September 30, 2012
Last month, 265 day and evening students joined the School of Law
community as the incoming class of 2012. Welcoming the 1Ls at the
start of their two-week orientation program, Dean
Michael A Simons told them that they were embarking on a
journey that would last the rest of their professional lives ― a
journey forged on hard work, entrepreneurial spirit and Vincentian
commitment to serving the public good. Noting the great support
that they will get along the way from faculty, staff and
classmates, Dean Simons encouraged the students to be proactive:
“Approach your education like an entrepreneur. You are the product,
and the next three or four years are a time for product
development. So, do not be passive about your professional path.”
He also emphasized the importance of balancing academic pursuits
with friends, family and activities that “preserve your
sanity.”
Orientation Day
Day of Service
Boat Cruise
The 2012 incoming class is primed to discover the many pathways
to a rewarding career in the law. The class is 44% women, 56% men
and 23% minority, with students hailing from 106 undergraduate
institutions across the country. They will benefit from smaller
classes, the Law School’s renewed focus on career development and
experiential learning and an alumni network ready and willing to
help St. John’s law students succeed. “This is an accomplished
class that brings a range of experience and backgrounds to the Law
School,” said Robert M. Harrison, Assistant Dean for Admissions and
Student Financial Services. “The many 1Ls I have talked to are
eager to engage legal analysis in the classroom and to learn the
law hands on through our clinics, externships and internships.”
Like the new JD candidates, the Law School’s incoming LL.M.
students are an impressive group. The
LL.M. in Bankruptcy program welcomed 10 new students, all top
graduates of some of the best law schools in the country. “We are
excited to have such an exceptional group join this very elite and
intimate program which is taught by preeminent judges,
practitioners and educators,” said Program Director Yvette
Gutierrez. “These students will graduate and join a community of
successful alumni who work in leading law firms and courts.”
The
LL.M. in U.S. Legal Studies welcomed 14 new students to the
program. This academic year also marked the launch of two new LL.M.
programs offered by the
Office of Transnational Programs, the
LL.M. in International and Comparative Sports Law with 13
students and the
LL.M. in Transnational Legal Practice with 10 students. The
three LL.M. programs exemplify the Law School’s commitment to a
rich global legal studies curriculum that also includes:
Summer Study Abroad
International Practica
Global Law Fellows
St. John's Center for International and Comparative Law
“Regardless of the particular practice area or practice setting,
the law is and will continue to be essentially global,” said
Christopher J. Borgen, Associate Dean for International Studies. We
have crafted and expanded our Law Global Programs to help our
students learn and experience the law in its broad international
context.”
During orientation, the new students took the Introduction to
Law class, attended orientation sessions and participated in a
range of activities, including welcome barbeques, student-faculty
mixers and a dinner cruise. Honoring St. John’s Vincentian
tradition, they also performed community service working with
children, refurbishing community sites and helping the hungry and
homeless as part of the Law School’s annual Day of Service. “We are
all excited to welcome the entering class to the legal profession,”
said
Larry Cunningham, Associate Dean for Student Services.
“Orientation introduced students—through Service Day, pro bono
trainings and alumni speakers—to the power of the profession to
impact people's lives in a meaningful way.”