more than practice
“There are a lot of students at Emory who are looking for something outside of the traditional big law firm track. The great thing about Emory is that it’s the sort of place where you’ll get support for whatever you want to do.” Silas Allard Second-year student, Neosho, Mo. University of Missouri
The law permeates every facet of our
Our professors have unique backgrounds and
society— from our homes and our workplaces to
interests — from pioneering the Feminism and Legal
our schools and places of worship. It influences what
Theory Project, to uncovering the intersection of law
we read, what we say and even what we hear.
and religion to fighting for justice for Guantánamo Bay detainees.
As an Emory law student, you are encouraged to challenge the status quo and follow your mind and your heart.
But they all share a culture of openness and collaboration — with their students and with one another. As an Emory Law student, you are encouraged to
At Emory Law, we equip future lawyers like you with a
challenge the status quo and follow your mind
practical and theoretical understanding of the law. We
and your heart. You may aspire to do mergers and
offer real-world experiences that give you a glimpse of
acquisitions in a large corporation, or to be on the
what life as a lawyer will be like. And, we expose you
ground pursuing a personal cause or in the courtroom
to diverse opportunities to help you determine where
defending an abused child. But whoever you are, you
your passions lie — whether it’s fighting to protect a
will leave Emory with a deep knowledge of the law and
patent or a human life.
a set of valuable skills. At Emory, we prepare you for more than practice. We prepare you to challenge and change the world.
more than practice
more than a classroom
Rainbow Willard Second-year student From Port Townsend, Wash. Undergraduate College: Tulane University MA Linguistics, Berkeley College
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At Emory, there’s a serious focus on teaching the hands-on skills needed to be a lawyer — whatever kind of lawyer that may be. I wanted to go to law school because I worked with indigenous rights groups in Guatemala on language issues and realized that something much larger was going on. People who work in human rights don’t think about the decisions driving large multinational corporations. To completely understand an issue, you can’t compartmentalize yourself on one side or another. Emory teaches you to think like both sides. The first year is really tough. You learn a whole new language and a whole new way of thinking. But everyone helps each other get through. I’ve been amazed by how hard I’ve worked because I’ve been pushed. I’ve done way more than I ever thought I could. I feel like Super Woman.
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year one: immersing yourself in the language of law Much of the learning that happens in your three years at Emory happens outside of the traditional classroom setting. You attend workshops and seminars. You work in clinics, nonprofit organizations, corporations and firms. You pursue internships in Atlanta or on the other side of the world. And you gain valuable, real-world experiences that prepare you for the myriad opportunities ahead. Professionalism Program Becoming a lawyer means more than just getting a degree. It requires understanding the principles and ethics that come with that responsibility. Three times a year, students meet as a group with professors and practicing attorneys to discuss hypothetical situations and appropriate ways to handle them. The program instills the values that are expected of lawyers, and each student is sworn in by a court judge. Academic Assistance Program This program helps new law students adapt to law school and get through the first year successfully. Six Dean’s Teaching Fellows— usually third-year students—are chosen based on academic credentials. They have office hours each week to help you learn how to outline, take better notes in class, prepare for exams and effectively read cases. The program gives you support when you need it.
Legal Writing, Research and Advocacy Program (LWRAP) LWRAP is a practical nuts-and-bolts class that teaches you how to write legal documents such as memos, client letters and court briefs and how to develop an oral argument.
“A lot of professors at Emory focus on serious human rights issues, but others do corporate law, trusts and estates and international business transactions. At Emory, there’s a balance.” Rainbow Willard Second-year student Port Townsend, Wash. Tulane University Berkeley College
more than practice
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I came to law school because of my interest in civil rights and social justice, particularly lgbt advocacy, same-sex marriage and same-sex parent options. Law school seemed like a quick way for social change.
In your first year, you learn black letter law — how to dissect a case, pick apart a statute, put together a contract, etc. In your second year, you do more abstract thinking. You choose your courses. You narrow down what you want to do. And, you begin to find your legal voice.
