Practical Experience


Liz Thompson Pursues Justice for Clients that ‘Feel Like They are Voiceless’

3L Liz Thompson is pictured at Jackson Square in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Liz Thompson.Liz Thompson is passionate about public defense. Thompson, a third-year law student from Salina, spent her summer in New Orleans as a law clerk at Orleans Public Defenders (OPD).OPD is an…

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Elder Law Field Placement Program is a 'Particularly Rewarding' Experience

Rising 3L John Schoen participated in KU Law's Elder Law Field Placement Program. Photo by Ashley Golledge.At the beginning of my 2L year, I began to look at what type of law I would be interested in practicing after graduation. I liked the idea of doing estate planning and the accompanying…

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Student Spotlight: Delaney Hiegert Advocates for Equality

2L Delaney Hiegert (far right) participates in the San Francisco Pride parade. Pictured from left to right: 2L David Harris, the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; 2L Derek Ha, the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law; 3L Hannah Hussey, Yale Law School; 3L Emily Merel,…

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Jackson Ely Develops Legal Skills through Judicial Internship

Douglas County District Court Judge Sally Pokorny and 2L Jackson ElySecond-year law student Jackson Ely is spending his summer interning for Douglas County District Court Judge Sally Pokorny. Ely is earning academic credit for his internship through the school’s Judicial Field Placement Program.At…

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Aidan Graybill Bolsters Values of Tribal Community

Aidan Graybill and Judge Charles H. TrippSecond-year law student Aidan Graybill plans to utilize her legal education to practice tribal law. Graybill is a member of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas, which is based in Kansas City, Kansas.This summer, Graybill is an intern for the Prairie Band Potawatomi…

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Gaining Experience with Criminal Prosecution Field Placement

3L Eliza Kassebaum During my first year of law school, I was convinced that I wanted to practice family law. One summer as an intern for a Kansas District Judge warned me off that career pathway real quick. Instead, I became fascinated with criminal prosecution. Following my judicial…

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Claudia Chavarria Makes a Positive Impact at Advocacy Center

Rising 2L Claudia ChavarriaRising 2L Claudia Chavarria hopes to pursue a career in immigration law because she is passionate about helping immigrants and giving back to the community she grew up in.Chavarria is originally from El Paso, Texas – which is one of the main ports of entry for immigrants…

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Meet KU Law’s Student Publication Editors

Denise Dantzler, left, editor-in-chief of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, and Joy Merklen, editor-in-chief of the Kansas Law Review.Third-year law students Denise Dantzler and Joy Merklen are embracing their roles as editor-in-chief for each of the law school’s two student-edited…

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Student Spotlight: Samantha Natera Strives to Help Migrant Community

2L Samantha NateraSamantha Natera grew up on the border of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, where it is not out of the ordinary to cross the U.S.-Mexico border on a daily basis.“I have family in both the U.S. and Mexico, and for me it was normal crossing the border every day to go to…

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Student Spotlight: Mohammad Hameed Uses Background in Engineering to Excel at Intellectual Property Law Internship

2L Mohammad Hameed is a summer intern at the at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.When applying for summer internships, second-year law student Mohammad Hameed looked for a position that would enable him to gain a solid understanding of the foundations of intellectual property and gear…

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