Michigan State College of Law's 2023 Viewbook

EVERY SPARTAN LAWYER HAS A STORY . . .

YOUR STORY STARTS HERE!

Dear Future Lawyer, As the Dean of Michigan State University College of Law, I extend a warm welcome to you.

You are considering a life in law at an important time in our history. You will serve the needs of individuals, families, and businesses – making their dreams come true and standing beside them in their hours of greatest need.

As a civil rights and constitutional law lawyer, I have spent most of my career as a law professor – teaching Civil Procedure, Civil Rights, and Constitutional Law – and I write and speak on those issues, as well as on issues at the intersection of sport and equality. My involvement in the law has continually enriched my life and offered opportunities for me to serve others. I believe that a legal career will provide you with equally rewarding opportunities.

I encourage you to join the MSU Law family. We choose our students with care, conducting holistic application reviews and selecting those students who we believe will contribute diverse perspectives to our learning community.

I hope to greet you when you arrive for a campus visit – or as an incoming first-year student. Join our Spartan Law Community. Go Green! Dean and MSU Foundation Professor of Law

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 The Basics: 1L Year 4

 2L and 3L Year 8

 Life Beyond the Books 22

 East Lansing and the 3 4 Spartan Community

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

LEAD. SERVE. TRANSFORM.

THE BASICS: 1L YEAR

JD students must complete 88 credits to graduate, and most full-time students complete law school in three years. While the first-year curriculum and schedule is prescribed, 2Ls and 3Ls select many of their own classes, giving them the opportunity to explore subjects or concentrate on a specific area.

1L YEAR CURRICULUM

The required first-year courses reflect the enduring fundamentals of legal theory and the dynamic realities of today’s legal practice.

FALL SEMESTER: 15 CREDITS

Civil Procedure (4 credits)

Contracts (4 credits)

Foundations of Law (non-credit)

Research, Writing, and Analysis* (RWA) (3 credits)

Torts I (4 credits)

SPRING SEMESTER: 13 CREDITS

Advocacy (2 credits)

Criminal Law (3 credits)

Constitutional Law and the Regulatory State (4 credits)

Property (4 credits)

* We offer three specialized RWA courses: Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Social Justice. MSU Law provides 1L students an opportunity to customize their first semester curriculum.

FOUNDATIONS OF LAW (non-credit)

Our mandatory one-week course, Foundations of Law, gets you off to a strong start for your 1L year, whether you are an engineer or an educator, a mathematician or a musician.

OUR PROGRAMMATIC STRENGTHS

SOCIAL JUSTICE: With internationally recognized faculty in the areas of constitutional law, immigration law, civil rights, environmental law, Indigenous law, and more, the College of Law trains future leaders to create change in their communities.

BUSINESS & REGULATORY LAW: Expert faculty members in administrative law, corporate law, contracts, and taxation guide students through ever-changing business landscapes, preparing them for rewarding careers in business and government.

INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Students learn how to protect groundbreaking discoveries in the Intellectual Property, Information, and Communications Law program and explore the future of the legal profession in the Center for Law, Technology, and Innovation.

CHART YOUR PATH

While all JD graduates earn the same Juris Doctor degree, MSU Law offers an array of annual electives, providing the opportunity to customize your legal education experience.

2L AND 3L YEAR

During your 2L and 3L years, opportunities to get involved increase greatly. Students begin customizing their legal education through electives and broadening the scope of their legal path. From student organizations, e-boards, and competitive teams to clinics and externships, this time in your legal education journey is significant to the development of your legal resume.

SPECIALTY CURRICULUM AREAS

BUSINESS AND REGULATORY LAW

Careers in government, finance, and business require an ability to navigate the ever-changing regulatory environments. Our faculty are experts in administrative law, corporate law, taxation, and contracts.

RELATED OPPORTUNITIES

- JD/MBA

- THE ALVIN L. STORRS LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC

LAW, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION

The Center for Law, Technology & Innovation was founded at MSU College of Law nearly a decade ago as the ReInvent Law Program. Its mission: Use innovation and technology in legal research and development, organizational excellence, and process improvement to provide access to justice to everyone. The Center is internationally recognized for its use of courses, events, and collaborations. The Center has trained a generation of tech-savvy lawyers who continue to pioneer new paths in the legal profession.

