Change your perspective

First-year law student Jamie Treto

Law school can be daunting. The dreaded cold calls, the heavy reading and the sleepless nights are often big topics when considering law school. When the school organized a meet-up at my small section professor’s house a few days before the first day of 1L year, I took the opportunity and asked a 3L in attendance, “Is it true? Is it that bad?” In truth, I don’t remember what she told me. Now that I am almost finished with my 1L year, I think the appropriate question to have asked is, “How do I make my law school experience better?”

Now there are obvious answers to this question. Make friends, spend time outside of the law school and find an outside network of support. While these are great suggestions, one mentor made a suggestion I had never thought about. She told me to change my perspective. 

As incoming 1Ls, we often get so caught up in the rumors and fears of law school that we forget why we came here in the first place. For some of us, it’s our unwavering passion for social justice or prison reform. For others, it’s our love of learning and the quench for knowledge. Whatever your “why” is, hold onto it and remind yourself of it when things get tough. As my mentor said to me, “Stop viewing law school as a chore and view it as a hobby.” Those 13 words have changed my law school experience substantially. This whole time, I had taught my brain to view the law as that very difficult, hard to comprehend monster that kept me up late at night. When before law school, it was a subject I used to enjoy reading about in my free time and would spend hours researching. 

Changing my perspective on assignments and classes made a significant difference. Walking into the second semester, I stopped viewing readings as long and strenuous and started seeing them almost as a new episode of my favorite crime show. What crazy story am I going to read about in tort law? Isn’t it crazy that people have rights to the air above their property? I was so focused on perfecting my study plan that I forgot just how much I enjoyed reading the law and hearing about real-life cases.

So, I urge you to never look at the law as a chore. Do not let the fears of law school consume you. Instead, remember why you came here in the first place. When you stop viewing readings as a chore, it becomes surprising how quickly you read and how much more time you have to enjoy other hobbies and interests. Most importantly, take your time and enjoy the experience. For many of us, this is likely the last time we will get to explore our intellectual interests and be surrounded by like-minded individuals with similar interests.

— Jamie Treto is a 1L from Garden City and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

My journey to KU Law

Photo by Ashley Golledge.

When you attend 1L Orientation, the first question almost everyone you meet will ask is “Why did you choose to attend KU Law?” To be honest, when I was first asked this question, I did not have a good answer. My first answer, “It was cheaper than other schools and would not leave me with life-long debt” did not strike the right tone and resulted in a few odd looks. Many people I met during orientation lived in the Kansas City area for the majority of their lives and were curious why someone from Ohio would move across the country for law school. So, my first answer failed to satisfy most people’s curiosity and caused more questions given I moved during a once-in-a-century pandemic.

After completing 1L Orientation, I decided I needed to think about why I chose to move to Kansas and more importantly why I was at KU Law. So, I spent that last weekend of freedom before classes started, thinking about why I made this leap of faith and chose to move to an area where I had no friends or family. Initially, I thought about all of the metrics that law schools publish, employment outcomes, graduating debt load, and out-of-state opportunities.

None of these answers felt genuine and were not a factor when I chose to apply to KU Law. Instead, I started to try and remember a conversation I had with a former professor of mine when I was an undergrad. All of those years ago I was considering attending law school but was not sure about it. I knew it was expensive and time-consuming and was not sure I wanted to go to law school right after undergrad. A passing comment she made came rushing back. “You know I’ve had you in a lot of classes and I noticed you perform better in a smaller setting. Just something to think about going forward.”

She hit the mark since I was a kid, I performed better in smaller class settings and I was fortunate that I picked a school that offers smaller class sizes and smaller small sections. So I now had a possible answer that people would understand, but thinking about the journey I was undertaking made me continue to evaluate how I ended up at KU Law.

