Law Wise • 2016-17 (No. 1)

PUBLISHED BY

LAW WISE SEPTEMBER 2016 • ISSUE 1

Editor: Ron Keefover Coordinators: Hon. G. Joseph Pierron Jr. • Anne Woods & Ryan Purcell, KBA staff

Greetings from the Kansas Bar Association (KBA).

Welcome to this edition of Law Wise and the first edition of the 2016-2017 school year.

IN THIS ISSUE So You Are Thinking About Becoming a Lawyer...................................... 1 iCivics: Back to School? Up Your Game!......... 1 Legal Career Paths Varied................................ 2 25 Teachers from Across the State Attend We the People Summer Institute.................. 4 September Buzz.............................................. 5 2016 Mock Trial Tournament Update............... 5 Terrific Technology for Teachers....................... 5 iCivics: Can You Win the White House?.......... 6

Calendar of Events September 16

Constitution Day

Back To School?

UP

E!

YOUR GAM

iCivics isn’t just games and lesson plans. We provide a full curriculum aligned to standards for all 50 states, as well as other digital tools designed to optimize learning in your civics, social studies, and government classrooms. Check out our four categories designed to help you Up Your Game this school year: • Teach with Games and explore challenging concepts by using games in your classroom.

• Plan Ahead by activating your iCivics Teacher Account and putting more than 130 lesson plans at your fingertips.

• Get Social and join our social media communities to stay connected to other teachers just like you.

• Dig Deeper by challenging your students with our full range of resources.

So You Are Thinking About Becoming a Lawyer

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elcome back to Law Wise, the Kansas Bar association newsletter devoted to law-related education for teachers, attorneys, judges, and anyone interested in a better understanding of the legal system. This month, Law Wise is focusing on law as a profession, and a possible career path for high school and college students.

A definitive website to educate high school and college students about how to become a lawyer has a wealth of information on the subject. The website, What Do Lawyers Do? http://wdld.tyla.org/ was launched during the last school year as a partnership between the American Bar Assn.

Young Lawyers Division and the Texas Bar Assn.

The interactive web-based program focuses on preparation for law school, the law school experience, and different career paths for law school graduates. Among its goals, the project seeks to encourage a discussion about the different aspects of a legal education and the seemingly endless options open to those interested in pursuing a legal education.

The project hopes students will have a newfound understanding of the important roles that lawyers play in society, and that a legal education and a legal career are well within the reach of anyone willing to put in the time and effort to succeed.

Among the wealth of information and tips for students considering a legal career that can be found at the site: Making the Decision to Pursue a Legal Career: High school students can test their interest in a future legal career by pursuing extra-curricular activities that highlight more of the conventional aspects of being a lawyer. These include debate, teen court, mock trial, and shadowing an attorney.

In School: Focus on a well-rounded high school education that hones writing skills. Take high school classes that emphasize organized research and persuasive writing, as well as critical study of others’ writings. Because much of a lawyer’s practice involves communicating, courses that build vocabulary help. Students also should take classes that look at how human behavior interacts with institutions. That includes sociology, political science, psychology and history. Science and math classes sharpen analytical thinking. Coursework that trains students to read large amounts of information is vital. Stick with honors or advanced placement courses and read as much as possible to prepare for the rigors of law school. It’s also important to keep your grade-point average high so that you have your choice of colleges and eventually law school.

https://www.icivics.org/b2s/upyourgame.html

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Paying for Law School: Law school is not cheap. Aside from relying upon a parent or relative to pick up the tab, many students will be left to borrow the money to finance their legal education. While loans may provide the only way for some students to obtain a legal education, prospective law students should still research and consider other alternatives. These include scholarships, post-graduate fellowships to pay off loans,

e.g., legal aid work, grants, and other contests.

Of course, there are many other considerations to take into account when considering law as a profession, perhaps the noblest of them all, or as Aristotle is quoted as saying: “At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.” http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ quotes/a/aristotle148472.html

LEGAL CAREER PATHS VARIED

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o learn more about how some members of the legal community embarked on their career path, Law Wise asked a veteran Kansas public official, the outgoing president of the Kansas Bar Association, the chair of the KBA Young Lawyers Section, and a newly admitted law student for the story of their motivation to pursue a legal career.

Derek Schmidt

Veteran Lawyer, Public Service We begin with Derek Schmidt, the 44th Kansas Attorney General, and former Kansas Senate Majority Leader. Schmidt said his initial plan was to become a journalist upon graduating from the University of Kansas journalism school.

“But,” he said, “a summer’s reporting fellowship at the Phoenix Gazette soon cured me of the newspaper bug, perhaps because I was assigned to (and did) write a profile of the founders of the then-new Green Party in Arizona, a task that left this Republican wondering what the blazes I had signed up for!”

