Michigan State University College of Law Viewbook 2021

REWARDING LEGAL CAREERS START

at

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, and I believe that a legal career will provide you with equally rewarding opportunities.

I encourage you to apply 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.

Go Green!

LINDA SHERYL GREENE Dean and MSU Foundation Professor of Law Michigan State University College of Law

EXPLORE THE LAW

CHOOSE A PATH THAT REFLECTS YOUR LEARNING STYLE:

Small seminars where students lead the discussion

Hands-on skills courses taught by practitioners

Performance-based litigation courses

Research classes that culminate in publication-ready papers

IMMERSION WEEK: FOUNDATIONS OF LAW (non-credit) Because students come to MSU Law from all academic backgrounds, our students start law school with a mandatory one-week course. Foundations of Law supports classroom equity and inclusion by getting our engineers, political science majors, mathematicians, and musicians on the same page.

JD students must complete 88 credits to

BE CURIOUS

graduate, and most full-time students complete

Once the first year is over, you’ll be free to

law school in three years. While the first-year

choose from a diverse list of courses that inspire

curriculum is prescribed, 2Ls and 3Ls are free to select most of their own classes for the next two years, providing ample opportunity to explore subjects or concentrate on a specific area.

you. MSU Law offers approximately 140 different electives every year. You’ll explore topics that you’ve never encountered before, opening up exciting career avenues.

Our leading programmatic strengths center around three main intersections of abundant

SPEND TIME WITH THE BASICS We’ve calibrated the required first-year courses to

course offerings, expert faculty members, and engaging co-curricular options.

reflect the enduring fundamentals of legal theory

SOCIAL JUSTICE: With internationally recognized

and the realities of today’s legal practice. You’ll

faculty in the areas of constitutional law,

spend your first year immersed in the principles of

immigration law, civil rights, environmental law,

the law, setting the stage for success in law school.

Indigenous law, and more, the College of Law

FALL SEMESTER: 15 CREDITS Civil Procedure (4 credits)

trains future leaders to create change in their communities.

Contracts (4 credits)

BUSINESS & REGULATORY LAW: Expert faculty

Foundations of Law (non-credit)

members in administrative law, corporate law,

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

contracts, and taxation guide students through

Torts I (4 credits)

them for rewarding careers in business and

SPRING SEMESTER: 13 CREDITS

ever-changing business landscapes, preparing government.

Advocacy (2 credits)

INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Students

Criminal Law (3 credits)

learn how to protect groundbreaking discoveries

Constitutional Law and the Regulatory State (4 credits)

in the Intellectual Property, Information, and

Property (4 credits)

future of the legal profession in the Center for

Communications Law program and explore the Law, Technology, and Innovation.

* First-year students have the opportunity to potentially customize your first semester. We offer three specialized RWA courses: Criminal Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Social Justice.

Find Your Passion: INDIGENOUS LAW BRYAN NEWLAND, ’07, was the first Native student to enroll in the Indigenous Law and Policy Center at MSU Law and is now the highest-ranking official for U.S. Indian Affairs. In August 2021, the Senate confirmed his appointment as the 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.

MATTHEW L.M. FLETCHER MSU Foundation Professor Director of the Indigenous Law and Policy Center

WENONA T. SINGEL Associate Professor

I know firsthand the connection between public service and the lives of others. When you live with the people you serve, you can’t escape that connection – if you make a mistake, you see it (and, if you don’t see it, there’s sure to be an auntie or a friend to remind you).

The Indigenous Law and Policy Center (ILPC)’s faculty

— BRYAN NEWLAND, ’07 Michigan State University – Social Relations Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs U.S. Department of the Interior – Washington, DC

and staff have created a nationally acclaimed program: they are authors of the American Law Institute’s first-ever Restatement of American Indian Law, prominent defenders of the Indian Child Welfare Act, and providers of expertise and media commentary on critical issues of Native rights and tribal sovereignty.

