Litigation to Leading

KU Law student juggles academics and cheerleading for the Super Bowl Champions

Noell Hinsley, 1L
Photo courtesy of Noell Hinsley

Dads, Brads and Chads aren’t the only people in America whose eyes were glued to the TV this past Sunday for the Super Bowl where the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime. One person had a much more up close and personal look at the recent Super Bowl. Noell Hinsley, 1L, finished her first season as a Chiefs Cheerleader at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Noell and her family have always been diehard Chiefs fans and, after her graduation from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, she decided it was time to put that passion to use.

“I always knew that if I was going to dance for a team, I wanted it to be the Chiefs,” Noell said. “I didn’t want to stop my dance journey after I graduated from undergrad, so I tried out after I got accepted into KU Law.”

Noell at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Photo courtesy of Noell Hinsley

The audition process for the Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleaders is just as intensive as applying for law school with several prep classes and rounds of auditions. Noell began her application process in March 2023 and progressed to the finals the next month. By May, she was on the team.

“I fell in love with the team from the first moment I went to a clinic or an audition prep class,” said Noell.

Prepping for each game and staying in shape for the coming season is just one of many things Noell manages in her day-to-day life. The team met at least twice a week to practice, but that changed based on the schedule of the football games or other attributing factors. Performing at the Super Bowl required extra time before their flight to join the team in Las Vegas.

On top of her duties as a Chiefs Cheerleader, Noell works hard to stay on top of her law school classes and remain involved in the KU Law community.

“It was definitely an adjustment at first,” said Noell. “It has taught me so much about time management and organization.”

Coming up on her official anniversary on the team, Noell looks back on her first year with the Chiefs fondly. Not only did she get to perform at her first Super Bowl, but she was able to travel the world with the team when they flew to Germany for the Chiefs vs Miami game in Frankfurt.

Photo courtesy of Noell Hinsley

“We all got to travel together, and it was a really good bonding experience,” said Noell.

Amidst the whirlwind of law school and cheerleading, Noell remains grounded, offering advice to fellow students also juggling multiple responsibilities.

“You can do it all,” she said. “It might feel overwhelming at times, but it’s all worth it in the end.”.

Currently in her 1L year, Noell isn’t quite sure where she wants her career to take her, but she doesn’t plan on slowing down and she hopes to keep dancing along the way. “I feel very grateful that KU has welcomed me with open arms and supported me as a cheerleader,” she said. “I hope to be dancing for as long as I can.”

By Emma Herrman

Running on Empty

How to keep up with your hobbies even when you’re a stressed-out law student

Madi Stapleton, 1L

It is no secret that law school can be a stressful time! One way that I (and many other students) stay afloat is by keeping up with other hobbies that have nothing to do with law. For me, that is running! Taking the time to do something I enjoy helps me take my mind off of school and remember who I am outside of being a student.

You have to give up a lot of your own free time in order to succeed in law school, but continuing to make time for an activity that gives you joy is always worth it in the long run (no pun intended). Here are a few suggestions for how to make sure you don’t get lost in the weeds of school and forget about the fun and fulfilling things you like to do:

First, figure out your routine and set aside non-negotiable time every week to do something for yourself that you enjoy, whatever that may be. If you get in the habit when the semester starts, it will be automatic to continue doing so as things get busier towards the end. That’s when you’ll need it most!

Secondly, I don’t necessarily recommend trying to find a “new” interest or hobby. Maybe that will work for you, but for me I had too much new information coming at me already and it was nice to go to something I already enjoy. Instead of making it into another task on your checklist that you “should” do, try to just pick something you already love and you know you don’t want to give up. Maybe that’s reading, yoga, biking, baking, music, knitting, playing/watching sports, gardening or something else entirely. 

