Annual Barrister’s Ball event is a beloved law school tradition

Law students Anna Meyer, Cori Moffett and Becca Henderson pose for a photo at Barrister’s Ball in 2019. Barrister’s Ball is often nicknamed as “Law Prom.” Photo courtesy of Becca Henderson.

I’ve been wrong many times in my life and in law school (emphasis added). My favorite misconception has been what I thought law school would be about. Before attending law school, I had a very skewed idea of what law school would entail.  

  • I imagined my peers would tear out pages of my textbook and that you were not supposed to befriend your colleagues because the competition is cut-throat.  
  • I imagined being cold called on the first day and a professor telling me to leave their classroom, like Elle Woods. 
  • I imagined the only school events that people would attend would be class and the riveting mandatory CSO events.  

And I was proved wrong. 

Don’t get me wrong, law school is a lot of work and dedication. But surprisingly, one of my most frequently asked questions by potential students is, “Do you ever have time to have fun?”  

Law students Anna Meyer and Becca Henderson pose for a photo at Barrister’s Ball
in 2019. Barrister’s Ball is often nicknamed as “Law Prom.” Photo courtesy of Becca Henderson.

Some days, I will answer that with a smile and say, “Of course!” And other times, like after an 8-hour Constitutional Law final, I will give the same answer with a hint of sarcasm.  

KU Law makes sure at least ONE night is dedicated to the students to take a break and enjoy. 

The Barrister’s Ball is an annual event put on by the Student Bar Association, and every law school in the country puts on one of its own.  

The Barrister’s Ball is always a memorable night because you were able to see all of your peers relax for the night. My favorite part was seeing my peers and colleagues in beautiful gowns and suits, while spending the night on the dance floor. It is the one night where all of your  classmates are in the same place at the same time celebrating. Last year, there was a photobooth and a DJ which seemed helped emphasize the nickname “Law Prom.” And I can promise, there is no mention of homework, classes or professors all night. 

The Barrister’s Ball is my favorite KU Law tradition. Law students definitely have fun. 

— By Becca Henderson, a 2L from Topeka and a KU Law Student Ambassador

New fund supports students when they need a hand

KU Law Giving Story - Student Emergency Fund

An unforeseen financial emergency or catastrophic event can have lasting effects on a student’s education. In an effort to make sure such a situation doesn’t prevent a student from continuing on to graduation, the University of Kansas School of Law has established the Student Emergency Fund. 

The fund provides one-time grants of up to $500 to students in need of emergency financial assistance, including covering costs such as counseling and mental health services. The grants do not need to be repaid.

The Student Emergency Fund also provides relief for students who may be struggling with additional financial hardships brought on by the abrupt changes COVID-19 has created.

Leah Terranova, assistant dean for academic and student affairs, said the fund provides a safety net for students who encounter a situation that could affect their ability to continue law school.

“This fund allows students to connect with counseling services and other vital supports without adding a financial burden,” Terranova said.

The Student Emergency Fund was made possible by support from the Janean Meigs Memorial Award in Law fund and its stewardees.

KU Law supporters donated $1,000 to the fund during this year’s university-wide giving day, ONE DAY. ONE KU.

The fund is one of several efforts at the law school to support student wellness. Additional programs introduced during the 2019-20 academic year include:

  • A weekly Peer Listening program, coordinated with KU Counseling and Psychological Services, brings Mental Health Peer Educators to Green Hall for confidential sessions where students can get support and learn how to connect with useful resources.
  • At weekly mindfulness and meditation sessions, certified meditation coaches lead 20-minute exercises to reduce stress.
  • A new dedicated wellness space includes a stocked food pantry, available to any student who may be experiencing food insecurity.

To make a gift to the Student Emergency Fund, visit the KU Endowment website and enter “Student Emergency Fund” in the “Other Purpose” field.

Students can apply for assistance from the Student Emergency Fund by contacting Leah Terranova at leaht@ku.edu or sending her a completed application form. Gift cards to Dillons or other grocery stores are also available for students struggling with food insecurity. Please contact Leah Terranova to obtain a card.

