Recent Graduate Spotlight: Madeline Heeren makes a worldwide impact

As an international trade compliance specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., Madeline Heeren uses the knowledge she gained in Professor Raj Bhala’s international trade and finance classes every day.

In fact, KU Law’s strong international trade law program and distinguished professors are what drew the Lenexa native to Green Hall. During her time as a law student, she set out to gain as much international law experience as possible and to set herself apart from others.

Heeren, L’15, studied abroad in Istanbul, worked as a summer associate at law firms in both Bangladesh and India, and co-founded a nonprofit organization to help people in the least developed countries obtain basic needs. She also served as president of the Student Bar Association, worked as a research assistant for Bhala and earned the International Trade and Finance Certificate.

In addition to her academic achievements, Heeren made lifelong connections during her time at KU Law.

“KU Law has had a huge impact on my life,” she said. “I met my husband in my summer starter class, and the judge I clerked for, Judge Robert Berger, officiated our wedding.”

Her spouse, Aqmar Rahman, also graduated in 2015. He is an international trade attorney in Washington, D.C.

At the Department of Commerce, Heeren leads and manages antidumping cases against large multinational organizations, trains new employees and represents the U.S. government abroad in interactions with foreign governments and multinational organizations.

One of the things Heeren enjoys most about her job is giving American businesses the opportunity to thrive through tariffs put in place by the Commerce Department.

“There has been a lot of news about steel and aluminum produced and sold by various countries at unfair values, either through dumping or subsidies, that are saturating the U.S. market and putting domestic companies out of business,” she said. “It is incredibly rewarding to know that I am helping create an even playing field for American companies to compete.”

One challenge the international trade community faces is a high volume of antidumping and countervailing duty cases by the international trade administration. Heeren said the caseload is higher than it has been in the last several decades.

“The decisions that we make have a huge impact on business abroad and locally, so it is important that even though the work has increased that these decisions are made carefully and correctly,” she said.

Heeren encourages students be as active as possible in law school.

“Participate in student organizations, clerkships and internships,” she said. “Look for opportunities that set you apart from other applicants. Sometimes the best opportunities are not the ones advertised, but ones that you find yourself.”

Even though she is hundreds of miles away from Lawrence, Heeren finds plenty of opportunities to connect with the Jayhawk network.

“KU Law continues to have a great impact on my life in Washington, D.C., where I get to work with fellow Jayhawks,” she said. “During basketball season, all the Jayhawks in the area get together at a local bar to watch all the games.”

— By Ashley Hocking

This post is the seventh in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates are engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker, Lindsay Strong, Arturo Garcia and Jessie Pringle.  

Recent Graduate Spotlight: Arturo Garcia aims to help immigrants

Arturo Garcia has many reasons to be passionate about immigration law, and he plans to utilize his law degree to help immigrants.

“As a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States, a border-town native and a son of two immigrants, immigration has always been a part of my life,” Garcia said.

Garcia graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in May 2018 and took the bar exam in July. He will soon start his new role as an associate attorney at Escamilla & Poneck LLP in San Antonio, Texas, focusing on business immigration law.

“I hope to better assist members of the immigrant community in obtaining or maintaining their legal status within the United States by serving as an effective counsel and leader in the San Antonio immigrant community,” Garcia said.

Arturo Garcia attends KU Law’s Diversity Banquet in March 2017.

Garcia said he is most looking forward to helping immigrants stay in the United States and pursue the American dream.

“My work will allow immigrant families to stay together and prosper within the country,” Garcia said. “It will give me great satisfaction to know that I was a part of that.”

He anticipates that his job will be challenging because he will be monitoring constant changes in immigration law. He also acknowledged that it will be trying to accept that not all of his cases will yield positive results.

Garcia said many immigrants from the Northern Triangle of Central America are arriving at the southern border through Texas, trying to gain lawful status in various ways.

“With this influx, there is a greater demand and need for immigration lawyers to be serving this population,” Garcia said. “Therefore, I intend to be an asset to alleviate this issue.”

Arturo Garcia visited the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C. while he was a legal intern at the UNHCR during the summer of 2017.

Garcia is originally from El Paso, Texas. He received undergraduate degrees in government and sociology from the University of the Incarnate Word. He chose to go to law school in Kansas to get out of his comfort zone and move to a place where he did not know anyone. His favorite part about KU Law was the companionship among students.

