Graduate Profile: Steven Hendler, L’23

Non-traditional student trades in white coat for law degree

Chances are, if you’ve ever visited Green Hall, you’ve heard of Steve Hendler. Prior to obtaining his law degree, Hendler had a highly successful career in the healthcare field, but a few years ago he decided to pursue something different and return to his original career plan.

“I started college with a plan to go to law school,” Hendler said. “Imagine you’re taking a road trip because you want to go to Yellowstone, but you see a sign that says ‘Glacier National Park’ so you get off at that exit to see what that’s all about and you spend a substantial amount of time there. However, one day, you realize you still want to see Yellowstone. Law school is my Yellowstone.”

Described by Dean Stephen Mazza at the Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 13 as a “big personality,” Hendler dipped his toe into all kinds of law school activities to get a taste of all aspects of the law career. During his 3L year he and his classmate Lauren Page, 3L, participated in the UCLA Transactional Law Competition where they took home the award for Best Buyer.

“I’ve always liked the transactional side of business, whether healthcare or nonhealthcare-related businesses,” Hendler said. “I grew up in a family business so I’ve always enjoyed those things. I think there is a lot of opportunity for win-win outcomes.”

Hendler also put to use his medical expertise in writing and publishing articles during his time at law school with the help of Alex Platt, associate professor of law.

“I wanted to get a little more experience writing because I loved the research process in my work, and I wanted to take an opportunity to delve into something that interested me that I guessed I wouldn’t find coursework about,” said Hendler. “Professor Platt did a great job of giving me guidance. It was great to have someone with contract and litigation expertise ask questions from that perspective.”

Hendler in his former profession.
Photo courtesy of Steve Hendler

Hendler’s article “Serving Two Masters: Conflicts Between Physician Employment Contracts and the Physician’s Duty of Care” combines Hendler’s previous experience in the medical field with the law and investigates how the law can keep pace with physicians’ changing employment roles in hospitals.

“It was very interesting to start looking at where the gaps occur and trying to figure out how old case law would address this scenario,” said Hendler. “Then looking at what changes might be helpful to include in the hospital contracts to make them mesh better. It was really rewarding.”

The article has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and offers a unique exchange of knowledge between Hendler’s previous life in medicine and his peers.

“Even though my paper was accepted by one of the most prominent health law specialty journals in the country, Annals of Health Law and Life Sciences, I was working with editors who have no actual health background,” said Hendler. “Working through and explaining what some of the medical health subject matter meant was a really helpful check.”

Now officially graduated and on the hunt for his next adventure in law, Hendler looks back fondly on his time in Green Hall.

“One thing that’s great about Green Hall is how the faculty offices are strewn throughout the library,” Hendler said. “If I have questions about legal issues or life issues, particularly in how it relates to balancing practice issues I could always go down the hall and speak to Professor Outka or Professor Platt.”

As he looks forward to his new career in law, Hendler is optimistic.

“Ultimately, I would like to find a place where I can grow into a setting and within the next few years, I would love to find a situation that allows me to keep active for the foreseeable future,” Hendler said. “I have been surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed being able to tap into my subject matter knowledge when I’m applying what I’m learning as a lawyer.”

For future law students or any other non-traditional student thinking of making a career and life shift, Hendler has some advice.

Hendler and his family after the Hooding Ceremony.
Photo courtesy of Steve Hendler

“In general, I would say embrace the process,” said Hendler. “Figure out what you need and then the rest of the time just find things to enjoy. You’re going to have plenty of time when you’re practicing to write contracts or to litigate, but this is just a chance to explore something because you can.”

Forever a Jayhawk at heart, Hendler can’t help but put in a plug for KU’s award-winning basketball team.

“Get to a game! Don’t pretend you’re a fan of some other school and if you are; get rid of it, get over it, and become a Jayhawker,” said Hendler, with a laugh. “Keep track of your well-being and find the things that are not law school that you can incorporate into your life to develop those positive life habits now. Find the things in the KU community to keep you grounded.”

–By Emma Herrman

Graduate Profile: Paula Lopez, L’23

Student finds her way in a career as a prosecutor

Like many students, Paula Lopez, L’23, had a self-described existential crisis when considering her future after graduation this past May.

“I always thought, going into law school, I wanted to be an ACLU attorney,” said Lopez. “But after my judicial externship in Sedgwick County with Judge Roush, I thought I maybe wanted to be a prosecutor.”