Finally, depending on the activity, I recommend finding other people who enjoy the same thing and doing it together! Or, at least have someone to talk with about it. This helps you remember why you enjoy it and also keeps you accountable. I am part of a super amazing group of runners at Kansas City Running Club and have been running with them almost every Saturday since 2021. They have been rocking with me through the whole journey of studying for the LSAT, applying to schools and completing my first semester. It has made a huge difference to have a support system that is there to listen and also to remind me to take a break and do something for myself.  Everyone eventually finds their own way to manage their schedules to best meet their needs, and looking back on my first semester I am so glad I continued to run even when I felt like I didn’t have the time. While you figure out what works for you, I hope that you don’t forget that your interests outside of school continue to matter! It will make you a happier person (and a better student) if you take space away from the law school to tend to some of the extracurriculars that bring you joy.

– Madi Stapleton is a 1L KU Law Student Ambassador from Olathe, Kansas

Opportunity in Community

Student finds community outside of his hometown

Will Orlowski, 1L

By the end of my first semester, I was feeling ready for a break, and in this, I doubt I was alone. Immediately following my last exam, I picked up my girlfriend and drove directly to the airport. After spending three months at a study carrel it was essential that I get out of the city and get my Thoreau on. I proceeded to spend the next two weeks in three different time zones, seizing the opportunity I had to travel with my loved ones and nourish my mental health.

Traveling is essential to our understanding of the world and our place within it. I am far from the first to recommend spending vacation time exposing oneself to other cultures and perspectives. However, an underappreciated benefit of exploring new communities is the potential to reinforce appreciation for one’s own. I ate like a king for two weeks and spent some wonderful and invigorating time outside, but I also slept in beds not my own for an extended period, to say nothing of how dearly I missed my cats. Everywhere I went I met kind and interesting people, but I was consistently reminded of the kind and interesting people I am fortunate to spend time with here in Lawrence. When I returned home, I was struck by an overwhelming gratitude for the places and people that make up the local community at large and my own personal experience within it.

It is this concept of community I want to focus on. We as law students have a phenomenal opportunity we are unlikely to experience again. Green Hall is home to a profound diversity of students and faculty. We are surrounded by hundreds of undeniably brilliant and capable folks, but beyond our capacity for academic success there is little we have universally in common. I personally get to learn from folks much younger and older than myself. There are people from all over the country, representing countless different intersections of identities and values.

This dovetails incredibly with the nature of our studies. Just as an example, the majority of first-year students are currently studying criminal law, Constitutional law and property. These doctrinal bodies critically assess the very serious flaws within our society, from legal, structural and cultural standpoints, among others. To be in the position to analyze the origins and historical context of our laws and country alongside this extraordinary variety of perspectives and experiences is a chance we should not only strive to take full advantage of but relish for what it is during the short time we are here.

A dear friend and classmate shared several moving observations with me just days prior to writing this. He discussed the inherent anxiety of meeting so many new people at once in a setting that also necessarily demands accountability and consequences. There are too many people to be close with everyone, but too few to run from mistakes or avoid anyone. Classes can be too big to feel intimate, but too small to blend in. And yet despite this backdrop of simmering anxiety and unease, he and I genuinely enjoy law school. I submit it is this intersection between content and community we resonate with.

These three years are undeniably stressful and will continue to pose challenges and frustrations. Nevertheless, they provide us an opportunity for community that is invaluable. In my many years, I have gained an abiding love for the city of Lawrence. I treasure the businesses I frequent, the people I know all over town and the University we share. Travel is essential, and horizons exist to broadened, but never forget that we have, for a brief moment, the chance to participate in a beautiful thing. We will take what we learn here and use it to shape the law of our future communities, and in doing so memorialize the one we find ourselves in currently. I hope that you can be as glad for that prospect as I am.

– Will Orlowski is a 1L KU Law Student Ambassador from Lawrence, Kansas

Different Perspectives

KU Law alum starts podcast to learn more about the people behind the law degree

Brian Roberts, L’98

Success in the legal profession doesn’t always take the straight and narrow path. Graduating seniors may be looking toward a different future entirely than the one they envisioned at the start of their 1L year as recent graduate Paula Lopez expressed in a past blog post. Another KU Law alum, Brian Roberts, L’98, has had a similar journey starting with his roots in Lawrence, Kansas, and ending with his current role in Paradise Valley, Arizona where he serves as the chief legal officer at litigation service provider, Array. Recently, Roberts embarked on a new journey with his venture into the podcasting realm in his podcast, “The Attorney Lounge.”