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING

• Artificial Intelligence and Law

• Automated Vehicles and the Law

• Delivering Legal Services

• Information Privacy and Security Law

• Entrepreneurial Lawyering E-Discovery

• Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurial Law

• Clinic Technology Transactions Skills

RELATED OPPORTUNITIES

- CENTER FOR LAW, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

- EQUITABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION LAW CLINIC

IMMIGRATION LAW

Immigration practice is demanding, deeply personal and critical to a fair and equitable society. The potential for life-saving outcomes is real. Students who work on immigration cases become transformative lawyers.

IMMIGRATION LAW COURSES:

• Administrative Law

Child Advocacy

• Client Counseling

Domestic Violence

• Federal Jurisdiction

• Immigration Consequences of Crime

Immigration Law

• Immigration Law Clinic I and II

International Human Rights

Refugee and Asylum Law Seminar

RELATED OPPORTUNITIES

- IMMIGRATION LAW CLINIC

INDIGENOUS LAW

The Indigenous Law and Policy Center (ILPC)’s faculty and staff have created a nationally acclaimed program. Professor and Director Wenona T. Singel served as Associate Reporter for the American Law Institute’s first-ever Restatement of American Indian Law.

Professor Kathryn E. Fort is a prominent defender of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Others provide expertise and media commentary on critical issues of Native rights and tribal sovereignty. Bryan Newland, ’07, was the first Native student to enroll in ILPC at MSU Law and is now the highest- ranking official for U.S. Indian Affairs. In August 2021, the Senate confirmed his appointment as Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior, where he serves under Secretary Deb Haaland. He is a citizen of the Bay Mills Indian Community (Ojibwe), and recently served as chairman. He was a senior policy advisor to the Obama Administration.

FOR THE CHILDREN

Academic Specialist, Indian Law Clinic Director and alumna Kathryn E. Fort, ’05, is one of the Nation’s leading experts on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). She founded the ICWA Appellate Project in 2015 to assist tribes across the country in their efforts to raise Native children in Native communities – and the work hasn’t stopped since. She and the students of the Indian Law Clinic are involved in every significant conversation regarding ICWA defense.

In the fall of 2022, Professor Fort co-represented the Cherokee Nation, the Oneida Nation, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, and the Quinault Indian Nation in the U.S. Supreme Court as they sought to uphold their ICWA rights in the case of Brackeen v. Haaland

LEADERS IN THE NATION

The Haaland v. Brackeen decision was handed down on June 15, 2023. In a 7–2 ruling, the Supreme Court held that ICWA is constitutional and consistent with Congressional powers. As the ruling came in, many students from the Clinic, past and present, contacted Professor Fort to celebrate all the hard work that has been done over the years.

It was relief and then shock, I got a ton of emails and texts from students and faculty, and it was a complete relief to get the win.

I was able to spend the summer working on an appeal in a state court on behalf of a tribal client defending ICWA.

— PROFESSOR KATHRYN E. FORT

Professor Kathryn E. Fort, ’05

Professor Wenona T. Singel

Bryan Newland, ’07

CERTIFICATE OPPORTUNITIES

While all JD students will graduate conferring the same JD degree, students can build expertise in a specific area of the law with MSU Law’s certificate programs. For current and specific information regarding certificate requirements and application procedures, students are advised to consult with their advisor. The following programs are featured MSU Law certificate programs.

INDIGENOUS LAW

The Indigenous Law and Policy Center is committed to the education of Native law students and the training of lawyers prepared to work on behalf of tribes around the country, whether for tribal governments, private law firms, or non-profit organizations.

The certificate requirements are designed to provide law students with the specialized knowledge and skills to identify and address indigenous law issues effectively, represent Indian nations, and appreciate these nations’ unique legal and governance systems.

FAMILY & CHILD ADVOCACY

The Family and Child Advocacy Certificate Program is a joint program at Michigan State University offered by the College of Law and the MSU School of Social Work. It is designed to strengthen the knowledge base, practice, and advocacy skills of masters-level social work and law students. Students interested in Family Law and Child Welfare Law get hands-on experience in the daily work that they will encounter in child advocacy.