Our recent ILPC graduates are serving: Upper Skagit Indian Tribe

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

Fort Peck Reservation

U.S. District Court

Puyallup Tribe

Ho-Chunk Nation Oneida Indian Nation Purdue University, Office of Institutional Equity

Indian Legal Services Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Bay Mills Indian Community Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi

Redding Rancheria Tribe National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Northern Arapaho Tribe Navajo Preparatory School New Mexico Environmental Law Center

Senate Indian Affairs Committee Incentive Technology Group Giarmarco, Mullins, & Horton, PC North Carolina Island Mountain Office of Tribal Justice Development Group

Department of Justice, Indian Country Fellow Dentons Law Firm National Indian Gaming Commission

Find Your Passion: BUSINESS AND REGULATORY LAW Careers in government, finance, and business require a deep understanding of how to navigate ever-changing regulatory environments, and our faculty provides expertise in administrative law, corporate law, taxation, and contracts. You’ll find coursework focused on navigating complex organizations, as well as compelling co-curricular

OUR ALUMNI SERVE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.

options.

CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY Professor Min’s research focuses on issues of corporate law and governance. Her recent work has focused on the critical role that corporate compliance programs can play in preventing companies from harming society.

Corporate compliance programs can keep corporations honest – and deter them from undertaking socially harmful conduct. But a compliance program is only as effective as the managers who enact it, and the reward structures that support it. Professor Min’s recent research demonstrates that stock-based executive compensation creates powerful systematic incentives for those managers to under-invest in compliance programs, and GEEYOUNG MIN Assistant Professor

discusses ways to change that status quo.

THE ALVIN L. STORRS LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC The Alvin L. Storrs Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic honors the name and enduring legacy of one of the most prominent African American tax practitioners of his era.

Working in the Tax Law Clinic provides invaluable experiences in navigating the incredibly complex tax system. Along the way, you’ll learn how to prioritize work across multiple cases, litigate tax controversies, and manage long-term client relationships.

Find Your Passion: LAW, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION The law students, practitioners, and faculty at the Center for Law, Technology, and Innovation develop ways to bring the law to everyone. The Center consists of three complementary nodes:

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING Artificial Intelligence and Law Automated Vehicles and the Law Delivering Legal Services

The LegalRnD Lab finds new ways to increase access to justice by advancing legal technology. Its mission is to improve efficiency across the legal industry by developing tomorrow’s high-quality legal service delivery methods.

The Innovation Hub teaches students the substantive law and the practice skills necessary to advise clients in a technology-driven economy, providing opportunities to be tech-savvy counselors.

The Emerging Technology Research Node pursues interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaboration that advances the fields of emerging technology and legal study for both academic partners and practitioners.

It is particularly important for anyone starting out in legal technology to remember: 1) technology is not a silver bullet, and 2) understanding the people and processes affected by a problem is essential to solving it.

— IRENE MO, ’17 University of Michigan-Dearborn Economics and Mathematics Privacy and Data Security Associate, Hintze Law PLLC Fellow, Internet Law and Policy Foundry San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Information Privacy and Security Law Entrepreneurial Lawyering E-Discovery Evolutionary Analysis and Law Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Technology Transactions Skills

MSU LAW WAS RANKED ONE OF THE “BEST SCHOOLS FOR LEGAL TECHNOLOGY” BY PRELAW MAGAZINE. (FALL 2018)

Find Your Passion: IMMIGRATION LAW Immigration practice is demanding, deeply personal, time-consuming – and incredibly important. The potential outcomes involved in these clients’ cases are significant, and MSU Law students and alumni

COURSES THAT HELP PREPARE IMMIGRATION PRACTITIONERS INCLUDE:

who serve in this field are wholeheartedly immersed

Administrative Law

in the process.

Child Advocacy Client Counseling and Interviewing Domestic Violence

THE IMMIGRATION LAW CLINIC RECEIVED THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWYERS ASSOCIATION PRO BONO CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD IN 2020, NOMINATED BY IMMIGRATION LAW CLINIC ALUMNI WHO WENT ON TO WORK IN THE FIELD.

Federal Jurisdiction Immigration Consequences of Crime Immigration Law Immigration Law Clinic I and II International Human Rights Refugee and Asylum Law

The students work on these high-stakes cases and they learn how to represent clients: if you are able to represent a child through an interpreter in front of various court systems, if you get services or secure relief for a client who has been traumatized by severe sexual assault, if you help clients navigate the insane bureaucracy of immigration agencies, you are able to handle any cases that your practice will bring you.

