Detours to Determination: Chris Carlisle’s Path to Law School Graduation

As a child, Chris Carlisle sat captivated beside his family, eyes glued to episodes of Matlock and Perry Mason flickering across their living-room television. In those evenings filled with dramatic courtroom battles and triumphant verdicts, a dream began to form…one he carried through decades of life’s detours before he found the courage to pursue it.

Carlisle, who calls the small community of Paron his home, had a rocky start to his collegiate career. As an undergrad at the University of Arkansas, he faced academic suspension. After moving home and getting married, he later returned to school focused and more mature. He went on to complete his degree in political science and earned a leadership medal at graduation.

After college, Carlisle worked in retail management before moving with his wife and two children to Dallas, where he managed a call center. He found neither job enjoyable nor satisfying.

Searching for a new path, he and his wife, Katherine, accepted a position as house parents at a children’s home in the southern Texas city of Brownsville. In addition to caring for their own children, Austin and Audrey, they provided a home for up to eight children at a time who had been removed from their biological families for various reasons.

“We raised them as our own,” Carlisle says. “It was great, but super hard work.”

With an increase in cartel violence near their Brownsville home, they eventually moved back to Arkansas for a fresh start, where they spent a few years as house parents at Southern Christian Home in Morrilton.

It wasn’t until his wife completed her master’s degree during the pandemic that Carlisle felt it was finally his turn to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer. Carlisle initially faced setbacks in applying to law school due to his LSAT score, which was affected by his visual impairment. Unwilling to give up, he retook the test—this time with visual accommodations. With a significantly boosted score, he secured scholarship offers to both law schools in Arkansas.

Ultimately, he chose UA Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law, where proximity to state government opportunities resonated with his longstanding interest in public service.

At Bowen, Carlisle quickly became a familiar face on campus, known for his extensive involvement and authentic connections with faculty, staff, and students. Due to early challenges with legal writing, he sought out consistent support from the school’s Writing Center, building a close relationship with writing specialist Danna Young, who now serves as Bowen’s director of academic support and bar success services.

“There are a couple people responsible for me still being here, and Danna is one of them,” Carlisle says. “She really helped my writing and boosted my confidence.”

Carlisle didn’t limit himself. He took on multiple leadership roles, served as vice president of the Student Bar Association, co-founded the First-Generation Law Student organization, and became president of the Pulaski County Bar Association student division.

While at Bowen, Carlisle took every opportunity to explore various fields of law. He completed paid internships with the Department of Education, the Arkansas Department of Health’s legal department, and the Attorney General’s office. He also completed a public service externship with USDA’s Office of General Counsel and participated in Bowen’s Mediation Clinic.

Perhaps inspired by those childhood courtroom dramas, Carlisle proactively sought real-life courtroom experience during his time at Bowen. Noticing that Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Gill wasn’t listed among Bowen’s externship partners, Carlisle sought permission to contact him in hopes of arranging an externship. Judge Gill agreed, and Carlisle spent 12 to 15 hours each week during the semester observing courtroom proceedings firsthand.

“I loved it,” Carlisle says of the experience. “I loved seeing the work from the judge’s perspective. To be a clerk in his court would be fascinating.”

Through each challenge—whether academic struggles, balancing family responsibilities, or overcoming barriers related to his visual impairment—Carlisle credits Bowen’s supportive community for his success.

“Bowen’s strongest selling point is its people,” he says. “Faculty, staff, and even Derek who takes care of the building—everyone here genuinely cares.”

As he prepares to graduate, Carlisle’s journey symbolizes resilience and determination. Proudly supported by his wife, who teaches special education at Sylvan Hills, Carlisle feels he has set a meaningful example for his two teenage children.

“I spent my whole life running from law school, afraid it would be too hard,” Carlisle says. “But how could I encourage my kids to chase their dreams if I didn’t chase mine?”

His advice for incoming students reflects his experience: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s going to be hard, but you knew that when you signed up. Talk to professors, cast a wide net early, and enjoy it. It goes by quickly.”

Carlisle leaves Bowen Law ready to embrace his future in the legal profession, proving it’s never too late to defy expectations and achieve your dreams.