Lopez is one of many KU Law students who got a taste of different aspects of a career in law and put a lot of thought into looking toward her future.

“I talked to Stacey Blakeman, assistant dean of career services, probably a billion times because I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Lopez said. “She told me that it was OK to not know what you’re doing with your life.”

Lopez plans to join the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office after graduation. She is starting in their traffic court unit and Lopez is looking forward to where this career will take her.

“I think prosecution is a good start,” Lopez said. “Sedgwick County has a gang violence unit and a drug unit and they have teams of prosecutors that do that kind of stuff, so I think it will be interesting to see where they put me. I like Child in Need of Care (CINC) a lot, but I’m interested in doing other things too.”

Law has always been a part of Lopez’s life. Growing up, she had two career goals – dentistry and law.

Lopez and family after the 2023 Hooding Ceremony.
Picture courtesy of Paula Lopez

“When I was really little, I thought I wanted to be a dentist because my dad is a dentist,” said Lopez. “Then I started doing really bad in science and that’s when I knew dentistry wasn’t going to work out for me. I was already kind of interested in law because my mom was a lawyer in Venezuela. I think a part of me was always inspired by her.”

The decision to go to law school didn’t officially click until Lopez’s senior year of high school when the Black Lives Matter movement took to the streets and former President Donald Trump enacted the Muslim Ban.

“Attorneys were going to airports to help people come back to the States and that was when I realized I wanted to go to law school,” said Lopez. “It was more than just, ‘Oh, maybe I want to go to law school.’ It was ‘I really want to go to law school.'”

Throughout her time in Green Hall, Lopez participated in the Law Journal and was a member of the Hispanic American Law Student Association (HALSA) and Women in Law, but her time serving the community in the Legal Aid Clinic will stay with her for the rest of her career.

“I had one client who was getting an expungement. The whole process was really emotional because she wanted to pursue a different career. She sent me an email after we got out of court when the expungement was approved and told me I was going to be a great lawyer someday,” said Lopez. “She was really sweet and it almost made me cry!”

As she prepares for a career in prosecution, Lopez looks back fondly on the professors who have helped her these past three years or, in some cases, even longer.

“Professor Lou Mulligan was my mentor in University Scholars in undergrad. He was monumental in helping me decide to do law and figure out where to go to school,” Lopez said. “Then, throughout law school – though I never took one of his classes – he was always so helpful in getting me started and acclimated to Green Hall. Every time I see him, he always says hi and we talk about our life updates and things.”

KU had always been the first choice for Lopez when she was looking at law schools. Not only did she have fond memories of her mother walking the hill after she received her Master’s in Latin American Studies, but she had spent a portion of her childhood in Lawrence before moving to Andover and coming back to town was always the plan.

“I was always a little Jayhawk,” said Lopez with a smile. “Maybe if I had lived in Lawrence growing up, I wouldn’t have wanted to go to KU, but I didn’t want to be in Wichita, I wanted to go back.”

Lopez has several important pieces of advice for future law students considering KU Law.

“Participate in the 3L/1L mentor program,” said Lopez. “I think it’s something that is really necessary to help you look ahead. I don’t know how much the 1L class really interacts with the 2L or 3Ls and just seeing someone at the end of it being like, ‘Oh, they’re almost done. They got through it. I can get through it,’ is huge.”

And for students like Lopez interested in law?

“Have an open mind,” Lopez said. “You might go in thinking you want to go into one type of law, but if you open yourself up to different classes, opportunities and whatnot you might change your mind like I did. If you had told me 10 years ago, I was going to be a prosecutor I would have been so confused. Having an open mind is such a huge part of law school. It makes it better in the end.”

–By Emma Herrman

Graduate Profile: Kevin C Barnett, L’23

Student uses allyship to help promote indigenous culture and rights

Kevin C Barnett has been interested in tribal law and federal Indian law since before he was a law student. After his graduation in May where he received his Juris Doctor and the Tribal Law certificate, he will continue his work with the Navajo Nation Office of the Prosecutor in Arizona.

More than three years ago, when Barnett first applied to KU Law he spoke about an important pending federal Indian law case in his personal statement.

