Campbell Law alumnus, former interim dean becomes president of Charleston Southern University
A Campbell Law School alumnus and former interim dean has been inaugurated as Charleston Southern University (CSU)’s fourth president. Keith Faulkner ‘01 was formally inducted as CSU’s president on Monday, March 25. Faulkner, who was appointed in July 2023 and took office in October 2023, is the first Campbell Law graduate to be appointed president of a university. He has come full circle, graduating with honors from CSU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance in 1998, when he also won the Outstanding Business Administration Student Award. He is also the first CSU alumnus to become president of the university. Prior to becoming CSU president, Faulkner served as president, dean and professor of law at Appalachian School of Law and as dean of Liberty University School of Law. He is also a NCDRC Certified Superior Court Mediator. Faulkner worked in a number of positions at Campbell University from 2004 to 2013, including serving the law school as associate dean for external relations, executive associate dean for administration and academic affairs, vice dean for administration and external relations and interim dean. He also served as dean of the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business for a year. Campbell Law Professor and Dean Emerita Melissa Essary gave the keynote address at Faulkner’s inauguration ceremony. “Sometimes you meet someone and you’re optimistic about who they appear to be,” she told the crowd. “Sometimes, they are everything you hoped they would be and more. Meet Keith Faulkner.” Watch the video of Faulkner's inauguration at this link. Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law students join others in helping Ukrainian immigrants at several clinics
Campbell Law students partnered with Church World Service and Elon Law School to hold a Ukrainian Humanitarian Immigration Clinic on Saturday, March 2, for immigrants, their families and community activists interested in learning more about the process. Students received training and attended the clinic that “could help up to 100 immigrants, according to the population served by our local partners,” according to Kelly Chauvin Kramarenko '24, one of the leaders of the pro bono project. Local attorneys and experts in the field of refugee issues were on hand to help supervise the law students as they assisted in giving local Ukrainian immigrants not only aid that they qualify for, but to also assist their families in making decisions on United States humanitarian law. “We are grateful to our partners, the local bar, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Carolinas and Campbell Law for their support in providing this service,” Kramarenko said. Campbell Law, Duke Law and El Centro Hispano partnered with NCAJ attorneys for another Naturalization clinic on Saturday, March 23. The supervising attorneys included Jenny Kim from Duke, Annabel Rosa from Haas Law, Daniel Bello from James Scott Farrin, Jacob Gaod and two other attorneys. Two Campbell students attended, more than 15 clients were served in the clinic, some with complicated cases. Kramarenko added Campbell Law students will participate in their final naturalization clinic of the semester with Catholic Charities on April 12. Learn more at this link.
Wills for First Responders Clinic set for April 7
Campbell Law Pro Bono students will host a First Responders Clinic, providing free POAs and living wills for area first responders. Please share if you happen to know any qualified individuals (firefighters, police officers, state troopers, paramedics, emergency medicine professionals and dispatchers). Sign up here.
ABA announces Campbell Law’s ultimate bar passage rate is 96 percent
Campbell Law’s current bar passage rate is 95.59 percent, according to the most recent data on bar passage released by the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. The ABA released the latest comprehensive set of data on bar passage outcomes for ABA-approved law schools on March 12, 2024. The new data shows that in the aggregate, 90.40 percent of 2021 law graduates who sat for a bar exam passed it within two years of graduation, which is slightly lower than the 91.85% two-year bar pass rate for 2020 graduates, according to a press release. The data shows 95.41 percent of 2021 graduates sat for a bar exam, and schools were able to obtain bar passage information from 98.49 percent of 2021 graduates. The data is for ABA-accredited law schools. Learn more at this link.
Law Awards Banquet 2024
The Campbell Law Student Bar Association hosted the 47th annual Law Day Awards on March 23 at the Sheraton Downtown Raleigh. Congratulations to all of our Campbell Law winners! Find more photos on Facebook at this link.