Dan Nugent Third-year student From New York Undergraduate College: Yale University
For my internship, I wanted to do something that merged my personal interests with my practical skill set. Lambda Legal is a firm that does a lot of impact litigation, and it was a great way to build my resume. Last summer, I worked for the National Legislative Office of the ACLU in Washington, D.C. It was a great experience in legislative advocacy. I drafted testimony and questions for congressional hearings, sat in on coalition meetings to draft proposed legislation and prepared position papers analyzing bills pending in both chambers. Having interned with an organization that conducted impact litigation the previous summer, it was interesting to see a completely different way my law degree could be used — through the intersection of law and politics.
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No matter where you want your legal degree to take you, Emory supports you.
year two: finding your legal voice Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques Trial Techniques is a hands-on learning program that teaches you the mechanics of how to litigate a case. You work under the direction of experienced trial lawyers, judges and academics as you question and cross-examine a witness, make a statement and present evidence—all in your second year. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/keptt. Field Placements Field Placements let you get your feet wet in the real world while earning academic credit during the school year. Under the supervision of an attorney, you hone your lawyering skills, including research, writing, advocacy, interviewing, counseling, litigation and case investigation. Emory offers more than 100 placements in and around Atlanta that range from working in one of our in-house clinics to judicial field placements, litigation placements, government agencies, public interest organizations and corporations. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/fpp. Career Services Career Services helps you find summer positions that are a good fit following your first and second years. Advisers work with students individually and in groups to develop job search skills and a strategy to meet his/her career goals. Career Services also coordinates on-campus interviews and job fairs in key cities like New York; Washington, D.C.; Boston; Chicago; Dallas and Los Angeles. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/ careerservices.
“Career Services is amazing here. You need to start applying for summer internships in December of your first year, which coincides with final exams. The last thing on your mind is what you’re going to do next summer. My adviser thought my teaching background tied in nicely with the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Committee on Justice for Children, and she encouraged me to apply. It wouldn’t have been on my radar screen without her.” Thea Van Der Zalm Third-year student, Greenville, S.C., New York University
more than practice
year three: preparing for your future Center for International and Comparative Law This center brings together international scholars to study the legal systems of other countries and compare them with the U.S. system to provide a deeper understanding of the law. International Humanitarian Law Clinic The International Humanitarian Law Clinic pairs students with organizations and attorneys working on cases or issues in international humanitarian law, including representing detainees, raising public awareness of past, present and future atrocities and ensuring the protection of civilians and combatants in conflict regions around the world. To learn more, visit www.law.emory. edu/ihlc. The World Law Institute The institute was established to provide an understanding of world law, including world mercantile law and world financial law. The institute also teaches the transnational law of universal crimes such as genocide, terrorism and torture, as well as world environmental law, health law and the law of sports. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/wli. Summer Program in Budapest If you are interested in international law, the study-abroad summer program in Budapest offers a chance to immerse yourself. You attend Central European University in Budapest, Hungary, which specializes in humanities and social sciences. Courses are taught in English and include everything from the legal aspects of doing business in Asia to international business transactions. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/budapest.
“We are particularly interested in broadening the interests of our students beyond the borders of our country to encompass the world we live in and to make our graduates well equipped to deal with transnational problems.” Johan van der Vyver I.T. Cohen Professor of International Law and Human Rights
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In your third year of law school, you’re at the cusp of your career. You have an idea what areas of law you’re interested in practicing — whether you’re actively seeking a job or already have post-graduation employment in hand. To prepare for life after law school, you take more practiceoriented coursework and try to get as much experience as you can outside the classroom through clinics, field placements, pro bono work and other opportunities.
During my second summer, I worked in Shanghai at Jun He Law Offices, a premier Chinese firm, where I focused mainly on joint venture and securities work and was able to practice Mandarin. During my third year, I sought out on-the-job training in in-house settings to understand legal work from the perspective of a corporate client.
Thomas Foley Emory Law, Class of 2008 From Bronxville, N.Y. Associate, Seward & Kissel New York
Through Emory’s remarkable Field Placement Program, I have interned at Cisco Systems’ Scientific Atlanta and the Coca-Cola Company. After graduation, I joined Seward & Kissel, a 118-year-old, New York-based firm with leading practices in hedge fund law and maritime and aviation financing, among other areas.