“My personal statement talked about the Haaland v. Brackeen case – I think it was then called the Brackeen v. Bernhardt case – which is now about to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Barnett said. “So, I came in with the laser focus of federal Indian law, tribal law and indigenous rights.”

Barnett worked for the Navajo Nation Council the summer after his 1L year and connected with notable KU Law alumni like Eugenia Charles-Newton, L’08, and Justin Jones, L’04 (during his second summer working for the Navajo Nation). As part of his experience and the public interest grant he received from KU Law, Barnett was able to attend a litigation update to the Navajo Council in Albuquerque where he met the then Acting Chief Prosecutor of the Navajo Nation.

“I asked him about internship opportunities for the next summer because a lot of the work they deal with reminded me of my work as a social worker for a tribe in northern Wisconsin,” said Barnett, referring to the Lac du Flambeau Tribe. “I wanted to help out the Office of the Prosecutor as part of the overall mission of the Nation to resolve problems in a way that’s centered around their culture and form of justice.”

Barnett later went on to intern for the Navajo Nation during the summer of his 2L year.

Barnett has always gravitated towards federal Indian law, serving as Vice President of the KU Native American Law Student Association (KU NALSA) as an ally and later serving as President of KU NALSA for his second year after the previous President transferred to a different law school. While Barnett took up the mantle, it is his hope that future KU NALSA Boards will be represented exclusively by native peoples.

“Ideally there would be more native students here and I could just be a member,” Barnett said. “The actual board would consist fully of members of tribes and other actual indigenous persons.”

Barnett outside the Kansas Supreme Court Chambers before his final oral argument for his Appellate Advocacy course in Fall 2022. Photo courtesy of Kevin C Barnett

Barnett also participated in the National NALSA Annual Moot Court Competition in 2021 and 2022. This past year he served as the National NALSA (NNALSA) Secretary. He was recently in charge of coordinating the election of the next board who have officially begun their new terms.

“I was happy to be the Secretary,” Barnett said. “I’m very forthright about being an ally in that position and having taken over as a steward of the position rather than some big innovator. I’m hopeful that the new board will not be held back by the same COVID fatigue that I think has had a lingering effect on us.”

Barnett classifies himself and the rest of his graduating class as “the last of the COVID kids.” The class of 2023 began law school in the Fall of 2020, just five months after the world went into quarantine because of the COVID-19 virus.

“We had a very understandably and unfortunately justifiably muted first year,” Barnett said. “Any sense of what the norm was supposed to be was not there, so I think that onset and the fatigue of ‘let’s just focus on the essential stuff’ was very mentally taxing.”

As a former social worker, Barnett has seen the effects of prolonged and acute stress, but he is hopeful for future KU Law classes.

“My hope is that the current 1Ls and future law classes will reinvigorate the [Green Hall] traditions,” Barnett said. “I’m hopeful that there’s some reinvigoration of the law school culture.”

As for the professor who inspired him the most during the muted first year and busy second and third years, Barnett is quick to respond.

Long-time Metallica fan, Barnett poses with Prof. Laura Hines in celebration of both the new Metallica album, 72 Seasons, and the last day of class.
Photo courtesy of Kevin C Barnett.

“Stephen McAllister is a very straightforward and earnest person,” said Barnett. “I always enjoyed talking to him because I listen to every single Supreme Court oral argument, and I would talk to him about recent ones I had listened to.”

Looking forward to the future, Barnett is hopeful KU Law will continue to diversify its student body.

“Native lawyers make up barely 1% of actual lawyers,” Barnett said. “I think there’s a need to have people represent their own tribe’s interests or have native people represent tribal interests even if they’re not a member of that specific tribe.”

He also offers advice to all incoming and future law students.

“I’d give the same advice that I would give a lot of people in law school which is: listen to You Learn by Alanis Morrisette,” Barnett said. “Come in with an inquisitive mind, know what you’re about and remember who you’re about. There’s a lot of self-reflection that I think you need to go through and recognizing the actual meaningful things in law school is important. Class rank is not.”

You live, you learn; you cry, you learn; you graduate law school, and you continue to learn.

– By Emma Herrman

Capitol gains

Students make invaluable connections studying in D.C.

3Ls Brett Hallagan, Maleena Patel, Lindsay McQuinn, and The Hon. Tom Reed, former Congressman from New York

For some, navigating law school from Green Hall is enough of a challenge to spur them toward receiving their Juris Doctor. Others welcome the added challenge of navigating their last semester of law school in Washington, D.C. as part of the Sixth Semester in D.C. program.

