U.S. District Judge Addresses Entering Class
This year’s Orientation was highlighted by the annual Matriculation Ceremony featuring an inspirational address by Judge David Coar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The ceremony opened with remarks by Dean Kent Syverud who stressed the need for the entering class to practice professionalism throughout their law school career. “Be the lawyer you want to be right now, today,” he stressed.
Judge Coar then outlined the importance of a strong moral compass in the law students’ chosen profession, and how sometimes following one’s gut is better than following the example of one’s coworkers. He noted that the legal field is not simply an occupation, but a “learned profession,” in which the students, as lawyers, will have “the duty to place the interests of society over your own interests.”
The full Orientation schedule was a combination of professional meetings, short courses, panels, and ethics discussions for the aspiring law students, with each group traveling their own tailored schedule, whether they were JD, LLM, or transfer students.
JD students followed an intensive schedule, including short courses in Introduction to Law and Its Study and Interpreting Statutory Law, as well as panels and discussion groups on topics such as professionalism, diversity, and career services information.
Students enrolled in the LLM Program in U.S. Law attended similar panels and mini classes, including, Overview of U.S. Law and Methods, Objectives of U.S. Legal Education & Case Briefings I, and Introduction to U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court. Transfer students had a one-day crash course on what to expect for the coming year.
Orientation culminated with law students participating in a wide variety of public service projects in the St. Louis community.
By Brent Mueller