“Whether it was hanging out at one of the law school social events or in the informal commons before class, I learned from and enjoyed interacting with these people,” Garcia said. “I am confident that our friendship will persist in future years.”

Garcia is thankful for the time he spent at KU Law and said the experience pushed him to lengths he did not think he could reach.

“Throughout the past three years, I learned more than I learned in my entire undergraduate career,” Garcia said. “Additionally, KU Law has taught me to be a better writer and researcher, which prepared me for my previous summer jobs and externships and will certainly prepare me for my upcoming job.”

— By Ashley Hocking 

This post is the fifth in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates are engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton, Malika Baker and Lindsay Strong. 

Green Hall gleams after spring cleaning

Green Hall is looking sharp after a spring cleaning that restored the exterior to its original 1978 luster.

Perched on rigging and lifts, crews from Mid-Continental Restoration out of Fort Scott replaced old caulking around joints and windows, power washed the concrete and glass inch by inch and applied a waterproof sealer designed to help the building withstand the elements and continue aging gracefully.

The $175,000 project took eight weeks, wrapping up in June after breaks for final exams and graduation. KU Law applied a portion of the gifts it received on Feb. 20 during One Day. One KU. – KU’s first 24-hour giving campaign – toward the cost of Green Hall’s facelift. The university also provided financial support for the project.

Thank you to everyone who contributed!

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Recent Graduate Spotlight: Lindsay Strong embarks on new experiences

Lindsay Strong fondly remembers her final trial as a law student.

During her last semester at KU Law, she spent countless hours strategizing, memorizing and executing skills with her trial advocacy partner, Ellen Rudolph. They were tested on a weekly basis leading up to the final trial.

“We strategized as a team, supported each other and challenged each other,” Strong said. “In the end, we were able to persuade the jury to find our client not guilty. It was a great feeling knowing that our hard work paid off and seeing ourselves grow as advocates.”

Strong is from Lincoln, Nebraska. She initially came to KU to pursue an undergraduate degree in psychology and decided to stay for three more years to earn her law degree.

“I was very impressed with the legacy KU Law had in the region,” Strong said. “I attended Admitted Students Weekend and was very impressed with the KU Law staff. The professors seemed genuinely excited to be teaching others about the law, and all had impressive qualifications.”

Strong graduated from KU Law in May 2018. With the bar exam behind her, she is set to begin a clerkship with Justice Caleb Stegall of the Kansas Supreme Court.

After taking Justice Stegall’s Appellate Advocacy class last fall, Strong sought an opportunity to continue to learn from him while serving the state of Kansas.

“I believe that this will be an irreplaceable experience for me,” Strong said. “I will have the opportunity to learn and work with some of the most accomplished individuals in the legal field in the state of Kansas.”

Strong advises current law students to take advantage of every opportunity provided and to not be afraid to branch out to new areas of the law.

Lindsay Strong (left) and Carly Masenthin walk down the hill at commencement on May 13, 2018.

“Law school is the best time to explore areas of the law that you wouldn’t necessarily picture yourself in,” Strong said. “Pick the classes that you think will challenge you — these are the classes you will grow the most from. If you get nervous talking in front of people, take as many simulation classes as you can. This is your opportunity to conquer those fears and practice in a safe environment before you have to exercise these skills in real practice.”

Strong said KU Law provided her with unique experiences to develop as a young attorney and exposed her to the local legal community.

“Whether it was taking a class from a Supreme Court justice, conducting expert witness examinations in front of respected attorneys in KU’s Expert Witness Skills Workshop or being in court for Legal Aid, I was able to meet and learn from practicing attorneys,” Strong said.

One of her favorite memories from law school was the final exam for the Appellate Advocacy class, which took place at the Kansas Supreme Court. The exam consisted of completing a two-issue brief and presenting oral arguments in front of a panel of state appellate court judges.

“Although entirely nerve-racking, it was an unforgettable experience,” Strong said. “Most attorneys strive for the experience of arguing in front of these respected judges. As just second-year and third-year law students, we were fortunate enough to already get the experience.”

— By Ashley Hocking

This post is the fourth in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates are engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain, James Hampton and Malika Baker.