From the Crimson and the Blue to the desert and the sun

Born and raised in Kansas, Roberts has always considered himself a Kansas local even though his career has kept him in Arizona since his law school graduation.

“Some of my earliest memories are on KU’s campus,” said Roberts. “Both my parents worked on campus so basically the first 25 years of my life I grew up immersed in all things KU.”

After his graduation in the spring of 1998, Roberts joined Arizona law firm Snell & Wilmer LLP. He practiced corporate law there for five years before moving in house to serve as general counsel at a variety of different institutions in Arizona including Grand Canyon University. Now he’s settled down at his newest venture with Lawrence friends and fellow KU alums Thadd Hale, Thad Warren and Chad Hoffman.

“I had an entrepreneurial itch that I wanted to scratch,” said Roberts. “The fun thing about it is that I’m working with people I grew up with and have known my whole life.”

Roberts and family during his graduation in 1998.
Photo courtesy of Brian Roberts.

Despite his career taking him hundreds of miles away from his alma mater, Roberts still has strong ties to the crimson and the blue. He recalls with a smile how his entire career was set in motion by one KU Law staff member.

In his 2L year, Roberts had signed up for two interviews with two different law firms: a small firm located in Kansas City and another firm in Phoenix, Arizona. When the interviews lined up back-to-back, Roberts had a decision to make.

“I thought I had a pretty good chance of getting a call back to the Kansas City firm,” Roberts recalled. “I didn’t want to leave that interview early or tell them I had another interview, so I went to Crystal Mai and asked to take my name off the Arizona firm’s list.”

Mai, now associate dean of administration, gave Roberts some advice that he has kept with him more than 25 years later.

“She told me that I could take my name off the list, but to consider that I had taken a spot from someone else they could have chosen to interview. So I went to the interview,” Roberts said.

The Phoenix firm Roberts interviewed at? Snell & Wilmer.

“The crazy thing is, if Crystal had just said, ‘I don’t care,’ I would have taken my name off the list and none of what I’m doing today would have ever happened,” said Roberts. “It’s the little things that happen in life that can have such a big impact on the outcome of where you end up.”

The Little Things

What other little things had influenced the careers of his friends and fellow classmates, Roberts wondered. Alongside his robust career in corporate law, Roberts picked up a microphone and started asking those questions.

“Throughout your career, you’re always networking. You’re going out to have coffee, lunch or dinner and at the end of the conversation you’re thinking, ‘wow, I really got a lot from that,’” said Roberts. “You always learn something new about someone every time you talk to them. You walk away from those meetings and wish that you had recorded your conversations because other people would have gotten something out of that too.”

That’s what Roberts hopes to bring to his listeners with his new podcast, “The Attorney Lounge.” Started at the end of 2023, this podcast brings on accomplished attorneys and legal professionals to talk about their professional and personal lives. “The Attorney Lounge” is “inspired by the vibrant discussions that occur inside the walls of a prestigious law firm’s lounge” and offers an informal look into the careers of such attorneys as Supreme Court Lawyer Kannon Shanmugam and U-Haul’s General Council Kristine Campbell.

“I’m focusing the podcast on really getting to know people and having a relaxed conversation about them and their background versus trying to make it a technical podcast taking deep dives into substantive areas of the law,” said Roberts. “I think the person behind the lawyer is really interesting.”

Even in the short amount of time Roberts has been working on “The Attorney Lounge,” he has managed to collect an impressive amount of stories from successful lawyers, and he hopes to be able to share these stories with current law students just starting out.

“One of my favorite moments in creating this podcast was with [Boston Marathon Bombing prosecutor] Aloke Chakravarty,” said Roberts. “He started his career in a prestigious firm but wasn’t feeling satisfied. So, he took a step back in the hopes that he could take two steps forward and went to work at the prosecutor’s office in Boston. Now he’s a nationally recognized trial attorney and it’s all a result of making a bold decision early in his career.”

Roberts contributes podcasts like ‘My First Million’ as inspiration behind “The Attorney Lounge” as it, and other shows like it, also invite a glimpse into the lives of successful entrepreneurs, but at an informal and personal level.