“The ability to participate in this program is what made me choose KU Law,” said Maleena Patel, 3L. “I knew going into law school I was more interested in the policy than the formal practice and having the opportunity to experience policy work in D.C. would hopefully boost my resume so I can do the work I want to do.”

Patel is one of four KU Law students who spent their final semester in D.C. this spring making connections and working in externships across the city. This program, designed by Professor Jennifer Schmidt, connects current law students with KU Law alumni in the D.C. metro area, opening doors for these students in Washington and beyond.

“I created the program that I wanted when I was a KU Law student, one that makes starting a legal career in Washington, D.C., as easy as starting a career in Kansas,” said Schmidt. “I want to make sure that Midwestern voices are part of the policy debate in D.C. This program is a launching pad to help our graduates get a seat at the national policy-making table.”

Through the networking component, students have meetings with KU law alumni and other lawyers in a wide variety of positions in Washington to expose them to the range of career paths available to them and glean general career wisdom. This year, students received a behind-the-scenes private tour of the U.S. Capitol from former Congressman Tom Reed, met Senator Charles E. Grassley from Iowa, Janet Murguia, L’85, and CEO of UnidosUS and many others.

“I wanted to get as much legal experience as possible before starting my career,” said Lindsay McQuinn, 3L. “I cannot think of a better place to get legal experience and enjoy my last semester of law school than in our nation’s capital.”

3Ls Roman Panickar, Brett Hallagan, Lindsay McQuinn; General Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget, Krisann Pierce, L’95; and Professors Jennifer Schmidt and Becky Weber outside the hearing room for the Committee on the Budget

“D.C. remains a top destination for many KU Law graduates,” said Becky Weber, adjunct professor. “Our program is superior to other law schools’ programs because our students graduate with a substantive legal experience in the nation’s capital and a vast network of experienced D.C. lawyers willing to help them.”

From late January to the end of the semester, students are introduced to more than 25 D.C. lawyers in private meetings and another 30-40 lawyers through recent graduate sessions and young alumni receptions. Professional networking is a necessity for any career, but perhaps especially for young lawyers in D.C.

“I got to network and meet lots of people,” said Patel, “including the White House Chief of Staff, Jeff Zients and Representative Cori Bush, a progressive Member of Congress from Missouri whom I admire.”

“From recent graduates who are just getting their careers started to lifelong friends of Professors Schmidt and Weber, everyone we met was eager to offer career insights and support,” said Brett Halligan, 3L

Preparation for this program has to start early by saving up to live in the D.C. metro area and ensuring students have enough credits to graduate. Students in the Sixth Semester program enroll in a field placement (externship) at government or non-profit organizations for six to nine credit hours. This year, the students did legal internships with the Department of Justice, Federal Communications Commission, The Heritage Foundation and WeAct for Environmental Justice. The semester largely acts as a test drive for a real-world career in D.C.

“You should plan ahead,” said Roman Panickar, 3L. “There are a lot of moving parts to the program, and it is helpful to know what they are and how they may impact you.”

Professors Jennifer Schmidt and Becky Weber (far left); Third-year students Lindsay McQuinn and Roman Panickar (far right); and Greg Jacob, former Solicitor of Labor and former counsel to VP Mike Pence (center)

Despite the intensity in preparing for this program, there is no doubt that the Sixth Semester students graduating this May are walking away with invaluable experience and connections that will make them more desirable in today’s hiring market.

“I chose to participate for a number of reasons,” Hallagan said. “But the deciding factors were the ability to learn about and see in action the many different legal opportunities that exist in our nation’s capital and the success previous participants have experienced finding their ideal D.C. jobs.”

If you are interested in participating in the Sixth Semester in D.C. program, please contact Field Placement Director Glenn Jewell at gjewell@ku.edu.

– By Emma Herrman

Don’t forget to do these things while in law school!

Four things to remember while in law school

Savannah Lucas, 3L

Next week, my fellow L’23 classmates and I will graduate from KU Law. As I reflected on my time here, I remembered all the little things that kept me motivated and present amid all the stress of my studies.

