Student Life

… Wake goes out of its way to foster a real academic community between its professors and students.

Matthew Clark

Class of 2008

Undergraduate: Pennsylvania State University (Management Science & Information Systems)

Hometown: Sinking Spring, PA

Summer 2006: Research Assistant, Professor Wilson Parker

Summer 2007: Summer Associate, Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP

With the stress of homework and exams, it’s important to remember that only so much of your legal education comes from class – a truly well-rounded lawyer must be sensitive to new ideas and developing legal trends. As a result, one aspect that really sets Wake Forest apart is the level of intellectual opportunities available to students outside of class.

In fact, Wake goes out of its way to foster a real academic community between its professors and students. Our faculty members are both outstanding teachers and highly-regarded scholars; but they also genuinely care about the students and are more than willing to meet for a casual lunch or an in-depth discussion of legal developments. This openness gives students a chance to work closely with the faculty in order to develop their own analytical skills. One of the most valuable experiences I had in law school was a partnership with a professor and another student to complete an important empirical study.

This collaborative spirit continues with our two law journals and moot court program. Our Law Review does more than just publish compelling articles from authors around the country, it also presents an annual Business Law symposium that attracts top scholars and delves into cutting-edge topics such as terrorism financing. Our Moot Court program similarly provides an opportunity for students to work with professors in preparation for nation-wide competitions in a variety of specialized areas, like international law, securities law, health law, and family law.

Wake also provides numerous opportunities to explore the most relevant and intriguing topics in the legal field through presentations by our faculty and guest lecturers. One example is the “SCOTUS Talks,” series, which provides a forum for students and professors to discuss recent and pending Supreme Court cases. Another is the “A Conversation With…” series, which enlists role model legal professionals, like John Edwards, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Sandra Day O’Connor, to talk with and answer questions from students. But even beyond these regular events, numerous other programs, including student groups, bring fascinating speakers here each week.

Overall, this community of ideas means that Wake is about more than learning the law; it’s about molding well-rounded attorneys, which is a distinct advantage in the post-law school world.