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more than practice
more than a job
Shijuade Kadree Third-year student, JD/MPH From Buffalo, N.Y. Undergraduate College: Emory College
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I’m really interested in environmental justice work. To get a wellrounded perspective on the issues, I knew I needed legal training, along with an environmental health background, so I decided to pursue a joint degree in law and public health.
Whether you follow the traditional law school track or
Part of my attraction to Emory was that it has an environmental law clinic, an environmental law society and a public interest group, which the other schools I looked at didn’t have. I also wanted a school with top-notch resources, good name recognition, great placement opportunities, a chance to pursue public interest and a loan repayment assistance program. I looked at options all over the country, but Emory offered me everything I wanted, so I decided to stay. It was a great decision.
Environmental and Natural Resources Law Program Emory boasts one of the most robust environmental law programs in the country. With dozens of courses to choose from, four dedicated faculty members, adjunct professors from law firms and the EPA and the Turner Environmental Law Clinic, you gain a comprehensive understanding of environmental law and the issues surrounding it.
Second year, I took a break from environmental law and did a field placement with Coca-Cola working for its trademarks general counsel. I got a good foundation in trademark law and saw how the world’s most recognized trademark is run. There was free Coke too! Last summer, I did research for my master’s thesis on global and environmental health in India, near the Taj Mahal. I did a comparative air quality assessment of a population in Agra with a group in a ‘green suburb,’ Dayalbagh, to see if there’s a difference in air quality. I also took a health survey of two match groups to see if they experience different health effects.
take a different path, a degree from Emory doesn’t just get you a job, it gives you the tools and knowledge to counsel, advise, influence, teach and protect.
Turner Environmental Law Clinic This in-house clinic provides free legal assistance to clients and real-world experience to students interested in environmental law. As part of Emory’s Field Placement Program, you work in the clinic for course credit during the school year under the supervision of a practicing attorney. You interact with clients who are looking to protect and restore the natural environment in Georgia. You develop cases, write memos, briefs and depositions, work on legislative and policy issues and learn how to handle yourself professionally with opposing counsel. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/turnerclinic.
Learn more about Shijuade Kadree’s summer research project at www.law.emory.edu/EmoryLawyer_Winter09/.
“Emory helps you get a sense of what it’s really like to be a practitioner and prepares you to enter ‘the real world.’” Shijuade Kadree Third-year student, JD/MPH Buffalo, N.Y. Emory College
more than practice
understanding law in a larger context Center for the Study of Law and Religion Emory Law is the leading center for the study of law and religion in the world. The program was created in 1982 to study the historical relationships between law and religion, the institutional relationships between legal systems and religious bodies and the professional relationships between lawyers and judges and religious leaders and organizations. By creating this program, Emory filled a void. The intersection of law and religion had not been studied in any law school or theology school in the country. Today, it has become accepted as an integral part of a legal education. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/cslr.
Center for Transactional Law and Practice Every future lawyer needs to understand transactional law as part of a basic skill set. Emory gives you practical experience doing transactional work. The Center for Transactional Law and Practice provides training for educators, continuing legal education for practicing lawyers and a Transactional Law Certificate for students meeting course requirements. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/ctlp.
“Right now, firms are spending huge amounts of money teaching junior associates basic transactional skills. If Emory graduates have these skills up front, they are going to be much more marketable. We give our students skills they can use on day one and a strong foundation on which to build their knowledge as they continue in their practice.” Tina Stark Professor in the Practice of Law Executive Director, Center for Transactional Law and Practice
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Being a law professor at Emory is a privilege — I am able to learn and discover and make a difference in the lives of students. Our hope is that we can expose them to the myriad ways to use their legal training.
My background is in law and theology. I wrestled with going into full-time ministry and into the full-time practice of law, and I ended up practicing law, which I enjoy immensely. I came to Emory Law to help create the law and religion program, but planned to stay for only a couple of years. That was 26 years ago.