THE GEOFFREY FIEGER TRIAL PRACTICE INSTITUTE (TPI)

There are dozens of reasons to jumpstart your career with TPI participation, but here are our top 5:

1. Refine your speaking skills

2. Build an amazing portfolio

3. Beat the curve in tech training

4. Develop faculty mentors

5. Connect with a classroom community

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

MSU Law has over 30 active student organizations each year to serve the student body. Scan the QR Code below to learn more about each of the student orgs available to the MSU Law community.

THE MICHIGAN STATE LAW REVIEW

Nearly 50 students produce MSU Law’s flagship journal, publishing five issues a year. Membership is selective, based on academic performance, competitive casenote, and a citation editing

STUDENT-RUN JOURNALS

Journal of Animal and Natural Resource Law was the second legal journal on animal law established in North America and remains one of just three dedicated to this topic.

assignment. The journal also hosts an annual academic legal conference on current topics such as civil rights, reconciliation, quantitative legal analysis, and autonomous vehicles.

Michigan State International Law Review publishes thought-provoking articles and organizes topical symposia on provocative issues from around the globe.

Michigan State Law Review receives 2,000 annual submissions from legal scholars and brings exciting thought-leaders to campus for two yearly symposia.

AT MSU LAW, YOU’RE NOT JUST JOINING A LAW SCHOOL, YOU’RE JOINING A COMMUNITY. OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INVOLVED, GET ENGAGED, AND MEET LIFETIME FRIENDS ARE EVERYWHERE.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Hands-on experiential learning is a crucial component to integrating theory and practice by combining legal study with the practice of law. It’s not enough to study the law – you need to be ready to practice it. Experiential learning opportunities push students to apply theory in practical legal settings.

SUMMER STUDY ABROAD

Connecting with the world around you is as important as connecting your MSU Law Community. MSU Law provides Study Abroad programs to help students satisfy experiential learning requirements and expand their legal education beyond the doors of MSU Law. Programs are not only unique in geographical area, but in the legal curriculum associated with them.

CROATIA: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) LAW SUMMER INSTITUTE

Study IP and Tech Law on the Croatian Adriatic Coast, one of the world’s most beautiful and sought-after destinations. Take courses in IP and tech law, study on the famed beaches of the Adriatic, and explore how these subjects impact food law – all while sampling famed Croatian wines, olive oils, truffles, and cheeses.

JAPAN : This program explores the important relationship between Japan and the United States from constitutional, transactional, and comparative perspectives. The program is based at, and co-sponsored, by, Doshisha University in Kyoto. Kyoto is Japan’s ancient capital and home to numerous temples, historical sites, and civic and artistic institutions. Students have access to the vibrant legal community in Kyoto and the surrounding Kansai region.

COMPETITIVE TEAMS

Each year, MSU Law competitive teams comprised of 2L and 3L students have an opportunity to exercise their skills amongst the Nations best. While the number of opportunities vary by year, historically there are over 25 competitive teams in arbitration, trial, moot court, and transactional negotiation. There are opportunities in ABA negotiation, mediation, and client counseling.

THE GEOFFREY N. FIEGER TRIAL PRACTICE INSTITUTE

The Geoffrey N. Fieger Trial Practice Institute is a highly selective program designed to turn aspiring trial attorneys into confident courtroom pros. Courses are taught by high-profile lawyers and judges in our state-of-the-art courtroom.

MSU LAW MOOT COURT COURTROOM-READY EXPERIENCES

Moot Court is a competitive exercise requiring law students to prepare appellate briefs and argue both sides of complicated legal issues before an appellate court – usually a simulated Supreme Court. Students work closely with faculty mentors and alumni coaches to hone their skills, showcasing their intellect, preparation, and teamwork.

NOTABLE ARBITRATION SUCCESSES

• Regional Champion Team, ABA Regional Competition 2022

• National Finalist, ABA National Competition 2023

MSU LAW MOOT COURT PROGRAM RANKED IN THE TOP 16 NATIONALLY FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, #1 IN 2020.