The smaller class size argument I realized extended to cities as well. I have lived all over the country from Los Angeles to Atlanta, but I realized I felt the most comfortable when I lived in cities of medium to smaller size. After exploring the Kansas City Metro area, I realized that like KU Law it was a medium-sized city with many of the attractions of larger cities without feeling overwhelming. That feeling perfectly encapsulates how I feel about KU Law. It is small enough, so I do not feel overwhelmed but has all of the attractions of larger law schools. So, I might not have KU Law with the “right” reasons in mind, but I was fortunately lucky that it meets my needs. A smaller law school that does not make me feel like I am missing out on any opportunities.

— Donald Pinckney is a 1L from Toledo, Ohio and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Adapting the Judicial Field Placement Program to a virtual format

Omar Husain, L’20, and Johnson County District Court Judge Paul Gurney, L’82, are pictured in a courtroom. Photo courtesy of Omar Husain.

Since 1963, students at the University of Kansas School of Law have had the opportunity to get firsthand experience of how the law works by serving as interns with federal and state judges.

Under the supervision of a judge, law clerk or staff attorney, Judicial Field Placement Program interns perform research, draft documents and observe courtroom proceedings to expand their knowledge of how our court systems operate.

Last summer, many internships and law firms shortened, canceled or shifted their summer programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Clinical Professor Pam Keller said local judges took the initiative to adapt the program to a virtual format to provide internship opportunities to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keller has directed the Judicial Field Placement Program at KU Law since 2004.

“Judges really went out of their way to provide opportunities for law students to do online internships,” Keller said.

Twenty-five KU Law students participated in the Judicial Field Placement Program last summer – including 10 internships in Johnson County.

“Interning for a judge is one of the best working experiences a first- or second-year law student could have because it provides them with such a broad knowledge of how the legal system works and how lawyers practice,” Keller said. “Alumni judges who are willing to guide and mentor students are a huge asset to the law school.”

Johnson County District Court Judge Paul Gurney, L’82, said the program was adapted so that interns could work remotely. Interns observed online courtroom proceedings, practiced their legal research and writing skills, and virtually networked with attorneys.

Judge Gurney also seeks to expand the Judicial Field Placement Program at KU Law. Most judicial field placements happen during the summer months, but Judge Gurney hopes to expand the number of field placements available during the fall and spring semesters.

Judge Gurney’s daughter, Caroline Gurney, L’15, did an internship with Douglas County District Court Judge Michael J. Malone as part of the Judicial Field Placement Program.

“She told me about how beneficial of an experience that was,” Judge Gurney said. “That inspired the notion that we need to do all we can here in Johnson County to provide a similar opportunity, so I’m happy that we’ve been able to do so thus far.”

Omar Husain, L’20, said he gained invaluable hands-on experience and knowledge about how court systems operate through his clerkship with Judge Gurney while he was in law school.

“The Judicial Field Placement was my first exposure to the real practice of law, not just the study of law. For me, the program was a concentrated dose of experience that put my theoretical knowledge in to perspective,” Husain said. “The program has had a lasting effect because the lessons I learned and relationships I built during that summer set the course for how I want to direct my career as a professional.”

— By Ashley Golledge

My dog’s journey through Paw School

Mellie (left) and Jojo lay on a wooden structure at the local dog park. Jojo is 3L Sarah Buchanan’s dog. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.
A younger-looking Mellie rests her head in the middle of an LSAT prep book. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Mellie, my 4-year-old golden retriever, has spent most of her life in paw school pursuing the prestigious Juris Dogtorate degree to become a full-time pawalegal. In these past few years, we’ve both learned a lot. Here were some of our biggest takeaways (that I have transcribed directly from Mellie, of course) from the journey that is law school:

Do what works for you

Everyone has their own study habits and techniques to tackle reading assignments or note-taking. Don’t be afraid to try something new until you find something that works for you. During 1L year, I realized that flowcharts and notecards are an effective study strategy for me. Try not to compare yourself to your peers, focus on what works for you. However, please note that Mellie’s attempt at learning via sleeping on top of notecards might not be the strongest strategy to employ. 