— VERONICA THRONSON Clinical Professor of Law Clinic Director, Immigration Law

IMMIGRATION LAW CLINIC CO-FOUNDERS DAVID THRONSON Professor

VERONICA THRONSON Clinic Director

IMMIGRATION LAW CLINIC In the nationally recognized Immigration Law Clinic, law students and faculty provide services to hundreds of clients, the majority of whom lack legal immigration status and face deportation.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clinic’s work became increasingly critical as delays in the court systems further complicated the immigration process and related matters. The Clinic and its students continued to provide service to clients with care and compassion, from asylum trials to DACA renewals to securing work authorization documents during the 2020-21 academic year.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CLINICS MSU Law students get an early start using the law to help others. Along the way, they experience

CLINIC STUDENTS: Represent clients in court

what it’s like to be a lawyer with ownership over

Interview and counsel clients

their cases.

Working in the Clinic creates a close-knit community of students with a passion for representing clients.

Investigate facts Research case law

Students receive intensive support from faculty

Negotiate with other parties

members, who often serve as personal mentors

Draft legal memoranda and briefs

and resources in the post-graduation job search.

Assist with business transactions Work for legislative reform Perform community outreach

First-time student clinician Jediah Biddinger, ’21, was standing beside his client, a transgender woman from El Salvador, when the judge announced that he was granting her asylum in the U.S. After months of preparing for that moment, they shared a moment of profound relief.

I just felt like it was the end of a long journey for our client. The moment when her eyes closed for the decision and stayed closed, I could feel the emotion coming off her. It was gratifying to know that we played a part in bringing the client to that moment where she feels safe finally.

— JEDIAH BIDDINGER, ’21 Eastern Michigan University Business Administration Associate, Miller Canfield Detroit, MI

The unprecedented challenges of the past 18 months demonstrated the importance of quality clinical legal education and the importance of pro bono legal work.

KATHRYN FORT, ’05 Director, MSU Law Clinic and Indian Law Clinic

When the pandemic disrupted ordinary life, the students and faculty of the MSU Law Clinic still showed up for their clients: in virtual meetings, in Zoom courtrooms, and as in-person advocates. From relieving tax burdens to securing legal residency to keeping people in their homes, the Clinic community performed powerful work under challenging circumstances.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS DAY HOSTED BY THE BLACK LAW STUDENTS

ASSOCIATION AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT LAW CLINIC

“Through the First Amendment Clinic, Megan and

What qualifies as a constitutional search? How does one determine reasonable suspicion? When is

I began teaching workshops to students at Cass

it appropriate to record an incident with police on

Technical High School,” Pascal explained. “This was

your cell phone?

a way for us to use our legal knowledge for a benevolent purpose.”

Over 500 students at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School learned the answers to these important

“For Maya and I, this workshop was an opportunity

questions (and more) from MSU College of Law

to challenge ourselves to take an idea, develop a

student volunteers during an April 2021 virtual

vision, and use our resources and skills to bring it

workshop. Law students facilitated a brave space

to fruition,” Shaya said.

for conversations about race, policing, and rights when dealing with law enforcement.

This past summer was an emotional one.

I remember feeling angry, sad, and – most of all – useless. After the death of George Floyd, and the deaths of so many other Black and brown men and women, it was clear there needed to be a change and I wanted to be a part of that change.

Megan Shaya, ’22, and Maya Pascal, ’23, were the lead organizers behind the workshop, hosted by MSU Law’s First Amendment Clinic in partnership with the Black Law Students Association. The inspiration for “Know Your Rights Day” was derived in part from Shaya and Pascal’s experiences as clinicians for the First Amendment Law Clinic.

­— MAYA PASCAL, ’23 Oakland University

CLINICS REPRESENT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: ELDERLY RENTERS ON THE BRINK OF EVICTION, UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS, AND NATIVE FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO STAY TOGETHER.