IN 2022-23, OUR STUDENTS STOOD OUT IN THESE COURT COMPETITIONS: NATIONAL CHAMPION, THIRD PLACE BRIEF, WESCHLER FIRST AMENDMENT MOOT COURT COMPETITION

REGIONAL CHAMPION, SECOND PLACE BRIEF, BEST ORALIST, NY BAR

NMCC MOOT COURT COMPETITION

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS, NY BAR

NMCC MOOT COURT COMPETITION

SEMIFINALS, ANIMAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION

SECOND PLACE ORALIST, KURTH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MOOT COURT COMPETITION

SECOND PLACE BRIEF, MSU GENDER AND SEXUALITY MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Oralists Kelsey Harrington, ’22, and Nikolas (Niko) Spilson, ’23, with brief writer Haley Regan, ’22, brought home the championship title on March 19, 2022, at the SeigenthalerSutherland Cup First Amendment Moot Court Competition.

MSU College of Law third-year students, Jake Putala and Shawn Brew, were national finalists at the E. Earle Zehmer National Moot Court Competition in Orlando, Florida, in August, 2023.

In 2021 the 12th Annual Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition first place winners Lauren Legner, ’22 (left) and Makenzie Sipes, ’22.

CLINICS

MSU Law 2L and 3L students get an early start using the law to help others. Serving in the clinics students gain experience on what it’s like to be a lawyer when they take ownership of cases.

CLINICS REPRESENT UNDERSERVED

COMMUNITIES:

ELDERLY RENTERS ON THE BRINK OF EVICTION

UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS

NATIVE FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO STAY TOGETHER.

CLINIC STUDENTS:

• Represent clients in court Interviews, counsel clients, investigate facts

• Research case law

• Negotiate with other parties

• Draft legal memoranda and briefs

• Assist with business transactions

• Work for legislative reform

If your passion is public interest and serving the underserved, the clinics are the perfect place to start. You’ll work in specialty areas on real cases helping real people. CHANCE AT CHILDHOOD FIRST AMENDMENT

• Perform community outreach

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS DAY

INSPIRED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT LAW CLINIC What qualifies as a constitutional search? How does one determine reasonable suspicion? When is it appropriate to record an incident with police on your cell phone?

For the third year in a row, MSU Law partnered with Cass Technical High School in Detroit to engage high school students in conversations about race, policing, and a young person’s Fourth Amendment rights when dealing with law enforcement.

The Know Your Rights Day workshop was hosted virtually on March 25, 2022, reaching nearly 1,000 students. That’s double the number that attended in 2021. Maya Pascal, ’22, and Megan Shaya, ’22, conceived and organized the event as a result of their experience in the First Amendment Law Clinic. More than 20 fellow MSU Law students volunteered to help run the workshop.

WIDE RANGE OF CLINICS:

The central theme or purpose of “Know Your Rights Day” has always been twofold. On one hand, we wanted to get these high school students excited about the law and allow them to think about themselves as future lawyers. Second, and most importantly, we wanted the students to feel emboldened with knowledge. It is so important to us that the students walked out of each workshop feeling confident in their rights guaranteed by the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

Being exposed to and around people from different backgrounds and have different situations and stories, that builds upon our experiences and ability to be better attorneys.

— Joshua Trierweiler, ’26

Law School is not just about learning law. It’s not just the books, it’s not just the classrooms, it’s not the library. It’s about the opportunity to become part of the legal community that will form the lawyers who practice, the judges and the leaders in our country and the world.

— Dean Linda S. Greene, Foundations Week 2023

This is your community, this is MSU Law!

MSU LIFE BEYOND THE BOOKS

The MSU Law community is committed to students, but it doesn’t stop at the doors of MSU Law. From helping students navigate the first year, to preparing them to pass the bar and partnering with them as alumni, continuing the Spartan Law network goes beyond the books.

GET INSPIRED BY FACULTY CONNECTIONS

Interested in juvenile law, constitutional law, animal law, contracts, law and religion, or Indian law? Interacting with our dedicated, accomplished faculty members is at the heart of the MSU Law experience. Our faculty wrote the textbooks on those topics, among others, and they are excited to share their knowledge with you. From providing insightful media commentary on challenging issues to offering personal career coaching, our experts share their infectious passion and deep knowledge. Faculty members will help you find your niche in law.