Schmidt’s post-journalism wanderlust took him to Washington, D.C., where he said he accepted a “quite junior-level” job on the staff of then-U.S. Senator Nancy Landon Kassebaum.

From there, he crossed the Atlantic to complete a master’s degree in international politics at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. And after graduation, Schmidt returned to a more-senior position on Senator Kassebaum’s staff working with foreign relations and national security issues.

The Attorney General described his next career idea thus: “And that’s when I knew my calling: I wanted to be a foreign service officer! Perhaps a Ph.D. in international relations was in my future. The diplomatic corps was for me! Then reality set in: There aren’t many jobs for foreign service officers in Southeast Kansas. And at the still-tender age of 24, I was not prepared to make a life choice that meant I was never going home,” Schmidt continued.

“So I signed up for law school, at night, while continuing to work in the U.S. Senate. Because a lawyer, I figured, could choose a path later. For me, the decision to attend law school

was largely about keeping options open. And that’s just what it did. After graduating, I returned home to Kansas, spent a year litigating consumer protection cases for the state attorney general, joined the governor’s staff as special counsel for agriculture issues, and when the opportunity arose moved home to Independence, won a seat in the state Senate, and joined a local general-practice law firm.

Schmidt said “none of that really was in the plan because the plan was being written day by day. And the reality has (so far) ended up a far cry from the diplomatic corps. But thank goodness! Public service comes in many forms, new opportunities to serve are always just around the corner, and for me the law has been versatile preparation to seize the next one that comes along, whatever it may be,” he said.

Natalie Haag Corporate Practice

Law Wise next asked Natalie Haag, immediate past president of the Kansas Bar Association to walk us through her journey to a prominent legal career. Interestingly, the now Executive Vice PresidentGeneral Counsel for Capitol Federal Bank and the CFFN, said Watergate was a key event leading to her decision to become a lawyer.

“My family actively campaigned for political candidates and this monumental political/legal event led me to believe, with the typical arrogance of a teenager, that I should become the first woman President of the US and “straighten these men out”, Haag reports. “Of course, watching President Carter deal with the Iran hostage crisis changed my mind about the running for President but by this time I had a strong sense of the value lawyers add to society and it was a career I wanted to pursue. I continue to hold the belief that strong ethical lawyers play a key role in shaping the political and legal fabric of our state and country,” she said.

Haag described her career path as a patchwork of different legal fields with each career opportunity serving as a building block for her current position. “Litigating, as a prosecutor and in private practice, helped me build written and oral skills of

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SEPTEMBER 2016 | LAW WISE 3 persuasion and taught me the art of understanding all sides of an argument, as well as possible compromises or resolutions to conflict,” Haag said.

“The hands-on exposure to the impact of addiction, physical and mental abuse and poverty have served as a foundation for much of my public policy and community service work. Private practice also exposed me to the many ways the legal system creates challenges for businesses.” She said her decision to move from private practice to public service was primarily driven by a desire to spend more time with her then two-yearold daughter, governmental service became a pivotal career changing decision.

Her public service stint included working as general counsel for Governor Bill Graves. She said that experience allowed her to see that law school not only taught her legal concepts but it also taught her how to think. “Being able to see the legal, political and ethical implications of every decision was a great lesson to learn,” Haag said. “These lessons created skills I have used as in-house counsel and they serve as a solid foundation for my role on the executive team at Capitol Federal.”

Nathan Eberline

President Young Lawyers Section Nathan Eberline, current President of the KBA Young Lawyers Association, serves as Associate Legislative Director & Legal Counsel for the Kansas Association of Counties, traces his legal career back to the eighth grade.

“In eighth grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Lebo, asked each member of our class to compose a letter describing ourselves. We had to document who we were and predict who we might become once high school concludes. She agreed to hold the letters until we graduated high school. After commencement, we received the letters,” Eberline said. “My predictions included the following: ‘you’re probably preparing to attend Wartburg College to study history and English with the intention of going to law school at the University of Iowa or Drake.’ Outside of substituting political science for history, my prediction proved accurate,” he said.

He said such a steadfast course may be uncommon for most individuals considering the law. “But despite having no attorneys in my family and having little groundwork for what to expect, I have found the practice of law to be every bit as engaging and rewarding as a profession can be. The greatest wisdom I received after expressing my early interest in the law came from a family friend who told me that if I wanted to be a lawyer, “it doesn’t matter which field you study in college; just learn to write.” This was advice I followed, and it served me well throughout law school and my career,” Eberline continued.