— By Margaret Hair

Expect the unexpected

Photo by Ashley Golledge

Being the first in my family to attend law school, I did not know what to expect and began law school feeling guarded. I prepared myself to face a fiercely competitive and harsh environment full of people waiting to see me fail. I thought the experience would be isolating. After my first semester, I can honestly say, KU Law is not what I expected. I am so glad I was wrong.

As I settled into life as a law student, I realized the environment in Green Hall is a unique kind of competitive. The kind where your biggest competition is yourself. The day-to-day focus is centered around self-improvement instead of direct competition. There is a “join me as I push myself to do my best” mentality around the school. I found myself sitting in a classroom full of people who came from different places, had different experiences, were at different stages of their lives, but were experiencing the same newness of our first year at KU Law. This environment actually fostered inclusion, instead of isolation.

Green Hall has also become an environment where I do not feel intimidated to make mistakes and to learn from those mistakes. I realized the dreaded cold call did not live up to its hype. We now laugh about a wrong answer given in class because we are all are unsure of the correct answer. It did not take long for cold calls to turn into team efforts with classmates offering to chime in to save each other.

I quickly realized that professors did not use cold calls to terrorize their students. Instead, professors want to gauge the class’ understanding and give students the chance to test their knowledge. The professors at KU Law genuinely want to see you succeed. They want to be here and care deeply about shaping you into a great law student and attorney. I did not expect them to make an effort to remember my name. It may sound small, but it was comforting to hear a, “Hey Lexi, come on in,” when I walked through their door after struggling through a concept in their class.

I’ve heard about the importance of finding a balance between law school and other fun, stress-relieving activities. This still rings true. However, I was under the impression I needed to leave all-things-law-school in Green Hall in order to find this balance. Again, I am glad I was wrong. My classmates turned into good friends who have made my experience that much more inclusive. Spending time with these friends outside of the class setting has been a fun way to take a break from the workload of law school. I find it comforting to spend time with friends who relate to the uncertainty we are all going through in our first year. Few things will be as funny as inside jokes about our law school experience that we have picked up along the way.

— By Lexi Christopher, a 1L from Denver and a KU Law Student Ambassador

Gaining unique legal perspective through Tribal Judicial Support Clinic

Photo courtesy of Aidan Graybill

Participating in the Tribal Judicial Support Clinic provided me with a unique perspective on tribal law practice. During my time in the clinic, I conducted research to be used for consideration in larger governmental projects by a tribal attorney. The majority of the research had to do with staying up to date on issues that directly impact tribal self-governance and internal relations.

Working in the clinic allowed me an opportunity to develop a clearer understanding of the basic concepts of tribal law and sovereignty in an environment where I could directly apply it. Through this, I also developed a vibrant understanding that my learning style requires such immediate application of rules to a particular scenario in order to allow myself the best opportunity to concretize and deepen my understanding of rules and issues. This will be indispensable experience beyond clinic work and in my coursework as well.

I primarily spent time working for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation at the Nation’s Government Center. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet people the tribal attorney works with regularly, including individuals working for the Nation’s government, the state government and other attorneys that specialize in fields of particular importance to the Nation. I was able to observe various projects that the tribal attorney was currently working on and had an opportunity to make connections with other students from Washburn Law that were working in the tribal attorney’s office as well. Overall, the experience demonstrated the variety and extent of work being accomplished while working for a tribal government as an in-house attorney.

— By Aidan Graybill, a 2L from Lincoln, Nebraska.

Advice: Think of law school like a full-time job

Photo by Ashley Golledge

Law school can seem overwhelming when balancing reading, homework and exams. Time is an incredibly valuable resource in law school and finding a balance between school, sleep and a social life can be difficult. The good news is, it is possible to find a balance between all of those things and find eternal happiness… or whatever the law school equivalent of that is. Being able to manage your time effectively will make your experience significantly better. For me, that entails treating law school like a 9 to 5 job.

1L James Schmidt is pictured on the Speaker’s Balcony in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of James Schmidt.

