Jason Church, '08
"I absolutely feel Wayne Law prepared me for a career as an attorney. The professors are experts in their fields and, in my opinion, offer the perfect balance between legal theory and the black letter law that students need to know to be successful on the bar exam and to practice effectively after graduation."
Undergraduate degree? I earned my BA from Michigan State University in 2005.
Why did you choose Wayne Law? I chose Wayne Law for a variety of reasons. One of the most important was its extensive alumni network in southeast Michigan and elsewhere. I knew I wanted to practice in the metro Detroit area after graduation, so choosing Wayne Law was an easy decision. Wayne Law's affordable tuition, distinguished faculty and down-to-earth student body were equally important to my decision.
What area of law did you specialize in? Why? I'm currently specializing in civil appellate litigation. I enjoy this area because it gives me the opportunity to address important issues in a variety of fields, as opposed to limiting myself to a particular subset of the law. I also enjoy appellate litigation because the outcomes of the cases I work on actually set precedent and create new law.
What student organizations/co-curriculars were you involved in? I was a member of Wayne Law's national mock trial team and president of the Federalist Society.
How did your involvement in student organizations impact your law school experience? My involvement with the mock trial program was valuable because it allowed me to put the things I learned in the classroom to use in the courtroom. My experience as president of the Federalist Society was equally valuable because it exposed me to new ideas, and gave me the opportunity to meet and network with prominent lawyers, jurists, academics and other students from around the country.
What were you most proud of in law school? My proudest achievement was founding the Joseph Grano Memorial Lecture series as president of the Federalist Society. Professor Grano was a respected member of Wayne Law's faculty for many years and was instrumental in organizing both the Wayne State and Michigan Lawyers chapters of the Federalist Society. We held the first annual Joseph Grano Memorial Lecture in the spring of 2008, which featured Justice Maura Corrigan of the Michigan Supreme Court and Professor Randy Barnett of Georgetown Law, a nationally renowned constitutional law scholar.
Was there a professor who really impacted your journey into law? Wayne Law has a tremendous faculty, so it's difficult to single out one professor. That said, Noah Hall is fantastic. He has a fresh approach to teaching the law that makes it exciting to go to class every day. Other professors that had an especially large impact on my law school career were John Dolan, Kingsley Browne, C.J. Peters and Brad Roth.
Did you feel well prepared for a career in law? I absolutely feel Wayne Law prepared me for a career as an attorney. The professors are experts in their fields and, in my opinion, offer the perfect balance between legal theory and the black letter law that students need to know to be successful on the bar exam and to practice effectively after graduation.
What advice would you give to folks considering Wayne Law as their law school? I would highly recommend Wayne Law to anyone considering law school. Choosing the right school is a big decision, and I would recommend that prospective students visit Wayne Law and sit in on a class or two. Also, if they are interested in a particular area of the law, I would recommend that they email or call a professor specializing in that area. In my experience, the professors are more than willing to talk to prospective students and answer any questions they may have.