While in law school, it often feels like your “other life” outside school slows down as you immerse yourself in the KU Law community and your studies. However, becoming a lawyer is about finding a balance between your “legal life” and your “other life.” Your three years at Green Hall will race by, trust me. So, to ensure you can achieve a little balance, check out the list below of things you shouldn’t forget to do while in law school.

Read as much as you can (for fun) during the summer and breaks

During the semester, I find that I don’t have as much time to read for pleasure as I would like. I make sure to prioritize my “fun” reading over the breaks. Give yourself a break from all the case briefings and pick up a non-legal read. As I wrap up finals, I am reaching for Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I have a stack of “to-be-read” books on my nightstand that I reach for as soon as classes wrap up.

Register to Vote!

Make sure your voter registration is up to date before you get busy with classes and assignments. You can check your voter registration here. Register to vote by mail if you are coming to KU Law from out of state. Make sure you vote in every election in your district. Several of my classmates and I even help poll watch during elections. Your vote doesn’t get put on hold while you’re a law student, so make sure to make yours count!

Wear sunscreen!

I’m not kidding! Even if you may be inside studying, you are still exposed to most of the sun’s rays through windows. Putting on sunscreen every day before I leave for class is just one of the little self-care rituals that help me feel my best. Find a self-care ritual that works for you – whether that is making your favorite cup of coffee or putting on sunscreen before you head out the door.

Go for a walk

Don’t forget to move your body and get fresh air – go for a walk! I work out in the mornings, so when I have free time in the evening I like to walk around my neighborhood and up to campus. There are plenty of beautiful spaces to walk on campus and in Lawrence. On the weekends, grab a friend and walk to get your coffee or before you spend time studying. I started doing “Matcha Walks” after my first year of law school as a way to find new spots on campus. You never know what you might discover…like the hidden KPR gardens. Spending time outside really fills my cup. It is so important for your mental and physical health.

Finding balance in law school can seem overwhelming, but when you don’t forget to find small things that matter in your world – the balance happens naturally. Stay grounded, lean in, have fun, and wear sunscreen!

– Savanah Lucas is a 3L KU Law Student Ambassador from Leavenworth, Kansas

Growing through discomfort

Public speaking and litigation for the shy

Doug Bartel, 3L

As my third and final year in law school comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the growth I have had – professionally and personally – since starting my KU Law journey. Although some people perceive me as extroverted, I am naturally, and painfully, introverted. If the thought of grabbing a microphone and speaking to a large room also makes you queasy, you might have written off a career in litigation as impractical. Like anything else in life, however, you can develop and nurture the skills you need to build your confidence when publicly speaking and presenting.

I knew when I came to law school that I wanted to be a family-based immigration attorney – a career that is litigation heavy – so public speaking is something I knew I needed to practice and perfect. While, unfortunately, I have not found a “magic pill” or “secret recipe” for overcoming one’s fear of public speaking, I detail below two experiences I had while at KU Law that helped immensely.

1. Moot Court

As part of my Federal Indian Law course with Professor Watts, we wrote briefs and gave oral arguments. After my first oral argument, Professor Watts asked me to participate in the NNALSA (National Native American Law Students Association) moot court competition. Despite my initial kneejerk reaction – “Absolutely not!” – I accepted. I worked for several months preparing with my partner, a process that required us to regularly give oral arguments to our professors and legal practitioners from around the country. During our final round in the competition, over three hundred people were watching us. Yikes! In this experience, I learned that preparation and practice are the keys to overcoming your nerves. Our hard work paid off, and we took home the national prize for KU Law.

2. Internship at the Johnson County DA’s Office

After your second year in law school, students can be eligible for a provisional license to work for a public interest or government employer. I spent my second year working for the Johnson County DA’s Office where I had a caseload of roughly sixty cases, which were a mix of traffic and misdemeanor domestic violence offenses. This experience was a veritable baptism by fire. After a brief training, you begin covering your own pleas, bench trials, and jury trials. While this level of public presentation took several months for me to acclimate to, the experiences I had were invaluable and affirming. I graduate as one of the few people in my class with this level of practical courtroom experience.

While these are the activities that I feel helped me while at KU Law, this list is not exhaustive. KU Law offers many opportunities that will strengthen your confidence in your public speaking abilities. Above all, I hope this post has reassured you that, with intentional planning, a litigation career is possible for everyone.

– Doug Bartel is a 3L KU Law Student Ambassador from Olathe, Kansas