L aw Cou n cil Em er iti Peter Baumgaertner ’83, ’86L (New York City) J. I. Vance Berry Jr. ’79L (Jacksonville, Fla.) Michael P.A. Cohen ’90L (Washington) Thomas E. Evans ’91L (Bentonville, Ariz.) Thomas J. Gearen ’82L (Kalamazoo, Mich.) Betsy Callicott Goodell ’80L (Bronxville, N.Y.) Rakesh Gopalan ’06L (Charlotte, N.C.) Nathan V. Hendricks ’66, ’69L (Atlanta) Thomas B. Henson ’80L (Charlotte, N.C.) A. John Huss ’65L (St. Paul, Minn.) Mary Miller Johnston ’84L (Wilmington, Del.) Chong J. Kim ’92L (Atlanta) A. Carter Magee Jr. ’79L (Roanoke) Everett A. Martin Jr. ’74, ’77L (Norfolk, Va.) Andrew J. Olmen ’96, ’01L (Arlington, Va.) Diana L. Grimes Palmer ’07L (Des Moines, Iowa) Lesley Brown Schless ’80L (Greenwich, Conn.) Richard W. Smith ’98L (Washington) W. Hildebrandt Surgner Jr. ’87, ’94L (Richmond) Stacy Gould Van Goor ’95L (San Diego, Calif.) Andrea K. Wahlquist ’95L (New York City)
Write By Mail:
Now!
Elizabeth Outland Branner Director of Law School Advancement Sydney Lewis Hall Washington and Lee University School of Law Lexington, VA 24450-2116
By E-Mail:
brannere@wlu.edu
By Phone:
(540) 458-8191 All letters should be signed and include the author’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters selected for publication may be edited for length, content and style. Signed articles reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of the editors or the University.
Is Law School Worth the Cost?
L
Law schools have recently received a lot of negative attention in the press as graduates struggle to find jobs in a slow economy and in a market flooded with fellow law students. Questions are being asked about the number of graduates coming out of law schools—do we have too many law schools turning out too many lawyers?—as well as the value of a legal education in a difficult market—are the cost of tuition and related expenses a good investment? As a member of the W&L Law Council for several years, I have had the opportunity to see W&L’s approach to legal education. I am convinced that W&L provides an excellent education that is an excellent value and investment. I have seen the curriculum reform, including the innovative, experienced-based Third-Year Program, as well as the revamp of the first-year curriculum, move from a concept to a fully operational and successful program. The faculty and administration should take great pride in moving legal education forward in a way that I believe makes W&L Law graduates much more competitive in the market. But W&L Law grads need more than excellent training and preparation for a successful practice. They need jobs. As alumni, we have the opportunity to make a real difference and enhance the value of a W&L legal education. We can Law Council President Hal Clarke ’73, help students one at a time through men’76L, with his wife, Nan ’76L. toring, mock interviews, networking and simply listening and answering questions. We are spread out all over the United States and know our local markets. We all have contacts in our communities. We have a wealth of differing experiences derived from our own careers and practices, which can be tremendously valuable to law students as they think about areas of practice, markets to look in and types of practice—law firm, in-house, government agency, judicial clerkship or other. We can provide useful mock-interview experiences with immediate and credible feedback. We can also become ambassadors in the profession and in our communities for W&L and the value of a W&L legal education. Take time, if you have not done so, to read about the curriculum online and in alumni publications. Talk to a recent grad about his or her experience in the Third-Year Program in particular. Talk to lawyers in your community about W&L and what the Law School is doing. We also have the opportunity to literally give back by supporting the capital campaign and the Annual Fund. Learn more about the Law School’s needs and plans as set out in the capital campaign materials. Every dollar matters and helps W&L and the students it serves. I believe that the more you learn about W&L Law today, the more impressed you will be. Our new dean, Nora Demleitner, the faculty and the administration are impressive in their abilities and accomplishments, their dedication to legal educational excellence, civility and honor, and their commitment to working collaboratively to keep W&L among the leading law schools in the U.S. The student body is also very impressive—both in its credentials and in its diversity. So please join me in finding opportunities to become or remain involved. As alumni, we can make a very positive difference in ways that help make a W&L legal education not only a good investment for grads, but also a positive influence within the profession. If you have questions or want to find a way to volunteer, please write me at lawcouncil@wlu.edu.
Law President’s Message
L aw Cou n cil Blas P. Arroyo ’81L (Charlotte, N.C.) Stacy D. Blank ’88L (Tampa, Fla.) J. Alexander Boone ’95L (Roanoke) Katherine Tritschler Boone ’06L (London) Benjamin C. Brown ’94, ’03L (Washington) John A. Cocklereece Jr. ’76, ’79L (Winston-Salem, N.C.) Malinda E. Dunn ’81L (Alexandria, Va.) David K. Friedfeld ’83L (Hauppauge, N.Y.) Fred K. Granade ’75L (Bay Minette, Ala.) M. Peebles Harrison ’92L (Nags Head, N.C.) Christina E. Hassan ’98L (New York City) Wyndall Ivey ’99L (Birmingham, Ala.) Bruce H. Jackson ’65, ’68L (San Francisco) W. Henry Jernigan Jr. ’72, ’75L (Charleston, W.Va.) Lauren Troxclair Lebioda ’06L (Charlotte) Susan Appel McMillan ’89L (Boise, Idaho) Samuel A. Nolen ’79L (Wilmington, Del.) W. Brantley Phillips, Jr. ’97L (Nashville, Tenn.) Moira T. Roberts ’93L (Washington) J. Andrew Robison ’02L (Birmingham, Ala.) Thomas L. Sansonetti ’76L (Denver) James S. Seevers ’97L (Richmond) William M. Toles ’92, ’95L (Dallas) Richard T. Woulfe ’76L (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
—Hal Clarke ’73, ’76L
Winter
2013 l aw.wlu.e du
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