Kate Fort pictured with the President of the Bay Mills Indian Community, and MSU undergrad and law alum, Whitney Gravelle, a week after the decision came down. Professor Fort was asked to attend their annual pow wow, where the Tribe honored the Clinic’s work in the Haaland v. Brackeen case.

DIVERSITY AND EQUITY SERVICES OFFICE

Everyone in the MSU Law family contributes to our diverse environment. The Diversity and Equity Services Office (DESO) has an inclusive commitment: To boldly create and sustain a Law College environment that elevates multicultural identities, empowers trauma-informed equity, celebrates diversity, actualizes inclusion, and accelerates access for students, faculty, and staff. The DESO provides:

• Current law student multicultural holistic advice and support

• Title IX and Civil Rights Equity Compliance

• Pe er leadership development

• Inclusive diversity programming and events

• Conduit to campus and legal profession diversity initiatives

• Future Spartan lawyer admissions recruitment

MULTICULTURAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The DESO works closely with MSU Law’s multicultural student organizations to foster collaboration and support diversity initiatives. Member organizations include:

• American Constitution Society

• American Civil Liberties Union

• Asian Pacific American Law Student Association

• Black Law Student Association

• Christian Legal Society

• Criminal Defense Association

• First Generation Law Student Association

• Latino Law Society

• Middle Eastern Law Student Association

• Native American Law Student Association

• Progressive Legal Society

• Public Interest Law Society

• Student Bar Association

Diversity Liaison

• Triangle Bar Association

• Women’s Law Caucus

OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is the hub of student-centric resources at MSU Law. From welcoming new 1Ls during Foundations Week to making sure that students are prepared to graduate each spring, the OSA team helps MSU Law students thrive throughout law school. In addition to academic advising, the OSA:

• Develops academic programming

• O ffers personal counseling

• Supports a wide range of student organizations

• Connects students with MSU’s wellness resources

• H elps students build a supportive community

• Supports an inclusive community with rooms for prayer, nursing mothers, and more.

Upon admission to MSU Law, students commit to doing their all to achieve excellence. Academic Success Program is here to help you realize that commitment.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAM

The Academic Success Program (ASP) helps to develop skills needed to be a successful law student - and lawyer. The ASP supports students throughout law school by strengthening academic abilities.

Assistant Dean for Academic Success Goldie Pritchard offers workshops and individual consultations to:

• Answer questions about bar applications

• E xplore commercial bar prep programs

• Develop a study timeline

• B uild your essay skills

66.7% OF 2022 GRADS HAD A JOB OFFER BEFORE GRADUATION

CAREER SERVICES OFFICE

Whether you plan to practice in corporate, nonprofit, or law firm settings, three years of dynamic programming and personal coaching from the Career Services and Professional Development Office (CSO) will empower you to start your legal career. The CSO offers:

• Career Advising

• Customized resume building

• Individualized connections to your legal interests

• Interview coaching

• Job Fairs

• Job Search Support

• LinkedIn design

• On-Campus Interviews

• Pre-1L year Summer Career Jumpstart

SPARTAN LEGAL CAREERS AND ALUMNI NETWORK

Do you have a passion for providing access to justice and advocating for underrepresented communities? Do you dream of helping companies and entrepreneurs mange the contracts that serve as the backbone of their businesses? No matter what kind of law interests you, we have alumni who have paved the way.

An MSU Law degree is versatile – it opens doors to a wide array of satisfying, lifelong careers in law and other industries. Our recent grads take their Spartan skills to all types of locations and practice areas.

Spartan lawyers develop a powerful set of analytical tools that enable them to stand out in traditional legal careers – and beyond.

By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to:

• Stay professional under pressure

• Frame persuasive arguments

• Conduct top-notch research

• Learn critical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion values

• Collaborate with a team

• N egotiate solutions to complex problems

• Communicate with clarity and concision

A FLEXIBLE DEGREE OUR 12,500+ GRADUATES STAND OUT IN THE COURTROOM, THE BOARDROOM, THE CLASSROOM, AND IN THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT

2022 GRADS: JOBS BY SECTOR

LAW FIRMS: 56.6%

BUSINESS: 12.1%

GOVERNMENT: 12.1%

NATIONWIDE OPPORTUNITIES

Planning to practice outside of Michigan? You’re in good company. Around 50% of our grads choose to practice law in other states. From their virtual employment sessions for cities across the country to building relationships with national legal employers, the CSO will help you start your career in your dream location. The CSO knows how to leverage MSU Law’s network of 12,500+ alumni into exceptional opportunities for our students.