In every single class I learn something from my students, even in courses I’ve taught for 26 years. Part of the reason I’m still here is because I tremendously enjoy the classroom. In every single class, I learn something from my students, even in courses I’ve taught for 26 years. Every group of students approaches the subjects slightly differently. And every year there’s a different set of issues in society that we draw upon that relate to the topic we’re studying. We have an incredibly talented, enthusiastic and motivated group of students at Emory Law. I would take a group of my students and put them up against any law students in the country.
Frank Alexander Professor of Law Founding Director, Center for the Study of Law and Religion
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I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. I was an American history major in college and was very interested in the government and the legal system. I am the first lawyer in my family.
Jessica Boar Emory Law, Class of 2002 Associate, Bingham McCutchen, Los Angeles From East Brunswick, N. J. Undergraduate College: University of Pennsylvania President of Emory Law Alumni Association of Los Angeles
At Bingham McCutchen LLP, I counsel and represent employers in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination and harassment, wage and hour issues and restrictive covenants and trade secrets. I work with employers to ensure compliance with federal, state and local labor and employment statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. I also counsel clients on hiring, firing and disciplining employees and developing and revising employment practices and policies.
I counsel and represent employers in all aspects of employment law. I loved the professors at Emory. I took employment law with Professor Shanor, who had been general counsel of the EEOC under President Reagan, and fell in love with his class. I took every class he taught, became very close with him and his family and still talk to him on a regular basis. He gave me the passion for employment law, and I’m very grateful to him.
“I loved the professors at Emory.” Jessica Boar Emory Law, Class of 2002
maximizing your degree Barton Clinic (Child Law and Policy Clinic/Juvenile Defender Clinic) Emory’s in-house Barton Clinic allows you to experience child and juvenile advocacy work firsthand. You work closely with child welfare professionals, community leaders, attorneys, judges, community groups, reporters and elected officials in the interest of children and juveniles. The Child Law and Policy Clinic protects neglected and abused children in Georgia through research, policy development and legislative recommendations. The Juvenile Defender Clinic gives you an opportunity to represent clients in Georgia’s juvenile courts. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/barton. Feminism and Legal Theory Project (FLT) The Feminism and Legal Theory (FLT) Project was begun by Woodruff Professor Martha L.A. Fineman in 1984 at the University of Wisconsin. Since then it has grown tremendously, but the project’s basic structure and commitment remain the same: an interdisciplinary examination of specific law and policy topics from the perspective of gender and sexuality. The FLT Project is consistently working on groundbreaking issues by holding workshops, hosting international scholars and publishing critical theoretical work. Students have the opportunity to participate in all areas of the FLT Project. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/flt.
“Studying law opens up a window to understanding the world of power and politics. It also gives us the tools with which to challenge that world.” Martha L.A. Fineman Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law Director and Founder of the Feminism and Legal Theory Project
more than practice
more than a campus
JD Costa Third-year student From Nashville, Tenn. Undergraduate College: University of Tennessee
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By the summer of your second year, you want to intern at a place where you can see yourself for a while (after you graduate, of course). Last summer, I was at McGuire Woods, a firm in Charlotte that has practice groups specializing in funding and other business aspects related to startup companies.
One day, I’d like to help create a startup company. The idea of building something from the ground up really appeals to me. A law degree is useful whether you practice or not, because law school teaches you how to think analytically. No matter what I do, I know I’ll come out of Emory with a great foundation. The people here have changed me. Coming out of college I never read a newspaper, but now I’m more interested in current events. The way I think is different, too. It even comes out when I have a discussion with my wife. I’ll dissect her points and she’ll say to me, ‘I’m not your client. Don’t talk to me like a lawyer.’ I can’t help it.
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With the thriving city of Atlanta in our wake, government agencies like CDC, SEC and EPA down the street, Georgia Institute of Technology practically next door and Emory’s undergraduate college, business school and school of public health on our soil, the learning resources we can tap into are vast and rich. Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results (TI:GER) Program The TI:GER Program brings together Georgia Tech PhD and MBA students and Emory Law students into one class. The class is divided into “groups,” each made up of a PhD, MBA and two law students. The groups take technology a PhD candidate is working on and create a business plan, an industry analysis and a marketing plan and do patent searches—everything it takes to commercialize a product. The program has a core group of professors from different disciplines—law, economics and business (marketing and venture-focused)— who rotate each week along with a group of visiting professors who specialize in everything from startups to patents. To learn more, visit www.law.emory.edu/tiger.
