When University of Kansas School of Law Dean Stephen Mazza was a boy in Huntsville, Alabama, the legacy of his family’s giving towered over him.
“When my great uncle immigrated from Italy and settled in Alabama he helped build the Catholic church in town with a significant donation,” Dean Mazza explains. “Every generation of my family since has made a significant contribution to the church and it stands as an example of dedication to a cause. When I was younger it was instilled in me to be generous to those who have helped you on your journey.”
Dean Stephen W. Mazza
With that in mind, Dean Mazza has led the School of Law by example, establishing the Stephen W. Mazza Dean’s Opportunity Fund through his estate plan. Initially created in 2010, Dean Mazza recently doubled his commitment.
“I established the fund to help future deans of the School of Law,” Dean Mazza said. “When we plan for the academic year, budgeting is a major aspect and an inexact science. Having discretionary funds to help offset unforeseen expenses can relieve a lot of stress and help keep the focus on teaching future lawyers. The fund is to be used on whatever the current dean of the School of Law sees fit. Maybe it’s to help a faculty member travel to a conference or assist in a research project or maybe reward faculty for a job well done. Having some discretionary funds can go a long way in helping the dean of the school accomplish goals.”
Mazza, currently the fourth-longest serving law school dean in the country, credits former faculty for inspiring his generosity to the school. In fact, he’s the current beneficiary of an opportunity fund.
“I’m very grateful to former Dean Jim Logan who established a similar fund,” Mazza said. “Our current faculty are benefiting from his forward-thinking generosity and I’m happy to continue the tradition started well before me.”
During her time as a legal intern for the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, third-year KU Law student Logan Quackenbush put the skills she learned from her professors in Green Hall to real-world use.
Quackenbush participated in the internship as part of the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program at the University of Kansas School of Law in the summer of 2024.
“Having the opportunity to do this and to work with such wonderful people who not only cared about their jobs, but their community and the next generation of attorneys really was phenomenal to me,” she said. “It reinforced that I want to be a criminal prosecutor and that I wanted to be like these people who care about their community.”
What type of work did you do through the field placement?
I worked with the deputy attorney who heads the misdemeanor department with the Shawnee County District Attorney. It was all hands-on work. I wrote plea offers, learned how to write journal entries, prepped motions—motions to revoke diversion and competency motions—and got to speak on the record.
I’ve had opportunities to go see Child in Need of Care (CINC), watched felony and juvenile trials, and have helped with the extra work attorneys have. The attorneys also took time to teach me about their department. I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor, but prosecutors do a wide variety of things. So, it was nice when the attorneys would tell me all about what they do and how they work with the statutes for that specific area of law.
My supervising attorney, and the mentor who showed me what a caring prosecutor looks like in action, was Deputy District Attorney Jason McIlrath. He is the head of the intern program, and I credit my success to him.
The skills my professors have taught me were applied in my field placement. Going to school, I haven’t seen them being applied. So, I was finally applying all the skills I was taught and that was a big relief.
My favorite thing was that I got to argue sentencing for a really serious crime, and the judge ended up ruling in the state’s favor. That was exciting for me because it felt like a win, and that I was helping the community improve.
Are there skills you developed or improved working with the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program?
Every time I’d go into the courtroom, I was taking notes or filling out journal entries so that everything I did would be documented through a paper trail. I did not realize how often and that with literally everything you do, you’re going to fill out paperwork.
Now I know how to fill out a wide variety of traffic documents and take notes for the DA’s office. That’s a skill that I feel is obvious to a law student, but none of the classes I’ve taken had me do that in-depth.
I feel so much more confident and comfortable being in the courtroom and feel like I could go by myself and know what I’m doing and what I’m looking at. I’m proud that I’ve learned it, and it makes me feel confident going into a job post-grad and post-bar, where I’m the attorney.
How do you think this experience will impact the rest of your time in law school or the start of your career?
Getting to see a defendant, a victim and a witness firsthand has shaped how I view cases. When I see people, I see them at the very bottom of their lives, really going through a hard situation. You don’t get that when you just read a case. I take a minute now when I read a case and understand that these are real people who are going through something. It has truly helped me have more empathy and be an overall better person.