91.92% OF OUR EMPLOYED 2022 GRADS HAVE JOBS THAT REQUIRE A JD.

THE CLASS OF 2022 IS WORKING IN 27 STATES AND D.C. (2 non-U.S. locations)

PUBLIC INTEREST: 8.6%

CLERKSHIPS: 8.1%

59% INSTA T E

4 1 % OUTOF STATE ACADEMIA: 2%

BATOOL SAAD, ’16

Batool Saad started Michigan State University College of Law with her sister, Zeinab, in 2013. At MSU Law, Saad was a member of the Student Bar Association, the Women’s Law Association, and she was the president of the Middle Eastern Law Student Association.

When Saad’s law school journey came to an end, she sought out positions where she could “assist those who need it the most.” Her job search led her to volunteer at an Elder Law clinic in Redford, Michigan, where she worked with low-income clients to draft their estate planning documents.

Today, she is a Staff Attorney at UAW Legal Services Plan where she helps union workers from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler with their estate planning. Saad referred to her clients as being “passionate” and “hardworking,” adding that she feels fulfilled providing them with services that put them and their families at ease.

“I’m able to meet with these clients on a daily basis and they always make me feel like I’ve done something extra for them, even though I feel like they provide so much to our community at large. This is just showing gratitude for what they’ve done for us,” said Saad.

Attorney UAW Legal Services Plan

No matter the struggle, keep moving forward; keep taking on challenges; keep breaking the bounds because you’re going to make it and you’re going to succeed, and when that success occurs, it’s going to feel that much more impactful.

JEREMY ORR, ’16

• Among 100 emerging leaders in the inaugural Obama Foundation Leaders USA Program.

• D uring the Flint water crisis, Orr helped to connect the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency response team with communities to make sure residents had access to resources.

• Orr was an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

• H e served on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Orr grew up on the west side of Detroit where he said there was little greenspace or parks. His grandparents could see the Marathon oil refinery from their home. In college, Orr got involved with getting the Allied Paper Mill cleaned up. The abandoned mill is a Superfund Site and it was contaminating the Kalamazoo River in a nearby Black community. Despite the area being primarily Black, Orr noticed that none of the decision makers were from the community. The experience catapulted him into environmental advocacy. While advocating for local communities, Orr balanced being a two-sport collegiate athlete in track and football at Michigan State University.

by Jena Brooker for Bridge Detroit August 2, 2023

Director of Litigation and Advocacy Partnerships, Earthjustice

Being a good leader is more than just telling folks what to do on the field, but how are you developing those leadership skills personally, to better lead people.

TOMAS PORRAS-ACOSTA, ’20

Attorney ScottHulse

Tomas Porras-Acosta earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Michigan State University, where he was a Trustee Scholarship Award recipient, part of the Trial Practice Institute, Captain of the Moot Court Competition Team, and Parliamentary Officer of the Executive Board for the Latino Law Society. He was also a Clinician for the MSU Housing Law Clinic, where he helped prevent evictions and provide pro bono educational and legal services to low-income citizens on landlord-tenant, housing discrimination, public housing, subsidized housing, land contracts, and affordable housing. While in law school, Tomas was a judicial intern to the Honorable Anne T. Berton and the Honorable Robert F. Castaneda of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Born and raised in El Paso, Tomas Porras-Acosta grew up in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio before moving to the west side where he attended Coronado High School. After high school, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Business Management, from the University of Texas at El Paso. He is also a graduate of the UTEP Law School Preparation Institute. During his undergraduate studies, he interned for the El Paso County Public Defender’s Office and the El Paso 34th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

He practices construction law and intellectual property law. Tomas is also Vice President for Books Are GEMS, Inc. (non-profit) and the treasurer for the El Paso Young Lawyers Association (EPYLA).

They say it takes a village to raise a child. As a first-generation student, I was fortunate that my village expanded from the day I visited MSU Law during my Admitted Students Day. Although I was 1,686 miles away from home and my family for the first time, I truly never felt like I was alone. The faculty and staff at MSU Law not only made me feel welcomed, but they were also there to help navigate the challenges of law school when at times it was easier to drop my Spartan shield and return home defeated. However, I learned that Spartans never give up because Spartans Will. For this, I am forever grateful.

