Campbell Law to launch Richardson Family Education Equity Clinic in January 2024
The Richardson Family Education Equity Clinic will open its doors in January 2024, Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced. The law school’s newest clinic is made possible through a generous donation from Billy ‘80 and Barbara Richardson, both of whom are passionate about special education and protection of children’s rights. “The Richardson family is extremely proud of the law school and its cutting-edge efforts to advocate for those in dire need of it,” said Billy Richardson. “Such cutting-edge leadership is why I and our sons, Matt ‘09 and Zack ‘17, attended the law school and are so proud of its successes. Our family is committed to education and cares deeply for those who need the help of education and yet seem to find themselves lacking in resources which would enable them to flourish.” Barbara Richardson holds a master’s degree in special education. She has seen firsthand how children with special needs are often left behind. And the Richardsons’ daughter, Caroline, is an occupational therapist, who has worked successfully with children who have special needs. “The family considers this a privilege to work with the law school they love and in an area of the law that means so much to the whole family,” Barbara Richardson added. “The Richardson family encourages all alumni of the school to also join in supporting the school.” The clinic, which will be directed by Professor Lisa Lukasik, will offer free legal representation to low-income, at-risk children seeking to protect or restore their educational rights in cases involving special education, school discipline, and similar education-related matters. The clinic will offer this representation in connection with an upper-level law school course through which law students authorized under the student practice rule will represent clinic clients with the instruction and supervision of the clinic director and a fellow. Learn more at this link.
Adriel Parks Mason ‘23 to serve as Richardson Family Education Equity Clinic Fellow
Dean J. Rich Leonard has announced Adriel Parks Mason ‘23 will serve as the inaugural fellow for the new Richardson Family Education Equity Clinic. Mason joins Professor Lisa Lukasik, who is director of the clinic that will launch in January 2024. The clinic offers free legal advice or representation to low-income families seeking to protect and/or restore their children’s educational rights. Most of the clinic’s cases involve special-education or school discipline. “We had a huge number of phenomenal applicants; the depth of talent and passion for this work, especially among our alumni, is incredible. Dean Leonard ultimately identified the top candidate,” Lukasik said. “Adriel brings considerable experience. She worked as a paralegal for four years before law school. She has already represented students with disabilities who faced school exclusion pro bono. She is brilliant, compassionate, kind and funny. I am so grateful she is here.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law celebrates December 2023 graduates
Campbell Law held private hooding ceremonies and a reception for a number of the 21 students who graduated on Dec. 16, 2023. Dean J. Rich Leonard, who presided over the ceremonies, said while the law school does not normally do this for December graduates, many in this particular group started in the spring because of the pandemic. "We wanted to do something special to mark the occasion," he said. Learn more about December graduation at this link.
Campbell Law School’s Business Law Clinic has formally changed its name and its location, Clinic Director Benji Jones has announced. It’s also looking for a few good entrepreneurs or start-ups to receive free legal services in the Spring of 2024. Beginning in January 2024, the Business Law Clinic will continue its partnership with incubator Raleigh Founded but in the co-working space’s new location at 509 West North St. in downtown Raleigh. Jones utilizes decades of experience working with start-ups to supervise up to eight third-year Campbell Law students. The clinic and its student attorneys strive to provide area businesses with specialized legal services needed to scale and grow. “We are looking for about a dozen start-up businesses to work with beginning in January,” said Jones, who is also the Clinic’s co-founder. “The value of the free services they receive may range from several thousand dollars to more than $10,000.” Interested applicants should complete an online questionnaire at this link as soon as possible. Selections will be made in December 2023. Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law trial advocates rank 10th among most recent GAVEL Rankings
Campbell Law School’s Competitive Trial Advocacy Program ranks 10th among the most recent GAVEL Rankings, created by Professor Jared Rosenblatt, Special Professor of Law at Hofstra Law School and faculty advisor to Hofstra’s Trial Advocacy Association. Campbell Law is the only North Carolina law school to make the list.