Also, my writing skills have improved because I’m not just sending what I’ve written to my professor. It will be going to a judge, and that is a whole different weight of expectations. I take all my writing assignments seriously, but my field placement has strengthened my professional writing skills rather than scholarly ones.
My field placement ended up turning into a job offer in the end. I still have my student license, and I’m still working with the DA and doing everything that I did over the summer. I’m just getting paid for it now, which has been really nice. It’s also helped me gain connections because I’m from Kentucky, so I don’t know a lot of people in this area.
What has been your favorite part of working with the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program?
Myfavorite part was probably that we had to take journals. We made goals at the beginning of the program, and that was something I wouldn’t have considered doing if I hadn’t done the field placement. Those goals and things I wanted to achieve were always at the forefront of my mind and something that I was constantly working towards. Because of that, I achieved those goals during my field placement. There’s just something about being able to take something off a list that really gives you a sense of accomplishment.
What would you say to law students considering enrolling in the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program?
Do it, especially if you want to be a prosecutor. This will give you hands-on experience that will be unmatched by any other experience that you could have. The opportunity to work under a practicing criminal prosecutor to build connections and have a professional mentor will be so valuable and will help you transition from law school to a working, successful attorney.
I’m really excited to go into that next chapter of life. I’ve been in school for 25 years of my life. Transitioning to not being in school is going to be really different for me. Because I did this field placement, it really curbed that nervous energy that I could experience.
It was, hands down, the best decision I made in law school. Having the opportunity to work with such wonderful people who not only cared about their jobs, but their community and the next generation of attorneys really was phenomenal to me. It just made me feel so excited to go to work every day, and that experience was something that I cherish. It reinforced that I want to be a criminal prosecutor and that I wanted to be like these people who care about their community.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I want to say thank you to the Criminal Prosecution Field Placement Program for fostering an environment of hands-on learning that sets students up for success. Also, a thank you to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s office, along with Deputy District Attorney Jason McIlrath and Assistant Attorney Cody Smith, for mentoring me. This experience has been so amazing for me, and I want to give credit to those who have set me up for success
On the Process of Making Life Choices in Law School
Alex Nelson, 2L
The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre said that human beings are “condemned to be free.” While I suppose there are many meanings one could take from that quote, I like to think of it as describing one of the many wonderful and terrible things about life: the tension between the joy of having lots of free choices to make, and the anxiety that accompanies making those choices.
It is this tension between the joy of choice and the fear of the sheer number of choices and potential missed opportunities that I’ve really grappled with after my first year of law school. At this point in my legal journey, I’ve begun to reach the point where I can make choices about my future, which is both exciting and scary. In your first year of law school, choice is not really something you have to worry about (unless you are a summer starter, but even then, you only get to choose one class). Your whole 1L year curriculum is scripted out for you, and the focus is mostly on adapting to those classes and your new life as a law student. But the ability to make life choices comes into play at the end of your 1L year and the start of your summer. Then you have to ask yourself numerous kinds of questions: What area of law are you interested in? Where do you want to work? Where do you want to live? What internship should I get? What classes should I start taking? A whole new realm opens, full of choices to make, as you exit your first year of law school.
All the choices and opportunities can be both daunting and exciting. On the one hand, you have a chance to experiment, try new things or pursue what you’ve always thought you wanted. On the other, there are numerous worries that can accompany making choices: what if by taking this summer internship, I am closing myself off from other opportunities? What if I don’t like what I am doing or my classes next year? What if I end up in a job I don’t like? With choice comes freedom but also anxiety about those choices.
As a second-year law student, I have already made some choices about my life and legal career, but I will have many more choices to make before law school is over. I can’t say I have found the perfect way to deal with the problems of making decisions, but I can say that I have found lots of help, guidance and support around me – and that makes all the difference in the world. The Career Services Office at KU Law has been extremely helpful and supportive, and I have spent quite a bit of time talking choices over with them. I’ve talked with professors, friends and family about what choices to make, from things as large as “What kind of law do I want to practice?” to things as seemingly banal as “Should I take Administrative Law with Professor Levy next semester?” What I realized from talking to people around me is that at the end of the day, no matter what choice is made, it will be the right one.
