A self-described advocate, Jessica Frederick pursued law with the intent to help others. She found her niche with the Media Law Clinic and its focus on First Amendment and individual rights. Frederick was drawn to the clinic by Professor Mike Kautsch and his open, student-centered teaching philosophy. The seminar’s discussion format exposed Frederick and her classmates to a variety of …
Building confidence through the Criminal Prosecution Clinic: Thomas (T.C.) Penland, L’15
As an aspiring prosecutor, the Criminal Prosecution Clinic was one of the factors that drew T.C. Penland to KU Law. “I knew about the clinic through the admissions process,” Penland said. “That was one of the things that pushed me toward KU. I went in with full expectation of participating in the clinic.” The Criminal Prosecution Clinic has two components: …
My Summer Internship: Getting familiar with the justice system at the federal courthouse
I finished my first year of law school pretty unsure of what type of legal career I was interested in. I thought KU’s Judicial Clinic would fit well with my 1L skill set and provide exposure to a variety of legal careers. I accepted a federal clerkship in Wichita with Chief Judge J. Thomas Marten of the U.S. District Court …
My Summer Internship: Sorting out the ships worth saving at the Department of Labor
This summer, I have been working as an assistant investigator for the Employee Benefits Security Administration in the Department of Labor’s Kansas City office. My duties are to audit private employer health insurance and pension plans in order to ensure compliance with the Employee Retirement Insurance Security Act (ERISA). Does “audit” sound like fun? No. But does ERISA sound like …
Speaking and listening: Bill Walberg & Kasper Schirer, L’15
Before he enrolled in the Legal Aid Clinic, Bill Walberg described his communication skills as “lacking.” “I had a terrible fear of public speaking,” he said. “My first oral argument I panicked and could barely get my argument out. I wanted experience in an uncontrolled setting like the courtroom, and that’s what the Legal Aid Clinic provided for me.” Within …
My Summer Internship: Advancing LGBT rights on the front lines
I have spent three months of my 2015 summer working on Wall Street overlooking the East River in Manhattan. Before I took the flight out of KCI, I had to say that the entire idea was incredibly daunting. I had been to New York City before and found that it was not exactly my taste, but this was for a …