“’My First Million’ doesn’t just dissect the business side of their careers and their guests’ careers,” said Roberts. “They talk about their personal lives, the mental side of their careers and how the decisions they’ve made throughout their careers have impacted their lives. I wanted my podcast to be a similar format, but in the legal industry.”

As of publishing, the newest episode of “The Attorney Lounge” features Kannon Shanmugam, a Supreme Court lawyer and fellow former Lawrencian. Roberts wanted to take a different approach to interviewing Shanmugam focusing less on the substantive issues he’s argued before the Court, and more on what his life looks like as one of the best Supreme Court lawyers in the country.

“I think a lot of people want to talk to him about the issues he’s brought before the Supreme Court,” said Roberts. “For me, I just wanted to talk to him about what it’s like to be an attorney and appellate lawyer. I wanted him to take us inside what a typical day looks like.”

Two Steps Forward

Though “The Attorney Lounge” is still growing, Roberts is excited to see where this new venture will take him and is enjoying the simplicity of learning the unique stories of lawyers across the country. As he looks to the future, Roberts has several goals, both large and small.

“To me the Holy Grail of guests would be Barack Obama,” said Roberts. “He is the ultimate candidate for someone who got his law degree but chose an unconventional path. That’s what I’m looking for in guests for the podcast. They’re applying principles of their legal education to their career, but they’re not practicing as a traditional lawyer.”

His other goals bring him back home to his alma mater.

“Stephen McAllister was, to me, the epitome of what a great professor does because he could take difficult subject matter and make it relatable and easy to understand,” said Roberts. “I would love to interview him because he’s someone I look up to and he’s had an interesting career.”

Roberts, Clarence Thomas (center) and Stephen Mcallister (right) during Thomas’ KU Law visit.
Photo courtesy of Brian Roberts

E.S. & Tom W. Hampton Distinguished Professor Stephen McAllister recently celebrated his 30th anniversary with KU Law, but that doesn’t even scratch the surface of his illustrious career which includes arguing cases before the Supreme Court, practicing at big law firms and teaching.

“He’s also one of the few people who have clerked for two separate Supreme Court Justices: Byron White and Clarence Thomas,” said Roberts. “During my time at KU, he was able to bring both Justices to campus.”

Overall, Roberts just hopes that “The Attorney Lounge” will be beneficial to law students interested in exploring the avenues their careers could take in the always evolving world of law.

“A lot of what we’re exploring is how these individuals get interested in the law and how they got their start,” said Roberts. “When I was navigating those questions during law school, a show like this would have really helped me think through some of my options. If you’re looking to emulate someone and their success, you can pick up a lot.”

Want to get caught up on “The Attorney Lounge?” Start at the very beginning with Roberts’ interview with Jamie Boggs, vice president of athletics at Grand Canyon University.

– Emma Herrman

¿Donde esta la biblioteca?

Books, resources, events and more!

Rossiel Reyes, 1L

When I was younger, my mom would take my siblings, cousins, and me to our hometown public library. On the weekends, we would go to the free movie screenings in the library basement and enjoy the freshly popped popcorn. On weekdays, after school, we would get hour-long passes to use the computers and attempt to pass all of the Poptropica islands (after finishing our school work, of course). I continued to go throughout middle and high school, volunteering as a Teen Advisory Group member to encourage young people to come to the library. Aside from my home and school, this was the place I would spend most of my time at.

In short, the library was a safe space for me. It was where I spent many hours during my gap year studying for the LSAT and where I booked a meeting room in the basement to take it. It was no surprise then that I found myself at the Lawrence Public Library (LPL) during my first week of being in Lawrence. Although there is a common misconception that a library’s sole function is lending out books, they offer so much more, and I hope I can encourage you all to check out the LPL as well as your local public libraries.

Check out books and more

Sure, libraries aren’t all about the books, but they are a big part of what they provide. But did you know you can also check out audio and virtual copies of books on your phone? Using the Libby app, insert your library card number and access books straight from your phone!