The GAVEL Rankings, according to Rosenblatt, have three goals: to recognize excellent trial competition results; to give smaller programs a real chance to be recognized; and to acknowledge schools winning the toughest competitions. “Why did we develop this new ranking system? Because we want to celebrate student excellence, and the existing rankings are useful — but many of us find them to be incomplete. U.S. News reflects schools’ reputations in the trial advocacy community. Tournament of Champions (TOC) points recognize excellence at only the two events open to everyone, American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trial Advocacy Competition and the National Trial Competition (NTC), but they ignore schools’ achievements at the many other outstanding competitions. “Fordham Law’s system is the most thorough, objective measurement — but its formula punishes schools that don’t have the resources to attend as many competitions as possible each year and it treats every competition as equally difficult to win when we know that’s not the case.” The GAVEL Rankings give smaller programs a chance by using a formula that gives extra points for achieving the same results in fewer competitions, the website states. Learn more at this link.
Alumni, administrator elected to Wake County Bar Association board
Three Campbell Law School alumni and an administrator have been elected to the Tenth Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association (WCBA) 2024 board. Kimberly Miller ‘07, Jennifer Jones ’02 and Evin Grant ’16 have been elected as Wake County Bar Association President-elect, Director and State Bar Councilor, respectively, and Assistant Dean of Career & Professional Development April Giancola has been elected as a director. Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law Spotlight: Madison Sholar '24
In May 2024, Madison Sholar will represent a significant milestone for not only herself but for Campbell Law School. When she crosses the graduation stage, it will represent the formal completion of her bachelor’s degree from Meredith College and her Juris Doctorate degree from Campbell Law in just six years through the 3+3 Program partnership between the two schools. Sholar will be the law school’s first graduate of its innovative 3+3 Program, which is also offered through partnerships with Campbell University, Methodist University, William Peace University and Salem College. The partnership with Meredith College was initially announced in Spring 2018. Since high school, Sholar says she knew she wanted to attend law school. Growing up, Sholar spent time with her grandmother watching the legal television drama “Judging Amy.” The show’s content helped motivate Sholar to pursue a legal career fighting injustice to help children. Sholar began at Meredith College as a political science major with a minor in criminology. While at Meredith, Sholar learned about Campbell Law’s 3+3 Program partnership, which allows students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree and law degree at an accelerated pace. Through the 3+3 Program, students combine certain bachelor degree requirements with Juris Doctorate requirements. Students complete their bachelor’s degree in four years, however, the last year of their bachelor’s degree is spent taking first-year classes at Campbell Law. The 1L courses transfer back to the student’s undergraduate school to provide the elective credits needed to earn their bachelor’s degree. Learn more at this link.
Dean J. Rich Leonard gives keynote address at 46th Annual Bankruptcy Institute
Dean J. Rich Leonard gave the keynote address at the 46th Annual Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) on Dec. 8-9 at the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. A former federal bankruptcy judge, Leonard presented, “Teaching International Bankruptcy Law in Bhutan,” at the event planned by the North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section. The institute featured participation by all the U.S. Bankruptcy Court judges in North Carolina, as well as ABI commentator Bill Rochelle, bestselling-author Brad Stulberg and other experts and thought leaders. Learn more at this link.
Margaret Eagles ’00 appointed Chief District Court Judge for Wake County
North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby has appointed Wake County District Court Judge Margaret Eagles ’00 to serve as chief district court judge for Wake County effective Feb. 1, 2024, the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) has announced. Judge Eagles will fill the vacancy left by Chief District Court Judge Ned Mangum who will retire at that time. “I am confident that Judge Eagles will continue to serve her community well in her new administrative capacity in Wake County,” said Chief Justice Newby. Judge Eagles has served as a district court Judge since 2009. She has presided in both the criminal and civil domestic violence courtrooms since 2011 and is currently the lead domestic violence judge in Wake County. "I am delighted to share this news about one of our distinguished alumna,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard said in an email. “With Judge Eagles appointment, Campbell Law graduates will now be the Chief Judge of the District Court, the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway ’86 and the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Donna Stroud ’88.” Learn more at this link.
Spring 2024 On-Campus Interview & Resume Collect Program
SAVE THE DATE
- FLEX JD Program Information Session January 9
- Campbell Law Admitted Students Day April 6
- VIRTUAL FLEX JD Program Information Session March 14
- FLEX JD Program Information Session April 26
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. Read more at this link. Please contact Coordinator of External Relations Sharon Sparks at ssparks@campbell.edu or call 919-865-4652 for more information.