Eberline’s advice to students interested in the law is the advice given to him: “lawyers are professional writers. Yes, we research, analyze, and argue. But the modern practice of law

requires dexterity with the written word. Not only does clarity increase the likelihood of success, but it increases accessibility and understanding. Clear writing that a client can understand is an element of justice, and improving our craft is subsequently a worthwhile pursuit,” Eberline said.

Jennifer Salva

First Year Law Student To gain a sense of the legal path of one newly admitted law school student, Law Wise turned to Jennifer Salva, the outgoing editor of the KBA Journal, who has just started classes at the Washburn law school. She said preparing for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a challenge for her and many students, because “few have the luxury of focusing exclusively on the exam, and are likely in school or working fulltime.”

She said when she was preparing for the LSAT, she was working fulltime as a writer and editor, and part-time as a server and bartender in the evenings to begin saving for law school.

“I dedicated my lunch hour and weekend days to studying— even fifteen minute breaks during the work day were enough time to pound out some questions and read their answer explanations. And that’s okay. I think that’s how it’s supposed to be,” Salva said.

She said although she had what she considers to be the blessing of a challenging college career, and holds her education very close to her heart, her passion “lies with my little sister and the things I’ve learned from her.”

Salva said her younger sister has profound developmental disabilities and deafness, and volunteering for organizations that serve her and other individuals with disabilities is very important. “To earn money for school and to gain traction for my own disability advocacy initiatives, I started entering scholarship pageants in college. My interest in law grew as I advanced in my education, and I became interested in how a legal career could heighten my ability to serve those with disabilities.” She said she began volunteering with dozens of organizations in the greater Kansas City area that serve individuals with disabilities, as well as creating programs of her own to begin to address employment problems and increase public safety among individuals with disabilities.

“I want to be a lawyer to help everyday people work through common, everyday problems that don’t seem so common when they’re the ones dealing with them. I want to be a lawyer to use the skills I’ve learned working with my sister and other individuals with disabilities and/or language barriers to serve, represent and advocate for clients of all ability levels. I want to be a lawyer to push myself academically, to be able to serve as a lawyer-member on non-profit and charitable boards that improve the quality of life in our Kansas communities, and to gain a skill-set that will allow me to solve problems and assist others every day,” Salva said. n

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25 Teachers from Across the State Attend We the People Summer Institute Twenty-five teachers from across Kansas gathered in Topeka July 10-14 for a We the People Summer Institute to explore historical, legal, and social perspectives on the Constitution – the origins of constitutional ideas, their development throughout history, and their meaning in our world today.

Called the Kansas James Madison Legacy Summer Institute, the Institute featured presentations by John J. Patrick, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University and an internationally renowned civic educator; Stephen Schechter, Professor of Political Science and History at Russell Sage College and editor of the Encyclopedia of American Governance; and Mark Graber, Jacob A. France Professor of Constitutionalism at the University of Maryland and one of America’s leading experts on constitutional law.

Directed by Kansas State University’s Center for Social Studies Professors Thomas S. Vontz and Brad Burenheide, the Institute received funding from the United States Department of Education and the Johnson County First Amendment Foundation.

The teachers were presented curriculum from the national Center for Civic Education’s We the People program, which annually hosts state and national civics education competition for middle and high school classes. Topics at the Topeka Institute included “Thinking Constitutionally,” “The Philosophical and Historical Foundations of the American Political System,”

“Overview of a Congressional Hearing,” “How Did the Framers Create the Constitution?”, “Using We the People in the Classroom,” “Hearing Preparation,” and “How Has the Constitution Been Changed to Further the Ideals Contained in the Declaration of Independence? The institute concluded with a panel discussion by We the People Alumni.

The 2016 participants are continuing their professional development experience through an online course taught by Drs. Vontz and Burenheide through the Kansas State University’s Center for Social Studies Education. Participants also prepared and presented testimony during mock congressional hearings on various questions posed by the directors.

Vontz praised the participating teachers, saying they were “a top-shelf set of teachers—smart, curious, and engaged.” He said he suspects many of them will bring their classes to the state We the People hearings to showcase their students’ work. “The scholars and mentors left impressed by the level of understanding of participants. We suspect this is going to be a big boost for Kansas We the People,” Vontz said.

Mentors included Ken Thomas, Matt Christensen, and Kimberly Coffelt, of Blue Valley Northwest; Blanche Wulfekoetter, Jefferson West; Lew Whitson, Valley Heights; and Janeal Schmidt, Abilene. For more information about the We The People program, contact Vontz at tvontz@ksu.edu .

Stephen Schechter, Professor of Political Science, Russell Sage College, was among scholars teaching We the People Summer Institute participants about the Constitution as part of a five-day workshop led by Kansas State University’s Center for Social Studies.