The tension in the freedom of choice and the anxiety of choosing is all part of our condemnation of freedom as law students. We all are fortunate and privileged to be in our positions as law students. But we also should remember that sometimes making choices about our lives and careers can be difficult, and that we can always draw on those around us for support.
Sometimes you need to take a trip away from home for a great cup of joe
Israel Nelson, 3L
Last year, I wrote about my favorite recommendations for coffee shops in Lawrence – but did you know there are amazing ones in Kansas City? Here are my recommendations for when you need a change of scenery!
You cannot go wrong with this Kansas City staple. Not only is the coffee incredible and the Ibis Bakery treats delectable, but there is a massive amount of seating for when you need to buckle down and get some work done. (map and directions)
Come here if you’re a coffee snob and want some TRULY incredible coffee. They also make buttermilk biscuits, and even have a vegan option if you’re not a meat eater! (map and directions)
This coffee shop gets points for having two of its locations on my list. The River Quay location is phenomenal – it has a dark and rustic atmosphere with amazing coffee, study space and a cocktail bar for when you’re done studying and want to relax with friends. The Nelson-Atkins location is incredible as it’s located inside of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Who doesn’t want to study in a world-renowned art museum? (And, when you need a study break, you can check out the exhibits!) River Quay: (map and directions) Nelson-Atkins: (map and directions)
Last on my list, but certainly not least, is the Hawaiian-themed coffee shop, HITIDES! With unique coffee options, a hot chocolate bar and pastries sourced from KCMO favorites like Meshuggah Bagels and Mr. D’s donuts – you cannot go wrong with this coffee shop! (map and directions)
While this isn’t anywhere close to an exhaustive list of coffee shops in Kansas City, these are great places to start. Happy exploring!
A new scholarship fund at the University of Kansas School of Law will support future students while honoring the memory of a former professor. The scholarship honors the late Barkley Clark who served as a chaired professor of law from 1969 to 1985.
His wife Barbara established the Professor Barkley Clark Memorial Fund with a financial gift to KU Endowment. The fund will continue his legacy at KU Law by providing a scholarship for a deserving student each year.
“As a tribute to his teaching and how much he loved his students, I thought this would be the most meaningful to Barkley,” said Barbara. “As an endowed fund, it can continue into the future.”
Barkley Clark
At age 29, Barkley was recruited to join the faculty at the University of Kansas School of Law by Dean Martin Dickinson in 1969. In addition to teaching, he also served as associate dean under Dickinson. As a dedicated professor and mentor to his students, he was honored with numerous “best teacher” awards over the years.
An interest in public policy and local government led Barkley to run for and be elected as mayor of the City of Lawrence. In fact, he served two terms as mayor and spent 10 years on the Lawrence City Commission. These “hands on” experiences were particularly useful when teaching the law of local government, arguing before the Kansas Supreme Court on local government issues and assisting the Kansas legislature on various aspects of local government law, including governmental immunity.
During his nearly six-decade career, Barkley became a national authority on the Uniform Commercial Code. Two of his best-known law treatises remain standards in their field after more than four decades. Throughout his career, he devoted himself to educating clients, legislators, law students and fellow lawyers in commercial law. The American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers honored Barkley Clark in 2012 with its William Proxmire Lifetime Achievement Award.
Meet the new editors-in-chief of the Kansas Law Review and the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy
With the new school year just around the corner, the Kansas Law Review and Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy are already at work preparing for their new volumes of legal discourse. At the head of these publications are Review’s Editor-In-Chief Karen Campbell and Journal’s Editor-In-Chief Emma Mays.
Third-year law students Campbell and Mays learned about their selections as head of KU Law’s publications in the spring and began preparing for the upcoming year by setting goals, reviewing write-on submissions, contacting new staff editors and selecting and editing the articles for the first issues of the year.
