Increase the School’s Competitiveness
Carolina Law has a reputation for delivering a degree of exceptional value when compared to peer law schools. To remain competitive in the current legal education environment, it is critical that we achieve higher rankings and continue to attract talented, deserving students from in-state and out-of-state. To do this, we must (1) increase student scholarships, (2) strengthen faculty/staff retention and recruitment and (3) provide more experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for career success.
A LAW DEGREE THAT CAN GO ANYWHERE
One of the greatest strengths of a Carolina Law degree is versatility. While competing law schools tend to specialize in producing certain types of lawyers, Carolina Law prepares lawyers to serve as attorneys in firms and corporate law departments of all sizes, as elected officials, on the boards of non-profit organizations, and in a wide range of public sector roles. We emphasize practical, skills-building opportunities, and we were among the nation’s first law schools to do so. With a Carolina Law degree, our students can go anywhere.
Take for example Tanisha Edwards ’17. She had the opportunity to venture across the state, across the country and up the nation’s East Coast during her three years at Carolina Law. Tanisha’s pro bono project in eastern North Carolina gave her practical experience that led her to a summer internship in San Francisco at the U.S. Department of Transportation. The internship prepared her for a highly competitive summer associate position in New York City with Ropes & Gray, one of the world’s premier law firms. Tanisha had several options along the way, but was able to choose the path she most desired through scholarships and career services grants. Upon graduating, Tanisha accepted a position at Ropes & Gray, representing one of two non-Ivy League graduates.
Richard Batchelder ’84, a partner at Ropes & Gray, has been recruiting Carolina Law students for his firm for over 17 years. “The Carolina Law students I’ve interviewed don’t come across as entitled. They have a nice humility to them, and underneath that is a keen intellect and a strong work ethic,” said Richard. “The combination – exuberance and passion backed up by keen intellect and hard work – is exactly what employers love to see. Tanisha in particular – she’s poised and incredibly talented and is going to be very successful someday.”
SPECIALIZING IN TEACHING
We credit a large part of the versatility of a Carolina Law degree to the caliber of our faculty, who create unique learning opportunities and ensure our students graduate as confident and well-rounded lawyers. After earning both his undergraduate and law degree at Carolina, Rick Magee ’83 went on to rise high in his firm and then become in-house counsel. With 34 years of experience as an attorney, Magee returned to Carolina Law in the fall of 2017 to teach a new course called Exploring the Role of In-House Counsel. In this course, students will learn the critical skills needed to serve as in-house lawyers from experienced lawyers in these positions. As more and more law students are choosing to join firms upon graduation, courses like this are giving them the chance to explore different career options.