Mellie asleep on the couch with a paw dangling in front of a dry-erase board that contains a flowchart with vague scribblings of property law before a final exam. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Authenticity over everything

Be yourself! Sounds easy, right? This notion will get tested time and time again in law school due to its inherently competitive nature. All I can say is, I wouldn’t have had an amazing summer internship opportunity with the ACLU Capital Punishment Project if I wouldn’t have spent the interview passionately rambling about prison abolition. Focus on developing authenticity by discovering your value system and standing up for those beliefs; this will open far more doors than simply trying to fit in.

Mellie asleep in an orange chair with a folded-up trans flag behind her. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Find your people and support them

Mellie lying on the couch while tuning in to a presentation on “Gender Marker and Name Changes in Kansas” via Zoom. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Law school is temporary, but the friends I’ve met along the way are forever. If there’s one thing I would do law school all over again for, it would be to meet my friends and mentors who have helped to shape my beliefs and values. Law school is exhausting; having friends help to ease that. My friends have been a shoulder to cry on and the sounding board to whom I vent my frustrations, as well as a source for anime recommendations and new hobbies to relieve stress like painting or roller skating. Finding mentors along the way has helped me keep my house plants alive, in addition to validating my feelings and clearing up career confusion. Mellie and I are so grateful for the support system we’ve gained in just three short years.

Take a break

Mellie recommends naps. Lots of naps.  

Mellie sleeping on the bed during Professor Velte’s virtual Employment Discrimination class. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.
Mellie with pawrents, 3Ls Delaney Hiegert and Bria Nelson, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Don’t be afraid to go on new adventures

This January, we moved to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Sixth Semester in D.C. program. It was scary to leave the Midwest for the first time and to venture out into the unknown. Doing so has brought me connections that will last a lifetime and a renewed sense to seek justice for marginalized communities, my communities. This experience has also been a reminder that nothing seems to truly go according to plan in this wild ride called life. You will experience many ups and many downs but will face each new challenge with the combined knowledge of lessons learned along the way. While we have enjoyed this chapter in D.C., we are excited to see what comes next!

Don’t take yourself too seriously

A collage comprised of nine pictures of Mellie smiling with her tongue hanging out. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.
Mellie asleep on an Iowa State blanket in front of a windowsill full of plants. Photo courtesy of Bria Nelson.

Life is too short to not do things that make your tail wag. Develop self-care tactics and make them part of your daily routine. In addition to naps, Mellie likes to go on long walks, roll in the dirt or snow, and sometimes will even doggy paddle her way to happiness. Mellie is constantly reminding me of the simple joys when the going gets ruff. Your law school journey does not have to consist of 18-hour days in the Wheat Law Library if you don’t want it to. At the end of the day, it’s all about balance. Make sure to pour the same amount of love and compassion into yourself as you are into this new journey.

Rock Chalk!

— Bria Nelson is a 3L from Woodstock, Illinois and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Helen Phillips finds community at KU Law in small section

Small Section 1 poses for a photo after a law school function. Photo courtesy of Helen Phillips.

Let me just say, starting law school in the middle of a pandemic is a bit odd. Really, everything over the past year has been different, and sometimes really tough. But I do know that I am surviving, and sometimes even enjoying myself, because of my small section (Woo! Small Section 1!). As a 1L, everyone is placed in a small section that is made up of about twenty people. You will take all your first-year classes with the same group and one of the highlights since the fall has been getting to know the awesome people in my small section! Here a few of the best things (in my opinion) about small sections:

1. There is always someone to discuss the material with.

Chances are, at some point, you will be very confused about a topic in one of your classes. I’ve definitely felt that way. However, the great thing about small sections is that it’s likely someone in your section understands and can help explain the topic. And at some point, you will probably return the favor. 

Small Section 1 poses for a photo in a classroom at Green Hall. Students are wearing vacation-themed attire to celebrate respite week. Photo courtesy of Helen Phillips.

2. Small sections are built-in communities that understand what you are going through.

Sometimes law school is tough, especially the first year. Everything is new, and law school is a very different learning environment than undergrad. So, sometimes you just want to talk to someone who has the same professors, assignments, and is generally just going through the same experience. It can be great to vent sometimes with people who understand what you are going through.

Five law students pose for a photo next to a Jayhawk statue while wearing vacation-themed attire to celebrate respite week. Photo courtesy of Helen Phillips.