“We actually have almost all our articles for our entire volume, which is really exciting,” said Campbell. “Emma can probably agree with me that it’s difficult to track down authors, but it’s been really meaningful, and I’ve learned a lot through the process.”
Last year, Campbell and Mays served their respective publications as staff editors and are no strangers to the process of teching and spading, which means checking citations for all the articles in the first issue of their volumes.
“It means a lot that KU Law provides us an outlet to add to legal scholarship. It feels really important to me and I’m glad to be a part of it,” said Mays.
Collaboration & Friendly Competition
Goals look a little different this year as building construction on the third through fifth floors – where the publication offices are located – has continued throughout the summer and into the start of the school year.
“We’ve reconfigured the Law Review office to include a study space,” said Campbell. “I’m hoping it can be a collaborative space that people who are not on Review can come in, hang out and chat.”
Both editors hope to bring a similar stability on top of other opportunities for growth as previous editors-in-chief. Sometimes this includes less glamourous goals including proper documentation and a retention policy.
“We have a lot of documented institutionalized knowledge on how the issues get made, but not much in how the transition of the board is supposed to go,” said Mays. “We hope to leave it in much better shape at the end of the year.”
However, being involved in the publications isn’t just pushing papers and making edits. Both editors plan on continuing long celebrated traditions including a bowling tournament that the Review has dominated for three years.
“We recruited strictly on bowling this year,” joked Mays. “There was no writing requirement to get on the Journal. Just bowling.”
Finally, the editors are looking for ways to better support their staff and the other students at KU Law by ensuring students of all backgrounds are aware of their possibilities with Review or Journal and incorporating resume builders for students already involved.
“When you’re a staff editor you only get one credit hour for your work and you do a lot more than one credit hour worth of work,” said Campbell. “It’s important to me to create more opportunities like awards or specializations so that people have a resume builder on top of the credit hour we receive for our involvement.”
Karen Campbell
Editor-in-chief of the Kansas Law Review
Karen Campbell
Campbell is originally from Lawrence, Kansas. She received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Kansas. During her undergrad, Campbell studied abroad several times traveling to Costa Rica, Italy, Great Britain, Vietnam, Morocco and Bolivia. After her graduation, Campbell moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked as an aide in the Marshal’s Office of the Supreme Court. After three years, she decided to return to Lawrence and to KU to complete her law degree.
Campbell’s blood has always run crimson and blue, but she’s also had a history with the Kansas Law Review long before she became a 1L.
“My dad went to KU Law and was on the Law Review,” Campbell said. “I was born during the winter of his third year. He used to bring me in my baby carrier up to the Law Review office while he was going to class.”
Since joining the Law Review, Campbell has enjoyed seeing the support and growth of her fellow Review staff.
“I barely knew most of the Law Review when we started last year and now, they’re some of my best friends,” she said. “During election season last year, multiple people wrote recommendation letters for other staff, even if they were running for the same position. It ended up being such an awesome team building support system. Everyone recognized each other’s strengths in a way that we’ve never really talked about before.”
After her graduation in 2025, Campbell plans to join Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman, Chtd. in Kansas City, Missouri.
Emma Mays
Editor-in-chief of the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy
Emma Mays
Mays is originally from Hastings, Nebraska, a small-town west of Lincoln. She received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Nebraska and decided to follow her public policy interests to Kansas where she started law school.
“I’m excited and super honored to have the opportunity to lead the Journal,” said Mays. “We have a great team, and I was inspired by the work that the board did last year.”
“Almost all of our board are women,” said Mays. “It wouldn’t matter to me either way, but it feels nice that the publication boards are reflecting the trend of more women going to law school.”
Mays looks forward to celebrating her staff’s successes – as well as the successes of Review and the other students at KU Law – as the work on their volume continues.
“You put so much work and time into your article and it’s so fun to see the Law Review members and my fellow Journal members get excited to have their article published,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, so it’s fun when it pays off.”
Mays plans to join Husch Blackwell as a commercial litigation associate after her graduation in 2025.
