“The new ABA Employment Protocols make a challenging process infinitely easier, and the law school community owes Arturo a debt of gratitude,” NALP President Melissa Lennon wrote in a letter announcing the Service Excellence Award.

“The NALP Board of Directors values Arturo’s contributions to this effort, and we look forward to his continued engagement with our mission of fairness, facts and the power of a diverse community.”

— By Margaret Hair