Campbell Law hosts annual scholarship luncheon for scholarship donors, recipients
Campbell Law held its annual appreciation luncheon for scholarship donors and their recipients on March 5. More than 100 donors, alumni, students, faculty and staff members attended the event, including numerous distinguished Campbell Law alumni and former faculty members. The annual event is a significant one for the law school, as it provides an opportunity for scholarship donors and recipients to meet and interact, in many instances for the first time. “I speak for myself and the students who could not be more grateful for each and everyone of the scholarships we have received. You as donors have created a legacy of compassion and considerate future lawyers…a reminder to always reach back to pick up the next generation of lawyers," said third-year student Taylor Norton, recipient of the Robert A. Jenkins Law Scholarship. Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law to host U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt, author of ‘A Legal Lynching,’ on April 5
Campbell Law School will host U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Hoyt, author of ‘‘A Legal Lynching…From Which the Legacies of Three Black Houston Lawyers Blossomed,’’ at noon on Friday, April 5, in Room 105 to talk about his book and his career. The event is free and open to the public. Lunch will be provided to those who sign up at this link by Wednesday, April 3. The book, which was published in May 2023, is not about the major battles African Americans have fought over 400 years, but a thrilling action-packed account that takes place in the criminal justice system. Judge Hoyt’s visit is hosted by the Community, Diversity, and Student Life Committee and “is made possible by the generous support of friends and alumni of Campbell Law,” said Professor Suzanna Geiser, who chairs the committee. After his talk, Judge Hoyt plans to be available to sign books for anyone who brings a copy of his book. Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law advocates headed to two national competitions
A team of Campbell Law advocates is headed to the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Student Trial Advocacy Competition (STAC) National Finals after competing virtually March 7-10. Jessica McClellan ‘25, Jay Brocker ‘24, Graham Goldstein ‘25 and Linda Yager ‘25 will represent Campbell Law on April 4-7. The team, which is generously sponsored by Hartsell & Williams PA, was coached to victory by Director of Competitive Advocacy Mary Ann Matney ‘17. “Two Campbell Law teams represented Campbell Law School well in the virtual AAJ Student Trial Advocacy Competition, with both successfully earning their spots into the semifinals,” Matney said. The other team of Jason White ‘24, Emily Murphy ‘24, Kassie McDonald ‘24 and Hudson Wyman ‘25 were proudly coached by Brittany Stiltner ‘16. Each year, AAJ hosts the STAC, showcasing top future trial lawyers. This tournament is one of the premier trial advocacy competitions in the country. Learn more at this link.
A team of Campbell Law advocates is once again headed to the Nationals Competition of the Texas Young Lawyer’s Association (TYLA) National Trial Competition. The team competed in the Regional Competition in February, hosted by William & Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Third-year students Sydney Kraft and Susannah Horton will represent Campbell Law in Houston, Texas, on April 2-7. The team was coached to victory at Regionals by Maria Hawkins ’12. Hunter Holtsclaw '21 will also coach the team at Nationals. The National Finals will take place in person at the Harris County Courthouse. Each team will compete in four qualifying rounds. The competition this year involves the trial of a first-degree murder. Learn more at this link.
Annual SBA Golf Classic Fundraiser
Thank you to our sponsors Campbell University, Crabtree and Charlotte Motor Speedway and to everyone who braved through the rain and came out to support the Campbell Law Student Bar Association's Golf Classic Fundraiser. Congratulations to all of the winning teams! Find more photos of the event on Facebook at this link.
Campbell Law Family Day 2024
Thank you to everyone at Campbell Law who worked together to make Family Day on March 23 a success, and also our students and their families who came out on a rainy Saturday morning to join us to learn more about what law school life is really like. Find more photos on Facebook at this link.
Professor Rick Glazier, alumni named among NC Lawyers Weekly 'Leaders in the Law'
A longtime Campbell Law professor and two alumni have been recognized as members of the “Leaders in Law Class of 2024″ by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly. Professor Rick Glazier, who currently leads the Blanchard Community Law Clinic as its director, began teaching as an adjunct at Campbell Law in 1991. He has taught a variety of courses including pre-trial civil litigation, trial and appellate advocacy and a course on legislative policy-making and ethics. Glazier earned his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1981 and his undergraduate degree from Penn State University in 1977. William “Will” Oden ‘04 is an employment attorney and mediator at Ward & Smith P.A., and is president of Ward & Smith Business Consulting LLC. His areas of focus and interest include employment law, collaborative law, alternative dispute resolution, project management and human resources. Oden earned his B.A. in English and philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2001, and he earned his J.D. and Master’s in Business Administration from Campbell University in 2004. Jennifer Morris Jones '05 is a partner in Cranfill Sumner's Raleigh office, where she is a member of the Risk Management and Workers’ Compensation Practice Group. She is a North Carolina Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist. Jones is actively involved in DRI, a leading organization of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel. Jones earned her B.A. in international relations and affairs and history from Salem College in 2001 and she earned her J.D. from Campbell Law in 2005. Learn more at this link.
'Changing the Game' panel features cast members from award-winning documentary
Campbell Law hosted a panel discussion and dinner entitled “Changing the Game,” on March 27. The event was co-sponsored by the faculty’s Committee for Community, Diversity and Student Life (CDSL) and two student organizations Lambda Law and the Student Bar Association’s Diversity Affairs Committee. The panel featured two cast members, Mack Beggs and Andraya Yearwood, from the award-winning 2019 Hulu documentary, “Changing the Game,” which is about the experiences of and laws impacting trans-athletes. Joining them on the panel to discuss religion and gender identity were Katie Jenifer, policy director at Equality N.C., and Dr. Angel Collie, the interim director of Duke University’s Student Affairs and director of Duke University Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity. Shane Diamond, Gender Equity Consultant focusing on transgender inclusion from Brooklyn, New York, was the moderator. Find more photos from the event on Facebook at this link.
