Campbell Law ranks among top for bar exam overperformance
Campbell Law School ranks 11th in a new study released that examines law schools that overperform on the bar exam. The study comes in the wake of Campbell Law’s released and certified 2-year bar passage rate of 98.1%. “A law school’s measure of success on the bar exam has shifted from first time pass rate to a new test set by our accreditor called the ultimate pass rate,” said Dean J. Rich Leonard. “Simply, it is the percentage of your graduates in a given year who took a bar exam within two years of graduation and passed. The accreditation standard requires a school to stay above 75 percent. I was delighted Friday to certify to the American Bar Association a 98.1 percent ultimate pass rate for my 2019 class. Study with us and you will get a law license.” Read the full article at this link.
Campbell Law advocates continue to rank among best for performance
Campbell Law School ranks eighth in Fordham University School of Law’s Trial Competition Performance Ranking (TCPR) for the 2016-2021 academic years. Campbell Law is the only North Carolina law school to make the five-year list’s Top 10. Campbell Law advocates have earned a cumulative total of 38 points since Fall 2016 tying for eighth with Chicago-Kent’s law school. The TCPR is an objective snapshot of achievement in interscholastic law school trial competitions, according to Fordham’s Brendan Moore Trial Advocacy Center. Read the full article at this link.
U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James Wynn to speak at Campbell Law graduation on May 13
U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Judge James Wynn will offer the commencement address at Campbell University Law School’s 44th annual hooding and graduation ceremony on May 13. The celebration is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Memorial Auditorium at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. “I am pleased and honored to speak at the commencement ceremony for the next generation of Campbell lawyer leaders,” Wynn said. Judge Wynn was nominated by President Barack Obama on Nov. 4, 2009, and confirmed by the Senate on Aug. 5, 2010. “Judge Wynn is a dedicated public servant, and we are delighted that a judge of his prominence can join us for our commencement,” said Dean J. Rich Leonard. Read the full article at this link.
Campbell Law advocates three-peat regional bankruptcy competition
For the third year in a row, Campbell Law School advocates have won the American College of Bankruptcy (ACB) Fourth Circuit Moot Court Competition. The competition is hosted each year by the Education Committee of the ACB. The ACB competition this year was held virtually via Zoom with law schools from the Fourth and D.C. Circuits participating. The competition is designed in part to serve as a regional tournament for law school teams competing in the National Duberstein Moot Court Competition hosted by St. John’s University School of Law in New York City. The team was proudly coached by Margaret Westbrook and Anna Osterhout. Read the full article at this link.
Campbell Law Review to host ‘Symposium 2022: The Solutions Manual’ on March 25
Campbell Law Review will host “Symposium 2022: The Solutions Manual” on Friday, March 25. The Symposium will feature renowned speakers from across the country to discuss solutions to three relevant issues in the legal sphere: the legalization of marijuana, qualified immunity and the non-delegation doctrine. The Symposium will run from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room 105, followed by a reception starting at 5 p.m., with the location to be announced. The event will be held in a hybrid fashion, so you may attend virtually or in person. CLE credit from the North Carolina Bar is pending approval. Registration is required, but free for faculty and staff. Registration closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 7. Register at this link.
Campbell Law School’s traveling exhibit honoring the contributions of trailblazing African American judges in North Carolina has landed at Fayetteville State University for the month of February. The “First African Americans on the North Carolina Bench” features a timeline of the lives and achievements of each judge and justice from 1968-2006 based on the permanent exhibit on display at the law school. “I commissioned this exhibit because I felt it was important to highlight these trailblazing individuals,” Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard explained. “I am proud of this curation and believe audiences around the state might benefit from learning about those who achieved great success against difficult odds.” The exhibit, which is made up of eight banners, can be found in FSU’s Chesnutt Library through March 1. Read the full article at link.
Geoff Hulse ’85 receives John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award
B. Geoffrey Hulse ‘85 of Goldsboro has been selected by the North Carolina State Bar as a 2021 recipient of the John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award. He was presented with the award on Jan. 28, 2022, at the Wayne County Courthouse. North Carolina State Bar President-Elect Marcia H. Armstrong presented the award, which honors current and retired members of the North Carolina State Bar (NCSB) throughout the state who have demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession. A partner at Haithcock Barfield Hulse & King, Hulse has more than 30 years of experience in misdemeanor, DUI, felony and traffic defense. Read the full article at this link.
The Campbell Law Reporter (CLR) Podcast kicked off its first episode of the season with Host Lloyd Newman, who was joined by the entire CLR team to play an entertaining game of “Word Wise: Learning the Meaning of Legal Words,” on Feb. 23. Newman along with Rachel Samuelson, Lexis+ Senior Associate, help the CLR team including CLR Editor Stephen Dinkel answer questions about common words law students and legal professionals use. You can listen to the entertaining episode at this link. Episodes are released every other Wednesday throughout the semester. Campbell Law is the only law school in the nation that has an active podcast run solely by students. “The CLR editors and staff members have done an impressive job of creating and continuing this podcast,” Dean J. Rich Leonard said. “I never cease to be amazed by the creativity and drive of Campbell Law students.” Read the full article at this link.