Wait, you don’t have a library card? Well, this is awkward… but no worries! Getting a library card is easy and literally takes five minutes of your day. LPL has made an online application that is simple to fill out and submit to make it easier. Once you have it submitted, you can head straight over to pick up your card! Alternatively, you can come to the library and talk to the front desk staff, who will gladly help you. On both occasions, you will have to bring a valid photo ID and proof of address, and there you have it: a wonderful, glorious library card.

Not only will you be able to get books from the library, but you also get access to a wide variety of magazines, newspapers and even locally-made zines. If you own a CD player, you can check out movies/TV shows/anime and music albums. And, if like most people, you don’t own one, the LPL digital library offers access to a ton of these resources online.

Access to resources

As someone with a smaller laptop, I find the tiny screen annoying to use, especially when outlining and trying to reference class slides, so I often find myself at the library using their desktops. These desktops have been a lifesaver, making outlining and researching much more manageable. If you have a library card, you can simply log in using your library card number, but even if you don’t, staff at the computer lab would be happy to provide you with a guest login.

Right next to the computer lab, you can also find the SOUND+VISION Studio, a recording and videocast studio. It’s a free resource and can be accessed if you are 18 years or older and—say it with me— have a library card. So, if you’ve been thinking of starting a podcast, recording a song or recording and editing a YouTube video for your law school vlog, you can use the SOUND+ VISION Studio.

Events

Finally, the library hosts many free events for the public to attend. In the past, I’ve attended an Indigenous Law Panel where local Indigenous leaders discussed the violence Indigenous communities experience, a Japan Foundation Film Series that hosted three movie screenings with conversations of the films following the screening, and a Spanish-language conversation table led by graduate students from KU. To look at what upcoming events are happening at the library, check out this calendar!

I can’t discuss all the reasons why you should visit the Lawrence Public Library (or any public library, for that matter) in this blog without making this post impossibly long. Still, if I have piqued your interest, I encourage you to visit their website to learn about all the available resources and services. Although it is easy for many of us, especially recent college graduates, to stay in the ‘KU bubble’ and be ignorant of the community around us, I think it’s essential to actively engage with and immerse ourselves in the Lawrence community. Visiting the library may be one small step in doing so, but I hope this encourages you to come to the library and leave campus for a little bit to enjoy the free and wonderful resources it offers.

– Rossiel Reyes Enriquez is a 1L KU Law Student Ambassador from Great Bend, Kansas

Creating Pawsitive Connections

Why I Love Pet Sitting for the KU Law Community

Corrinne Yoder-Mulkey, 2L

The ABA published an article in 2020 about the benefits of pet ownership for lawyers. Physical, mental and emotional well-being are among the listed benefits of having a furry friend. Lawyers are particularly stressed out and often suffer from vicarious trauma due to the intense nature of their work. Pets provide companionship, love and unconditional support.

I have my own cat, Corduroy, who brings me a lot of joy. For me, having a pet gives me comfort and security even when law school gets intense. I know that I can always come home to her after class, and she is always happy to see me.

It is no shock that students and staff at KU Law love and care for their own animals. When I started law school, I noticed lots of folks looking for pet sitters over vacations and long weekends. My family lives nearby and I typically stay in Lawrence over breaks. Because of my lack of travel, I started to pick up lots of pet-sitting gigs. Not only was I getting financial compensation, but I got the chance to spend time with lots of friendly and cute pets. 

I have pet sit for professors over Christmas, friends over spring break and librarians over long weekends. I have watched a variety of animals including cats, dogs, rats and guinea pigs. I have met so many new law friends from referrals for pet sitting. It is great to connect with other pet parents in the law school. It always brightens my day to see new pictures of my friends’ pets. It makes me happy to know that my friends are going home to their own animals, and I am always thrilled to take care of them while they are away. 

More than 60% of Americans own a pet. This tells us that we really love our animals and that they improve the quality of our lives. This attitude of respect for nature and interest in caregiving brings the law community closer. I would highly recommend pet sitting for fellow students if you are ever given the chance, you may make new best friends (both human and animal).

– Corrinne Yoder-Mulkey is a 2L KU Law Student Ambassador from Eudora, Kansas