Twenty-five teachers from across the state divided into teams to prepare and present simulated congressional hearings during a We The People Summer Institute that was presented in Topeka in July.

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SEPTEMBER 2016 | LAW WISE 5

September Buzz

@ The Law-Related Collection, Emporia State University, Teachers College Resource Center Welcome back from Emporia State University’s Your Teachers College Resource Center/Instructional Materials Center!

Preparations are being made for each learner to have the best school year ever. The Center is located on the second floor of Visser Hall on ESU’s campus and also has been gearing up to serve our many patrons. We are excited to have many new items to enhance lessons and speak to a wide variety of topics and diverse learners.

The Kansas Bar Association generously donated funding toward the purchase of the following DVD materials which are currently on display here at the Center: • “We the People”, The Story of the Constitution, 30 minutes, 5th grade and up • Rights and Responsibilities of U.S. Citizenship, 23 minutes, grades 5-12 • America’s Documents of Freedom, 1215-1774, 30 minutes, grades 5+ • 20th Century Politics and Presidents with Mike Wallace, a 3 disc set, appx. 470 minutes, grade 5+

• The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents, a 3 disc set, appx.

360 minutes, grade 5+ • The Last Colony: a Close Look at Puerto Rico’s Relationship with the USA, 92 minutes, grade 5+ Any of these resources and more are available at the Resource Center. To search online, go to emporiastate.worldcat. org and choose “Resource Center” to see the full array of materials and resources. If you plan to be in our area, stop by, and we would be proud to give you a guided tour of the Center.

You may also call 620-341-5292 to check out resources during our hours, 9-6, Monday through Thursday, and 9-5 on Friday.

We are also able to mail out items with no charge to patrons, thanks to the further generosity of the Kansas Bar Association.n Janice Romeise (620) 341-5292 emporiastate.worldcat.org jromeise@emporia.eduv Corky the Hornet

2016 Mock Trial Tournament Update

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ongratulations to this year’s team traveling to the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Boise, Idaho. They are from Blue Valley Northwest High School and coached by Art Delgado. (l-r) Vandita Garimella, Anna Cowden, Shaili Patel, Caitlyn Hager, Ayesha Vishnani, Susie Song and Arvind Shankar

Te r r i f i c Te c h n o l o g y The American Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division is partnering with the Texas Bar Association on a terrific project called “What Do Lawyers Do?” to educate high school and college students about how to become a lawyer. The project focuses on preparation for law school, the law school experience, and different career paths for law school graduates. The project’s home page is at: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/ young_lawyers/initiatives/what_lawyers_do.html Answers to the following common questions arising before, during and after law school may be found on its pages.

LIFE BEFORE LAW SCHOOL: Do I need to take any particular type of courses to prepare for law school? How do I pay for Law School? How do I choose a law school? What does the application process include? http://wdld.tyla.org/#before LIFE DURING LAW SCHOOL: Are law school grades important? How do you distinguish yourself in law school? When do I need to start thinking about what I want to do after law

for

Te a c h e r s

school? How do I prepare for the bar exam? Job Search FAQ’s http://wdld.tyla.org/#during LIFE AFTER LAW SCHOOL: What about my post-law school finances? What is the 411 (a.ka. low-down) on loan repayment?

What if I don’t want to practice law in the conventional sense? http://wdld.tyla.org/#after Ten factors that every prospective law student must consider before choosing to become a lawyer may be found here: https://www.thebalance.com/so-you-want-to-become-a-lawyer-2164536 DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A LAWYER? This is often one of the most difficult professions to enter due to the high competition and time required obtaining degrees, but it can be one of the most rewarding (and high-paying!) jobs out there. This site walks the reader through the steps needed to become a lawyer. http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Lawyer-in-theUnited-States

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Can You Win the White House?

Running for the presidency isn’t easy, and it’s challenging to teach. Win the White House teaches students in grades 4-12 about the challenges of running for office by empowering them to create and manage their own presidential campaigns. Visit http://www.icivics.org

Dear Readers, Law Wise is provided as a public service and is a publication funded by the KBA Law Related Education Committee through a grant from the Kansas Bar Foundation.

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The Kansas Bar Foundation, with Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) funding, provides support for this publication. Law Wise provides general information about law-related matters of interest to teachers, students, and the public in Kansas, but does not provide any legal advice, so readers should consult their own lawyers for legal advice. For further information about any projects or articles, contact Ron Keefover at ronkeefover@gmail.com; or Anne Woods, public services director, (785) 234-5696. Law Wise is published by the Kansas Bar Association, 1200 SW Harrison St., Topeka, KS 66612-1806, during the school year.

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