Because I worked full-time in Washington, D.C. before coming to law school, I was able to learn a lot about time management. As a Senate legislative staffer, I was often working on multiple projects at once and at a certain point prioritization of projects became necessary. Being able to pick between what you absolutely need to do versus what you would like to do is crucial to maximizing your time. For me, I’m able to maximize my time best when I’m at Green Hall because I treat my time there like it’s my job. From 9 to 5 (or until my work for the day is done), I’m either in class or trying to prepare for another class (or taking a long lunch). That way, when I go home at the end of the day, all of my work is done. Procrastination in law school can lead to a stressful experience. In undergrad, putting off your work until the day before is generally a conundrum you can work yourself out of. In law school, getting your work done in advance can greatly relieve your day to day stress, and frankly is essential to getting your work done on time.

Also important, having enough time to sleep and enjoy what free time you have. There will be times in law school where you have two assignments due at the same time, while also still having to prepare for class. It is easy to get overwhelmed in these scenarios, and for me, sometimes I find it necessary to forgo preparing for a cold call in class in favor of finishing my assignments and getting eight hours of sleep. This is why I find treating law school like a 9 to 5 important to my success. I know that after I go home for the day, I have the rest of the day to do whatever I want. Although 1L year will be stressful, finding that time to relax and watch a movie or go bowling with friends can prove more beneficial to your success than staying up until 2 a.m. studying.

While living in D.C., James Schmidt played on a recreational office softball league. Photo courtesy of James Schmidt.

As you begin preparing for your first year of law school, think about how you manage your time currently and how you can transition to applying that at law school. Effective time management can change your law school experience from stressful… to still stressful, but significantly less stressful and being less stressful will lead to a better overall law school experience.

— By James Schmidt, a 1L from Houston, Texas and a KU Law Student Ambassador

How to succeed as a parent in law school

Photo by Ashley Golledge

Law school is a big adjustment for anyone. But for those of us with kids at home, it can be a complete shock to the system! Good news… the initial shock dissipates fairly quickly. Not only is law school doable for us parents, but it is a place where we can dream, develop and dare to push ourselves harder and further than we realized possible, and our children get to watch from the front row!

I am a first-year law student, starting my legal career later in life with two teenage daughters at home. Initially, I thought it was crazy to go to law school at this stage in life. I assumed it would be too hard to make happen, and I wouldn’t be a good fit. But, to my relief, I quickly realized that I was just one of many students who have interesting and storied paths leading them to KU Law. With help from my family, it’s very doable. From the first day in Green Hall, I have felt as an integral part of this community!

And I’m not the only parent here; there are many of us! If you’re a parent and thinking about joining us at KU Law, you can do it! Here are a few tips some of us parents have put together on how we are able to be successful law students without losing our minds at home!

First-year law student Kendra Stacey is pictured with her two teenage daughters. Photo courtesy of Kendra Stacey.

1. Keep the important things important.

First-year law student Ely Markarian is a father of four ranging from 6 to 12 years old. He has found that by inking in the important daily tasks and time for his family, he is able do his school work in the remaining time left under much less stress because he knows his family has been taken care of.

2. Be intentional.

Third-year law student Sasha Raab is the head Dean’s Fellow, executive comments editor for the Kansas Law Review and mom to Edith (3). Raab insists that one the most important factors of a good school/home life balance is to have times at home when she is 100% present. She makes the time from daycare pick up until bedtime a law school free time.

3. Have a support system and use it.

Second-year law student Angie Lyn is a single mom of Charleigh (8) and president of the Student Division of Federal Bar Association. Lyn insists that being able to rely on her close family and friends is invaluable. Her mom lives with her to help with her daughter, and her best friend keeps her daughter one night a week for a sleepover.  

4. Don’t expect perfection.

First-year law student Mary McMullen is class president and mom to Jarek (5), James (1) and Meredith (3 months old). She stresses that she had to let go of preconceived expectations, both for her family and herself. She knows it is necessary to give a little on both fronts and understands that perfection is an irrational pressure all of us put on ourselves.

5. Enjoy the ride and know you can do it!

— By Kendra Stacey, a 1L from Kansas City, Kansas and a KU Law Student Ambassador