As a first–generation law student, my only knowledge on law school stemmed from movies and my favorite show, How to Get Away With Murder. I was hit with a strikingly different experience as soon as I walked into Green Hall. Law school is an unfamiliar and intimidating experience, especially when you don’t come from a family of lawyers. Here are …
Students contribute pro bono hours to clemency project
Nine students at the University of Kansas School of Law are assisting with the ACLU of Kansas’ Clemency Project this semester. The project seeks to secure the release of Kansas prisoners who are medically vulnerable or have completed most of their sentence. Sharon Brett, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Kansas, is supervising students’ pro bono work on the …
How to survive law school in 2020
A global pandemic and statewide shutdowns and contested elections, oh my! In true 2020 fashion, this semester has been a whirlwind and brought with it lots of uncertainty. We have all made adjustments and if you are like me, still making some. So, I am sharing a short list of things that I have learned from mentors, professors, and friends …
Finding balance in law school
At each stage of life, we are tasked with the challenge of finding balance. As children, we are taught to balance time spent playing video games with time spent outside getting fresh air. In college, we must learn to balance time spent enjoying our friends’ company, with time spent in the library enjoying textbooks. In the professional world, there’s a …
Alumna advocates for veterans, military and their families
After a yearlong national search, Kelly Circle was selected to serve as the executive director of the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) National Headquarters in Indianapolis. Circle, L’95, began her role in November 2019. The ALA is one of the nation’s largest patriotic service organizations, which works to honor and support veterans, military and their families through programs, events and educational …
6th Semester in D.C. experience was ‘invaluable’ to professional career
Participating in the 6th Semester in D.C. program turned out to be the best part of law school, and I hadn’t even considered doing it until my 3L year. Going into my final year at Green Hall, I wanted real-world experience in environmental law, but I wasn’t sure exactly how to do that. A short conversation with Professor Jennifer Schmidt …