HELP CLIENTS IN A WIDE RANGE OF CLINICS: CHANCE AT

CHILDHOOD IMMIGRATION LAW

INDIAN LAW

FIRST

AMENDMENT

HOUSING LAW

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

LOW-INCOME

TAXPAYER

MSU LAW MOOT COURT

COURTROOM-READY EXPERIENCES Moot Court is a competitive exercise requiring law

A standout season is truly a community success.

students to prepare appellate briefs and argue

Competitors build on the foundation of writing skills

both sides of complicated legal issues before an

provided by the Research, Writing, and Advocacy

appellate court – usually a simulated Supreme

(RWA) Department. Developing Moot Court talent

Court. Students work closely with faculty mentors

requires hundreds of hours of volunteer time from

and alumni coaches to hone their skills, showcasing

dozens of MSU Law faculty members and

their intellect, preparation, and teamwork.

distinguished alumni.

MSU MOOT COURT WAS RANKED #1 IN THE NATION

FOR THE 2019-20 SEASON

COMPETITION TOPICS INCLUDE: Appellate Advocacy

Indigenous Law

Constitutional Law

Trademark Law

The First Amendment

Transactional Law

Immigration Law

Worker’s Compensation Law

OUR COURTROOM IS YOUR CLASSROOM:

THE GEOFFREY N. FIEGER TRIAL PRACTICE INSTITUTE The Geoffrey N. Fieger Trial Practice Institute (TPI) is a highly selective program designed to turn aspiring trial attorneys into confident courtroom pros.

Every class of 30 students is chosen through a

FIEGER TPI GRADUATES GO ON TO EXCEL AS PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, AND CIVIL LITIGATORS.

competitive application and interview process at the end of their 1L year. They’ll spend the next two years conducting full civil and criminal trials in front of real judges, sharpening their skills with rigorous personal feedback. Fieger TPI students are exposed to the basics of DNA analysis, computer forensics, accident reconstruction, and forensic pathology.

Experienced lawyers and high-profile judges teach eight exclusive courses in our state-of-the-art courtroom, and offer valuable insights into what it means to pursue a career in advocacy.

There are programs inside and outside MSU Law that will shape you and your skills for the better, regardless of where you end up. For me that was learning what judges want to read and hear in a judicial externship setting; learning to think on the fly in a Moot Court setting; testing my oral and writing skills in the Fieger Trial Practice Institute; and also working on my due-diligence and patience in Law Review. All of those experiences were building blocks for me landing the position I really wanted post law school.

— JOUSEF SHKOUKANI, ’21 CLASS PRESIDENT Oakland University Accounting Associate, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. Chicago, IL

DEDICATED STUDENT SUPPORT The whole MSU Law community is committed to student success, and we take an active approach.

From helping new students navigate the 1L year to preparing them to pass the bar, we work to foster an inclusive, engaged, and student-centered environment.

FACULTY CONNECTIONS

GET INSPIRED BY EXPERTS

Interacting with our dedicated, accomplished

Interested in juvenile law, constitutional law, animal

faculty members is at the heart of the MSU Law

law, contracts, law and religion, or Indian law?

experience. MSU Law professors have studied and

Our faculty wrote the textbooks on those topics,

practiced law worldwide, and they bring the law to

among others.

life for a new generation of lawyers.

Taking a specialized class from a leading academic

Faculty members will help you find your niche in

in his or her field is a powerful experience. From

law through one-on-one learning opportunities:

providing insightful media commentary on

Co-authoring papers Personalized directed study courses Coaching trial competition teams Research opportunity experiences

challenging issues to offering personal career coaching, our experts share their infectious passion and deep knowledge.

MSU Law professors are their students’ biggest supporters: they’re passionate about teaching and committed to it. They also know as well as anyone how tough law school can be – they’ve been there.

Professor Philip Pucillo understands the struggles of that first semester for 1L students, and recognizes the learning curve that comes with the transition into a demanding new environment. In his classroom, he not only furthers his students’ legal knowledge, but he also pays careful attention to his students’ cues and offers compassionate support when it’s needed.