BLSA wins Small Chapter of the Year Award
Campbell Law’s Black Law Student Association (BLSA) won the Small Chapter of the Year award from the Southern Region of the National Black Law Student Association (SRBLSA) at a Feb. 26 conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The award is given to recognize chapters for their service and leadership in their communities. BLSA provides support and networking opportunities for Black students at Campbell Law. Members of the BLSA provide incoming students with the support to make a smooth transition into law school and the resources to ensure success at Campbell Law. Each year, BLSA hosts social events, participates in both regional and national BLSA conferences and assists Admissions with minority recruiting by visiting undergraduate institutions around the state. Learn more about BLSA at this link.
preLaw Magazine ranks Campbell Law among best for innovation, trial advocacy
Campbell Law School has been ranked among the 25 most innovative law schools and the best for trial advocacy in the Winter 2022 edition of preLaw Magazine. The law school, which was recognized for its innovation in legal technology, was the lone North Carolina institution to be featured on the list. The list was broken down into three categories: diversity, equity and inclusion; legal technology; and new and expanded programs. The law school's trial advocacy program has once again been graded as one of the best marking Campbell Law’s fifth consecutive appearance on the magazine's annual list since 2017. Campbell Law received a graded score of A up from A- a year ago.
Dean J. Rich Leonard featured on 'All Things Judicial' podcast
In celebration of Black History Month, Campbell Law School Dean J. Rich Leonard is featured in a recent episode of the North Carolina Courts podcast, “All Things Judicial.” The bonus episode features a tour of the law school’s exhibit entitled, “First African Americans on the North Carolina Bench,” led by Leonard. The podcast also gives a shoutout to Campbell Law’s student-led podcast, the Campbell Law Reporter. In addition to the audio podcast, a video compilation is available on the N.C. Courts YouTube channel. “All Things Judicial” is a podcast about the important role of the North Carolina Judicial Branch in state government. Read the full article at this link.
CPILSA Auction for public job stipends set for March 4
The Campbell Public Interest Law Students Association (CPILSA) will host its annual auction on Friday, March 4, to raise funds for law student work stipends. CPILSA stipends are awarded to successful law student applicants who take an unpaid public interest law summer internship. This year, CPILSA’s goal is to raise enough money to provide up to four students summer work stipends but to do this, CPILSA needs your help. Please consider donating an auction item to contribute money to the CPILSA student stipend fund at this link. Bidding will open at 8 a.m. on March 4, and close at 8 p.m. See the current amazing items for auction at this link. If you wish to make a monetary donation, please click this link.
Campbell Law advocates finish strong at NTC, ABA and BLSA regional competitions
Campbell Law School third-year students Michael Vitale and Miriam Sheppard, and second-year students Christian Allred, Corey Goss and Adia McLaughlin competed at the National Trial Competition (NTC) Regional Tournament on Feb. 12-13 hosted by the University of South Carolina. Eighteen teams from law schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri and Virginia competed in the tournament. Read the full article at this link. Campbell Law second-year students Adia McLaughlin and Genesis Torres competed as advocates in the 2022 Regional American Bar Association (ABA) Client Counseling Competition. The team of McLaughlin and Torres finished as Championship Finalists in the annual competition. In Torres and McLaughlin’s first appearance as client counselors, they emerged as one of the top teams with an undefeated record of 3-0 after the preliminary rounds. Read the full article at this link. And Campbell Law third-year advocates Jennifer Garcia and Melvin Holland, and second-year students Niayai Lavien and Tia Overway competed at the Regional Constance Baker Motley National Black Law Students Association on Feb. 25-27 in Atlanta, Georgia. The team of Garcia and Holland finished in the semi-final rounds of the competition. “This competition marks our competitive advocacy program’s return to in-person advocacy competitions,” said Director of Competitive Advocacy Tatiana Terry ’19. The team was proudly coached by alumna Kimberly Dixon ’15.
We need your help in defending title in 2022 Legal Feeding Frenzy
Campbell Law School is once again competing in the 2022 North Carolina Legal Feeding Frenzy. But this year is different as Campbell Law is the reigning champion and students, faculty and staff are eager to keep the title, says Pro Bono Council Managing Director Jillian Camp ’22. In this friendly competition, the law school, firm or organization that raises the most food (based on a per person average — attorneys and staff) will be awarded the prestigious and highly coveted “Attorney General’s Cup.” An annual joint program of the N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)’s Young Lawyers Division, North Carolina Bar Foundation (NCBF) and Feeding the Carolinas food banks, the competition aims to fight hunger across North Carolina by uniting the legal community in support of local food banks. Every dollar donated equals nine meals that can be provided through local N.C. food banks. Supporters can help the Campbell Law team’s fight against hunger by donating at this link. The 2022 N.C. Legal Feeding Frenzy will officially kick off on Tuesday, March 1, at which time teams may begin collecting physical and monetary donations, both in-person and online.
Are you a Campbell Law judge?
If you or anyone you know is a Campbell Law alumna/nus and also a current or past judge, we are expanding our "Judges of Campbell Law" wall we unveiled in October! The exhibit honors alumni who have served on a variety of judicial benches. Learn more at this link. Please contact Coordinator of External Relations Sharon Sparks at ssparks@campbell.edu or call 919-865-4652 for more information.
As you may know, Campbell Law is working with Professor Russell McClain of the University of Maryland to look at issues of diversity and equity at the law school. As he wraps up this project, he has asked us to help him get additional feedback from alumni. If you are willing to participate in this important project, will you please contact Sharon Sparks by clicking here. We will assist with scheduling one or more small group meetings. I sincerely hope you will participate in this project so we can look at ourselves honestly in order to make Campbell Law better for all our community.