3. Less worry about getting that cold call wrong in class.

One of the beauties of seeing the same people every day is that you get pretty comfortable with them. Because of that – messing up that cold call in Contracts or whatever class it may be – is less of a big deal because I know my section mates don’t think any less of me for it.

4. During the pandemic, small sections have been a great way to make friends because a lot of the typical social activities look different this year.

Like I said before, starting law school during a pandemic is odd. When I applied to KU Law, I couldn’t have imagined that a few months later we would be in the middle of a pandemic. I remember being nervous and unsure about what the school year would look like (or how I would make friends) given the necessary changes to keep everyone safe (student groups meet virtually only, for example). I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get to know my section mates. Even though we are all in masks and sit six feet apart in class, we have found ways to get to know each other and enjoy the year!

— By Helen Phillips, a 1L from Overland Park and a KU Law Student Ambassador.

Connecting through food

Photo courtesy of Doug Bartel.

For much of my adult life, cooking for friends and family has been a sacred act for me. I fell in love with food when I moved to France in my early twenties. Every Wednesday and Saturday, there was a beautiful market near my apartment filled with heaping piles of fresh lettuces, olives, herbs and vegetables. In the autumn, chickens would be roasting over a fire with fingerling potatoes beneath catching and roasting in the chicken fat. It was an unforgettable sensory experience. When I returned to the United States, I fell in love with cooking while working on Lawrence farm owned by a middle-aged hippy from New Mexico. She made cooking simple, delicious, and most importantly, a communal experience. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from learning basic kitchen skills and cooking together. Not only will you become a healthier person, but you will also be happier.

Doug Bartel conducts a cooking class/virtual dinner party via Zoom in his kitchen. Photo courtesy of Doug Bartel.

The COVID-19 pandemic made in-person dinner parties impossible, so I knew I needed to find a creative way to continue cooking with my friends and family. The answer? Zoom. Throughout COVID-19, I hosted virtual dinner parties where everyone cooked the same dish in real-time and then enjoyed it together. This was hardly an original idea, but it was something I embraced and continue to do.

Samin Nosrat, the author of the book and Netflix series, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat”, created the ultimate communal cooking experience last year called The Big Lasagna. On May 3, 2020, Samin hosted a virtual dinner party live on Instagram featuring her recipe for The Big Lasagna, and people from around the world came together to cook this very adaptable and delicious dish. It was a neat experience to know I was cooking the same recipe and eating it together with people from Kansas City to Kuala Lampur.

My idea: Let’s do a KU Law edition of The Big Lasagna.

Since International Pi Day – which is on March 14 – is on the horizon and falls at the end of our respite week, I propose we do a KU Law edition of The Big Lasagna using David Lebovitz’s version of Jacques Pépin’s Apple Crunch Tart. A tart is close enough to a pie, right? I hope people who are able will post photos, questions, tips, etc., on their year’s KU Law Facebook page on or around International Pi Day.

Follow this link for the recipe.

I’m looking forward to seeing your creations and connecting with you through food!

Pro tips:

  1. If you’re vegan or dairy-free, simply use vegan butter for the crust and to dot over the apples. You can also use melted vegan butter instead of egg wash for the top of the tart.
  2. I never use water in my pie crusts. Use vodka instead. I know it sounds crazy, but vodka creates a very crispy, crunchy crust. The reason for this is that the ethanol in vodka inhibits the production of gluten, which turns what would otherwise be a crunchy crust into a chewy one. There is nothing worse than a soggy or chewy pie crust.
  3. This recipe will work with a variety of fruits. Pears would be a logical substitute, but berries could work too. If you use fresh berries, I would toss in a few tablespoons of flour into the fruit mixture before you add it to the bottom crust to help control the juices. I would also skip dotting butter over the fruit before you add the top crust.
  4. If you cannot fathom making a pie crust – it’s not hard, believe me – you can get away with store-bought crust. Keep in mind, you will need two crusts for this recipe.

— By Doug Bartel, a 1L from Olathe and a KU Law Student Ambassador.