I emphasize how what they’re going through is normal, and natural. Don’t feel like you’re the only one having a really tough time – because law school is hard, especially that first semester.

I still remember how hard it was to be involved in that and they shouldn’t just try to keep it together. It’s not unusual to fall to pieces. Fall to pieces for a little while and then pick yourself up.

— PHILIP PUCILLO Professor in Residence

Assistant Dean Ferguson came to MSU Law from the small town of Butner, North Carolina, after earning her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She brings a lifelong passion for justice and civil rights to her role in the DESO and has led diversity-centric efforts at MSU Law since founding the office in 2006.

MARY ANN FERGUSON, ’02 Assistant Dean for Diversity and Equity Services

DIVERSITY AND EQUITY SERVICES OFFICE: BUILDING

AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY Everyone in the MSU Law family contributes to our diverse environment, and the Diversity and Equity Services Office (DESO) has an inclusive mission: to

MULTICULTURAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The DESO works closely with MSU Law’s multicultural student organizations to foster collaboration and support diversity initiatives.

Member organizations include:

provide empowering programming, community

American Civil Liberties Union

cohort enfranchisement, and one-on-one support

American Constitution Society

to ensure that all students have a positive law school experience.

The DESO provides: Holistic student advising and support

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association Black Law Students Association Christian Legal Society

Comprehensive diversity programming

Criminal Defense Association

Support for multicultural student groups

Jewish Law Student Association

Peer leadership development

Latino Law Society

Legal profession diversity initiatives

LGBTQIA+ Alliance

Title IX expertise

Middle Eastern Law Student Association Muslim Law State Alliance (DESO) Native American Law Students Association Progressive Legal Society SBA Diversity Liaison Triangle Bar Association Women’s Law Caucus

OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS:

DEDICATED SUPPORT SERVICES The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is the hub

In addition to academic advising, the OSA:

of student-centric resources at MSU Law. From

Develops academic programming

welcoming new 1Ls during Immersion Week to making sure that students are prepared to

Offers personal counseling

graduate each spring, the OSA team helps MSU

Supports a wide range of student organizations

Law students thrive throughout law school.

Connects students with MSU’s wellness resources Helps students to build a supportive community

Originally from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Assistant Dean Taylor earned both his JD and his undergraduate degree from Michigan State.

Though every student’s situation is different, he sees students navigating the same challenges each year, and works to coach them through a challenging environment.

Assistant Dean Taylor knows firsthand that law school is better when you invest in human connections, and he continually encourages students to reach out for help: to faculty members, to family and friends, to one another.

Time management is the hard part, he notes, but converting every minute of the day into study time isn’t a value-add.

We always tell students, ‘if you had a hobby before law school, keep doing that.’ Hobbies help you to balance yourself, and I don’t want them to let go of those things.

— ABIJAH TAYLOR, ’09 Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Affairs

ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAM The Academic Success Program (ASP) partners with students throughout law school to build academic skills that will see you through an intense three years.

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

GOLDIE PRITCHARD Assistant Dean of the Academic Success Program

Answer questions about bar applications Explore commercial bar prep programs Develop a study timeline

Assistant Dean Pritchard leads MSU Law’s Academic Success Program, which she founded in 2009. A national

Build your essay skills

leader in the field of academic support, Assistant Dean Pritchard brings extensive experience in student affairs and academic programming to her role. She serves as a valued resource and trusted mentor for students navigating law school and preparing for the bar exam.

BAR EXAM OUTCOMES You’ll take high-stakes tests throughout law school, but the biggest exam of all awaits you at the end: the bar examination.

THE CLASS OF ’21 SAT FOR BAR EXAMS IN

24 STATES.

ON AVERAGE*,

81% OF OUR GRADUATES

PASS THE MICHIGAN BAR EXAM AS FIRST-TIME TAKERS. *July bar statistics are taken from the Classes of 2018, 2019, and 2020 for in-state exams. (Source: courts.michigan.gov/courts/michigansupremecourt/ble)

CAREER SERVICES OFFICE YOU’RE NOT PLANNING TO JUST STUDY LAW – YOU WANT TO PRACTICE LAW. Whether you plan to practice in corporate, non-profit, or law firm settings, three years of dynamic programming and personal coaching from the Career Services Office (CSO) will empower you to start your legal career. The CSO offers: Pre-1L Career Jumpstart Customized resume building Individualized connections to your legal interests LinkedIn design Interview coaching

Nothing inspires me more than working one-on-one with students to help them discover exciting, rewarding legal careers. From finding the perfect summer work experience to earning a post-graduation job offer, the Career Services team will be there for every career milestone for the next three years – and beyond.