preLaw magazine ranks Campbell Law among best for practical training
Campbell Law has once again been selected as one of the best schools in the country for practical training by preLaw magazine. Campbell Law earned an A- in the annual rankings featured in the magazine’s Spring 2024 issue. The magazine also gave Campbell Law an A- in 2023. “Our graduates are ready to perform and lead from the moment they pass the bar exam,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard. “We’re delighted that our hands-on curriculum and culture are being noticed for the results that they produce.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law takes Civil Rights tour over Spring Break 2024
Campbell Law students, faculty and staff embarked on a six-day journey across the Southeast to learn more about Civil Rights over Spring Break 2024. The group of six students (Katie Roseman ’24, Kelly Kramarenko ’24, Sydney Scott ’25, Torie Boyte ’25, Sierra Robertson ’25, Dakhari Davis ’25), three faculty and staff (Professor Suzanna Geiser, Assistant Dean of Student Life, Pro Bono Opportunities and Belonging Regina Chavis ’20 and Wallace Public Service Fellow Brigitte Kelly ’23) and two family members began their trip on March 10 in Greensboro. The law school organized similar Civil Rights and Racial Justice trips for students in 2018 and 2019 over Winter Break, explained Kelly, who helped revive this year’s Civil Rights trip over Spring Break following a break due to the pandemic. Throughout the trip, students and staff participated in restorative circles to discuss the themes and lessons of the museums visited along the way. Chavis added, “We would like to thank Dean Leonard for sponsoring this life-changing experience. And a big thanks to Brigitte Kelly for coordinating the itinerary and the trip’s logistics. We are looking forward to continuing the Campbell Law Civil Rights Trip for years to come.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law advocates bid adieu to Pro Basketball Negotiation Coach Evin Grant '16
Six Campbell Law advocates — Andrew Evans ’25, Brian Walsh ’24, Cole Francis ’24, Jake Blum ’24, Kevin Sebastian ’24 and Catherine Morgan ’25 — represented the law school at the Tulane School of Law Professional Basketball Negotiation Competition from Feb. 21-24. “For four of the past six years, I’ve had the joy of coaching a dozen students to compete in the Tulane School of Law Pro Basketball Negotiation Competition, which focuses on a unique component of sports: negotiating player contracts,” said Coach Evin L. Grant ’16, former Assistant Dean of Student Life and Pro Bono Opportunities. “The students are tested on their negotiation strategy, knowledge of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the quality of the agreed-upon deal and basketball knowledge; judged by industry experts including agents, data analysis and NBA team strategists and scouts.” Grant continued, “Although my time coaching this team comes to a bittersweet end, the performance of these students is all I need to know Campbell continues to produce amazing lawyers, who will continue to lead in the profession in N.C. and beyond.” Learn more at this link.
Campbell Law Review Symposium focuses on AI
The Campbell Law Review hosted its 2024 Symposium, “The Impending AI Revolution in the Legal Profession,” on March 21 at the Jiddi Space & Courtyard. The event featured an incredible panel of industry experts including Campbell Law Professor Dr. Suzanna Geiser, Angela P. Doughty, Diane Littlejohn, Dr. Edgar Lobaton, Geoff MacLeay, Catherine Sanders Reach, Jill Rothstein and John Sieman, who explored the nature of artificial intelligence, its applications in the legal field and the anticipated transformations it may bring to the legal landscape. Find more photos on Facebook at this link.
Campbell Law Spotlights: Riya Bhatt '24, Matthew Couch '24, Jaden Grimes '24 and Grace Massarelli ’21
Riya Bhatt '24 has been drawn to the legal field and dreamed of attending law school since high school. Bhatt attended North Carolina State University where she earned a B.A. in political science and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, Bhatt spent more than a year working at Raleigh’s Morton Law Offices, where she gained hands-on experience in family law and initiated the application process for law school. Learn more at this link. Jaden Grimes '24 is passionate about the law and public policy. He is currently working as a legal intern in the Wake County District Attorney’s Office and as a student attorney in Campbell Law’s pro bono Blanchard Community Law Clinic. He has also interned with the N.C. Family Policy Council and N.C. Policy’s Self-Help Center for Responsible Lending. Learn more at this link. Matthew Couch '24 has won the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Antitrust Law Section 2023-2024 Robert Pitofsky Student Writing Competition. Couch’s article, “A Called Third Strike: Professional Baseball’s Antitrust Exemption in a Post-Dobbs World,” was selected among entries from law students across the country. As part of the award, Couch will receive $5,000 in cash, a one-year free membership in the ABA’s Antitrust Law Section and accommodations to attend the Section’s Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C., on April 10-12. Learn more at this link. Grace Massarelli ’21 is a family law attorney at Gailor Hunt Davis Taylor & Gibbs PLLC, who is driven by a profound sense of empathy and compassion in her practice. While Massarelli remembers law school of a time full of insecurities and imposter syndrome, her participation in Client Counseling Competitions gave her the reassurance that she was, in fact, exactly where she needed to be. Learn more at this link.
SAVE THE DATE
- "A Legal Lynching" book lecture and signing event April 5
- Admitted Students Day April 6
- First Responders Wills Clinic April 7
- FLEX JD Program Information Session April 26
- Alumni Reunion May 4
- Graduation and Commencement Ceremonies May 10
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 2021! 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.