by Mark P. Yablon
preLaw magazine, a National Jurist publication, recently recognized UALR William H. Bowen School of Law as one of the premier law schools at preparing future lawyers for roles in public service.
After considering factors such as curriculum and job placement, preLaw ranked Bowen the 6th best law school in America for students who want to become government lawyers and the 17th best law school for those who desire to become public defenders or prosecutors. Bowen is one of nine law schools nationwide to garner top-20 honors in two or more of those three public service areas: Public Interest, Public Defender/Prosecutor, and Government.
“I’m not surprised,” Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Arkansas and a West Point and 1996 Bowen graduate, said. “Bowen is a first class law school. I think Bowen is a jewel that is probably underappreciated. I’ve said this for years.”
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, a 2001 Bowen graduate, agrees. “The faculty and staff do a tremendous job of reaching out to place students as law clerks. It’s very important for schools—and Bowen does a fantastic job—to expose students to the various areas of the public sector.” By attending a supportive school located in the heart of Little Rock, students get a jumpstart not available in most other metropolitan areas, much less in rural communities.
Larry Jegley, Bowen class of 1978 and Prosecuting Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas first elected in 1996, added, “These opportunities in a small state capital in a small state give Bowen students an enhanced educational opportunity.” Jegley should know. He has hired approximately 200 prosecutors from Bowen. Of his current 46 staff lawyers, 33 are Bowen alumni. Jegley’s wife, Angela Jegley, and daughter, Amanda Jegley, graduated from Bowen in 1978 and 2009, respectively. His wife is an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. His daughter is an Assistant Attorney General for Arkansas.
Bowen takes advantage of its proximity to this vibrant legal market. It is one of a handful of schools that has a structured mentoring program, according to Eric Walker, Assistant Dean of Career Services, whose office manages the program. Every new student is paired with an attorney from business, government, the judiciary, public interest, or private practice. These attorneys volunteer time to answer questions, assist with networking, and allow students to shadow them at work. This gives students another competitive edge to find meaningful legal employment in school and beyond.
In addition, Bowen’s legal clinics and externships allow students to participate in public service and access to justice while they are still in law school. Between Bowen’s clinics, externships, first-year pro bono requirement, and pro bono program, Bowen students completed more than 20,000 hours of public service work during the 2014-2015 school year.
Five separate clinic courses allow students to work under supervision and assist people who could not afford lawyers. This program has been available at Bowen since the 1970s.
Every semester, Bowen students extern with Arkansas Supreme Court justices, federal judges, the Attorney General’s office and other state agencies, and non-profit groups such as Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Kelly S. Terry, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Public Service Externship Program and Pro Bono Opportunities, explains. “All of our clinics and externships are public service oriented. Supervisors and judges who participate in the program enjoy the experience and receive personal benefits in mentoring students. Until recently, few schools besides Bowen offered opportunities for hands-on experience and to network so closely with hiring professionals.”
Bowen is proud of its core values, and its growing tradition of students and alumni who are exceptional professionals with a competitive edge in obtaining quality public service opportunities that help those in need.
Click http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/cypress/prelaw_2016winter/ for the entire article and https://ualr.edu/law/clinical-programs/ for Bowen’s public service opportunities.
Mark P. Yablon is a Texas entrepreneur turned first-year law student at UALR William H. Bowen School of Law and the public affairs assistant in the Office of the Dean.