— MARIA STEIN Assistant Dean for Career Development

Assistant Dean Stein shares with the MSU Law community over 30 years of experience in program development, teaching, and counseling students. In the Career Services Office, her skilled leadership guides future Spartan lawyers toward fulfilling job opportunities and critical connections in the legal field.

ADRIENNE SHERGILL, ’15 Chaminade University Criminology and Criminal Justice Division Labor General Deputy Attorney, State of Hawaii Kaneohe, HI

EXCEPTIONAL CAREER OUTCOMES 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

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

of the legal profession.

Michigan Illinois Texas California Colorado Florida Indiana Ohio

NATIONWIDE OPPORTUNITIES

in your dream location. The CSO knows how to leverage MSU Law’s(infographic network of 12,500+ alumni into Top 10 Employment Locations for Recent Graduates layout) exceptional opportunities for our students.

2020 GRADS: TOP EMPLOYMENT LOCATIONS

MICHIGAN

INDIANA ILLINOIS

CALIFORNIA TEXAS

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MSU LAW ALUMNI LAUNCH EXCITING CAREERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE CLASS OF ’20 IS WORKING IN 26 STATES.

WISCONSIN

PENNSYLVANIA NEW YORK

WITH OVER HALF A MILLION MSU ALUMNI LIVING AND WORKING ALL OVER THE WORLD, YOU’LL FIND THE SPARTAN NETWORK WHEREVER YOU GO.

BRIAN PIKE, ’15 Grand Valley State University Business Administration Attorney, Baker Donelson Nashville, TN

SPARTAN LEGAL CAREERS Do you have a passion for representing disadvantaged communities? Do you dream of drafting a perfect business deal? Always planned to practice BigLaw in a big city? 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 Collaborate with a team Negotiate 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.

2020 GRADS: JOBS BY SECTOR

53%

12.5%

12.5%

11%

10%

1%

LAW FIRMS

BUSINESS

GOVERNMENT

PUBLIC INTEREST

CLERKSHIP

ACADEMIA

91% OF LAST YEAR’S GRADS WORK IN LAW-RELATED JOBS.

GABRIELLE O’CONNOR, ’16 University of Michigan-Dearborn Political Science and Government Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Wayne County Detroit, MI

COMMUNITY ON A BIG TEN CAMPUS Our students experience campus and the Law College as a home away from home – it’s where they form close, lifelong relationships with their classmates.

But the Law College isn’t just a building. No matter where you’re learning from, we strive to provide everything you need to have a seamless experience: dedicated student tech support resources, access to digital reference library materials, and connection to our dynamic community of students and scholars.

Students can channel their passions through countless co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Our 35+ student organizations include active political groups, a musical theatre revue, social justice societies, and interest-specific clubs.

Whether these groups are hosting meetups in local bars, bringing networking events to campus, or hosting trivia nights with faculty members, student orgs create ways for you to connect with other future Spartan lawyers – and have fun together!

STUDENT-RUN JOURNALS Journal of Animal and Natural Resource Law was the second

Michigan State Law Review receives 2,000 annual

legal journal on animal law established in North America and

submissions from legal scholars and brings exciting

remains one of just three dedicated to this topic.

thought-leaders to campus for two yearly symposia.

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

As editor-in-chief of Law Review, self-proclaimed “grammar nerd” and budding IP attorney Emily Sosolik, ’20, found friendships with like-minded students – and built a valuable career network.

You get to interact with professors and authors from around the country, even around the world, and you don’t really get that opportunity as a law student in another context. You’re learning along the way; you’re making connections; and you kind of bond together with others on Law Review because after making it through the cite-checking process it’s like you’ve gone through war together.