KU Law offers students hands-on experience in electronic discovery

Amii CastleKU Law is among only a handful of law schools offering electronic discovery as a stand-alone class.

Coming from two decades of practice, Professor Amii Castle teaches students how to preserve, ask for, search and produce electronic documents and data. Students learn about advising clients on records retention policies, drafting litigation holds, the Rule 26(f) conference, requesting and producing ESI, search methods, discovery motions, discovery about discovery and requesting electronically stored information (ESI) from third parties.

“Let’s face it: Most young civil litigators spend their first years doing discovery,” Castle said. “In my Electronic Discovery I class, students learn how to conduct discovery in the digital age, and I provide instruction on the best practices in litigating issues involving ESI.”

KU Law also now offers Electronic Discovery II, a second semester of electronic discovery where students put the skills they learn in Electronic Discovery I into practice. Castle strives to present low-stakes opportunities for students to gain practical experience. For example, students conduct a Rule 26(f) conference, draft a planning report and appear before Magistrate Judge Teresa James in a mock Rule 16 conference. Students also draft a motion to compel ESI and then present oral argument on their motions to practicing attorneys. In addition, students in Electronic Discovery II draft requests for production of documents, draft a client letter explaining the duty to preserve and learn the potential arguments surrounding technology-assisted review.

“Employers want young attorneys who are prepared on day one to handle ESI in discovery, and KU’s electronic discovery courses give students that valuable education,” said Castle, who also teaches Business Law at the KU School of Business.

“I think electronic discovery is essential for anyone considering practicing litigation,” said Carly Masenthin, L’18. “Professor Castle is a wealth of information about this subject, and you are guaranteed an edge over competition in the civil litigation workplace after taking her class.”

Student Spotlight: Malika Baker excels in Jayhawk community

Deciding where to attend law school was an easy choice for Malika Baker. After earning her undergraduate degree at the University of Kansas, she decided to continue her education at KU because of the Jayhawk community.

“I ran cross country and track and field at KU as an undergraduate student, and I really embraced the tight-knit Lawrence community,” Baker said. “No matter where I travel across the country, people always recognize the Jayhawk and that resonated with me. I wanted to continue my education at a place where I felt a connection to the institution and network.”

As the daughter of a retired Army officer, Baker moved around a lot as a child but considers Lansing her hometown. Baker is a second-year law student, and she is involved in Women in Law and the Black Law Students Association.

“I am grateful to be a member of both organizations because each has strong ties to the community and unique ways of bringing law students together,” Baker said.

Starting this fall, she will also join members of the Dean’s Diversity Leadership Council to promote diversity and inclusion within the KU Law community.

This summer, she is serving as an intern for Judge Steve Leben at the Kansas Court of Appeals as part of the school’s Judicial Field Placement Program.

“It has been very rewarding to work with such experienced and insightful people every day,” Baker said. “Judge Leben and all of the judges that I have met at the Kansas Court of Appeals share great insight on being a focused and dedicated lawyer.”

Baker was given the opportunity to work in Judge Leben’s chambers after meeting one of his law clerks at the Legal Careers with Government Agencies Fair at KU Law.

At her internship, Baker conducts legal research and writes memoranda. She is currently working on a prehearing bench memo for a three-judge panel that will include a case summary, facts, deep-issue statements, analysis and a recommendation for the ruling.

“The most rewarding part of my job is being able to foster my research and writing skills while working on real cases,” Baker said.

Baker said the most challenging part of her job is ensuring that her analysis is thorough and that she is providing judges with the most accurate case law to help them make informed decisions.

The best advice she has received at her internship? To explore any area of law that she is interested in while in law school.

“I found this to be great advice because I believe that using this time to explore my interests will provide for a fulfilling law career in the future,” Baker said.

Through her internship, Baker has figured out what she would like to do with her law degree.

“After working closely with Judge Leben’s law clerks, I am interested in possibly clerking for a judge after law school,” Baker said. “I am excited to explore this option more and other opportunities to best serve the community.”

— By Ashley Hocking

This post is the third in a series highlighting the diverse internships and jobs KU Law students and recent graduates are engaged in over the summer and early in their careers. Check out earlier posts from this series about Omar Husain and James Hampton.