“In the TI:GER Program, we experience the here and now. My group is working on a wireless biosensor that’s in the process of being commercialized. We learn by doing, which is the best way to learn.” JD Costa Third-year student, Nashville, Tenn. University of Tennessee
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celebrating atlanta
I love Atlanta. It’s just like Emory. It’s open, dynamic, inclusive, diverse, exciting. In just one week, I went to a prize-winning play at the Alliance Theater by a young African American. I went to the Big Apple Circus in Stone Mountain. I went to see the Kronos Quartet at the Schwartz Center, and I went to a ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Michael Pink. I don’t think I could do better in any other city in the world.
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Martha L.A. Fineman Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law Director and Founder of the Feminism and Legal Theory Project
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Atlanta is one of the most fascinating metropolitan areas of the country because of its diversity — racially, culturally, economically, and geographically. We still have a lot of inner city neighborhoods with trees and land. We’re an international city, but also a Southern city. We have many of the challenges that face urban America, but we also have a delightful naiveté and enthusiasm that things can be made better. Frank Alexander Professor of Law Founding Director, Center for the Study of Law and Religion
I love the city of Atlanta. I’m a big aquarium dork. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world and a great place to escape to when I need some downtime. Thea Van Der Zalm Third-year student, Greenville, S.C., New York University
“After law school, I wanted to stay in Atlanta — I didn’t feel like I had to. Now, I live right outside of the city. I have a 10-minute drive to work, and I’m in an affordable house with a yard and a neighborhood. You can’t get that in the Northeast.”
Joint Degree Programs In addition to the standard JD offered for completing three years at Emory Law, Emory’s joint degrees offer you the opportunity to specialize in areas of the law that most interests you. You must be admitted to both Emory Law and the programs listed below. JD/MBA Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration, Goizueta Business School
Chris Bly Emory Law, Class of 2002 Huntington, N.Y. Emory College
JD/MTS Juris Doctor and Master of Theological Studies, Candler School of Theology JD/MDIV Juris Doctor and Master of Divinity, Candler School of Theology JD/PhD Juris Doctor and Doctor of Philosophy in Religion, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences JD/MPH Juris Doctor and Master of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health JD/REES Juris Doctor and Certificate Program, Center for Russian and East European Studies American Bar Association Character and Fitness Standard Statement: All applicants must complete an Emory University School of Law application through the Law School Admission Council. Answer each question honestly and completely. Failure to do so may result in the denial or revocation of your admission, suspension or dismissal after matriculation, withdrawal of certification of graduation or revocation of your degree. If you have been convicted of offenses other than minor traffic violations or if you withhold required information on this application, you may have difficulty gaining Bar admission. State Bar organizations often require that you include your law school application as part of your Bar admission application. Accordingly, your answers in your Emory Law application relating to these matters often will be part of your record. As each state bar has specific admission requirements, you should review the requirements for the state in which you intend to practice. Nondiscrimination Policy: Emory University does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or veteran/Reserve/National Guard status and prohibits such discrimination by its students, faculty and staff. Students, faculty and staff are assured of participation in University programs and in use of facilities without such discrimination. The University also complies with all applicable federal and Georgia statutes and regulations prohibiting unlawful discrimination. All members of the student body, faculty and staff are expected to assist in making this policy valid in fact. Inquiries and complaints should be directed to the Equal Opportunity Programs Office, Emory University, Administration Building, Atlanta, GA 30322-0520. Telephone: 404.727.6016 (V/TTY). SACS Accreditation: Emory University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097; telephone number 404.679.4501) to award degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels.
Your next step... Your tuition deposits are due • $250 by Thursday, April 15 • $500 by Tuesday, June 1 Mail deposits to: Office of Admission 1301 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322-2770
Office of Admission 1301 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30322-2770 P 404.727.6802 www.law.emory.edu
more than practice