— EMILY SOSOLIK, ’20 Arizona State University History and Political Science Editor-in-Chief, Michigan State Law Review Judicial Law Clerk, U.S. District Court, District of Kansas Kansas City, KS

THE MICHIGAN STATE LAW REVIEW WAS RANKED 48TH AMONG ALL FLAGSHIP JOURNALS IN 2020 (WASHINGTON & LEE LAW JOURNAL RANKINGS).

THE MICHIGAN STATE LAW REVIEW Around 50 diverse and dedicated students manage every aspect of producing MSU Law’s flagship journal, releasing five issues every year.

Membership is very selective, and applicants are chosen based on their academic performance, a competitive casenote, and a citation editing

assignment. The journal also hosts an annual academic conference, bringing together legal experts on topics like civil rights and reconciliation, quantitative legal analysis, and autonomous vehicles.

EAST LANSING: THE HEART OF CAMPUS

WELCOME TO THE BIG TEN Michigan State University brings together people from all over the world into a diverse, energetic community.

East Lansing is a classic college town, with a friendly Midwestern vibe, reasonable cost-of-

It’s easy to stay busy at MSU; we’re home to almost

living, and a user-friendly mass transit system.

100 miles of walking paths, our own dairy store with 32 custom ice cream flavors, 20,000 bicycle parking

The community offers safe, affordable housing

spaces, and a canoe rental facility. Every day,

options: on-campus graduate student dorms,

thousands of Spartans bike, walk, and jog to class,

local pet-friendly apartments, downtown lofts,

enjoying the changing seasons on one of the nation’s

and houses in quiet family neighborhoods.

largest, greenest campuses.

EAST LANSING FACTS: East Lansing hosts an array of cultural events and street fairs, including the annual

48,000+

RESIDENTS

24 PARKS

14 MILES OF BIKE LANES

Art Fair, the East Lansing Film Festival, the Great Lakes Folk Festival, and the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival.

24

COFFEE SHOPS

41

BARS

135

RESTAURANTS

900+

BUSINESSES

SPARTAN ATHLETICS No matter if you’re walking down a city street,

Whether you’re watching the weekend football

hiking a remote path, or heading into a job

games on the big screen from home or with fellow

interview, you’ll find Spartan sports fans wherever

fans at Spartan Stadium, the Spartan nation comes

you go – and they’ll recognize your shared bond

together to see MSU play our regional competitors

with a quick “Go Green!”

and Big Ten rivals.

Rated as one of the top athletic programs in the

MSU’s legendary basketball program makes regular

nation*, MSU’s dozens of Division I teams make it

appearances in the NCAA Final Four. When March

exciting to cheer on Spartan teams all year long.

Madness sweeps the campus, MSU students and fans will be drawing up their brackets and cheering

* by CBS Sports, Best in College Sports rankings (2019)

on the team from all over East Lansing.

YOU’VE SEEN SPARTAN TEAMS PULL OFF SPECTACULAR LAST-SECOND VICTORIES. FROM THE JOY OF THE WIN TO THE HEARTBREAK OF DEFEAT, MILLIONS OF LOYAL FANS COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

MSU FACTS:

49,600+

200+

STUDENTS INCLUDING GRADUATE STUDENTS

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

11,000+

503,000+ LIVING MSU ALUMNI

25

INTERNATIONALLY FOCUSED CENTERS AND INSTITUTES

325

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN COUNTRIES

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Start Your Own Legal Career at MSU Law. Whether you’ve always known what kind of legal career inspires you or you’re ready to discover your passion, Michigan State University College of Law will help you begin your legal career.

With compelling combinations of experiential opportunities (in our externships, competition programs, and clinics) and standout curricular offerings, you’ll spend three years defining and preparing for success. And with the support of a worldwide alumni family and a student-centric support team, you’ll be ready to make an impact shortly after graduation – and throughout a long, rewarding career.

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

(517) 432-0222 admiss@law.msu.edu

Michigan State University sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of the Odawa, Bodewadmi, and Ojibwe Nations.

Law College Building | 648 N. Shaw Lane, Room 300 | East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1300