Michigan State Law Review

RANKED TOP 30% OF FLAGSHIP LAW JOURNALS

Washington & Lee Law Journal Rankings, 2021

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW RANKS AMONG THE BEST FOR MANY OF ITS PROGRAMS AND COURSE OFFERINGS

MSU Moot Court

RANKED #12

Blakely Advocacy Institute, 2021-22

2020 PRO BONO CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD

American Immigration Lawyers Association

MSU Moot Court

RANKED #16

Blakely Advocacy Institute, 2020-21

“TOP LAW SCHOOL” for Intellectual Property (A-) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (B+) PreLaw Magazine, Spring 2022

EAST LANSING AND THE BIG 10 SPARTAN COMMUNITY

MSU Law prepares future lawyers to thrive in a demanding profession. Our rigorous academic program, challenging co-curricular offerings, and abundant support resources will equip you to excel not just as a law student, but as a member of the legal profession.

WELCOME TO MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Michigan State University brings together people from all over the world into a diverse, energetic community. It’s easy to stay busy at MSU

MSU is home to almost 100 miles of walking paths, our own dairy store with custom cheese and ice cream flavors, 20,000 bicycle parking spaces, and a canoe rental facility. Every day, thousands of Spartans bike, walk, and jog to class, enjoying the changing seasons on one of the Nation’s largest, greenest campuses.

THE STATE CAPITAL

MSU is three miles from Lansing, the capital city of the state of Michigan, and the sixth largest city in Michigan. The state has four branches of government: Executive, Judicial, Legislative, and Tribal Governments. The Capitol is open to guided and self-guided tours.

EAST LANSING: THE HEART OF CAMPUS

East Lansing is a classic college town, with a friendly Midwestern vibe, reasonable cost-ofliving, and a user-friendly mass transit system. The community offers safe housing options: on-campus graduate student dorms, local petfriendly apartments, downtown lofts, and houses in quiet family neighborhoods.

SPARTAN ATHLETICS

Consistently one of the top athletic programs in the Nation, MSU’s dozens of Division I teams make it exciting to cheer on Spartan teams all year long.

Whether you’re watching the weekend football games on the big screen from home or with fellow fans at Spartan Stadium, the Spartan nation comes together to see MSU play our regional competitors and Big Ten rivals.

MSU’s legendary basketball program makes regular appearances in the NCAA Final Four. When March Madness sweeps the campus, MSU students and fans will be drawing up their brackets and cheering on the team from all over East Lansing.

MSU FACTS:

THERE ARE 50,023 STUDENTS INCLUDING 10,822 GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

26.6% STUDENTS OF COLOR

8.7 % INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

MSU HAS 517,628 LIVING DEGREED ALUMNI

MSU TEACHES 30 LANGUAGES, INCLUDING HINDI, SWAHILI, TURKISH, AND ZULU

THERE ARE 300 + EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAMS IN MORE THAN 60 COUNTRIES ACROSS ALL CONTINENTS

AS A TOP-LEVEL RESEARCH INSTITUTION, MSU HAS 325 INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN 80+ COUNTRIES

START WRITING YOUR STORY

CHOOSE YOUR LAW SCHOOL ADVENTURE.

THE JOURNEY STARTS HERE.

From its first day of class in 1891, when classes were held at Detroit’s Y.M.C.A., to becoming a Big Ten law school as a fully integrated college of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MSU College of Law continues to embrace its historic values: diversity and inclusion, dedication, and immersion in the profession. We welcome students whose values are parallel to ours. Those who advocate for justice, forge their own path to success, and contribute diverse perspectives to our learning community.

MSU Law continues the commitment to diversity and inclusion began by Detroit College of Law when it opened its doors in the late 19th century with an enlightened admissions policy: “The college opens its doors to all classes, without regard to sex, color, or citizenship.” Its first incoming class included a Black man and a Japanese man; its first graduating class a year later included a woman. These three helped open doors to diverse populations of future lawyers.

We invite you to begin the MSU Law application process today!

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