preLaw Magazine - Winter 2008 - (Page 21) lejandro Soto-Vigil was thinking of two things when he applied to law school: What was the best school for him and what fit his pocket? Both are challenging, since most of the top-tiered schools tend to take a chunk of change out of student bank accounts. But is thinking about the political bent of a law school another important issue to consider? Soto-Vigil, a 3L at The University of the District of Columbia, said it wasn’t until his first day of class that he noticed just how progressive the law school environment was — even when compared to his undergraduate experience at the University of California Berkeley. Many law schools understand that their faculties and student bodies have a reputation as generally liberal. And those with religious affiliations, especially recently accredited Catholic law schools, are largely seen as conservative institutions. Surveys like the one conducted by The Princeton Review tend to back up these assumptions. Its rankings in the “Best 170 Law Schools” 2008 Edition place faith-based law schools including Regent University, Ave Maria School of Law, Brigham Young University and George Mason University among the top 10 law schools whose student bodies generally lean to the right. Meanwhile, schools such as University of the District of Columbia, Northeastern University, City University of New York-Queens College and Lewis & Clark College are in the top 10 schools with a politically left-leaning student body. And if law schools can really be branded conservative or liberal, how does this affect education and professional opportunities? A difference in education? Even those who agree with the evaluations of their student body and faculty politics believe there are better ways to define the atmosphere on campus. Jeffrey Brauch, dean of Regent University — ranked No. 1 among right-leaning institutions — said his school is in the business of training lawyers, not political advocates. “Our students learn the same legal concepts they would at any other law school,” he said. “Regent professors and students discuss legal and policy issues fully and openly with all views welcome. Students are exposed to ideas from multiple perspectives.” As with most law schools, students are trained to understand and argue both sides of difficult legal issues, he said. It’s something Regent does well, Brauch said of the school winning the 2006 ABA National Appellate Advocacy Championship over 150 other schools. Other schools are proud of their diverse student body, like the University of Alabama, which ranked No. 7 among right-leaning schools. “Our students are encouraged to debate the law while understanding that justice isn’t solely defined by any one political persuasion,” said Aaron Latham, manager of communications. Soto-Vigil and his wife, who attends the University of Maryland School of Law, are in a unique situation. Because Maryland leans more to the right, they said they notice a difference in curriculum when discussing classes. “The difference is UDC is more directing education towards black letter [law] and hers is more targeting the analysis of the law,” he said. Soto-Vigil said the curriculum at UDC, ranked No. 1 among left-leaning schools, is more progressive. Professors teach the black letter of law, but include some of their thoughts on the topic subjectively. “I think for the most part we don’t really have conservative professors here and it shows in the class,” he said. UDC Dean Katherine Broderick said her faculty looks at issues around basic democracy and systemic change. The UDC curriculum includes a 14-credit clinical requirement. Students beginning their second and third years are required to begin law school two weeks early with a law and social justice course in which they debate critical issues of the day — from immigration policy to affirmative action. They also must complete 40 hours of community service throughout the year. “We’re training public service and public interest lawyers,” she said. The law school’s course on legal issues related to Hurricane Katrina earned them the title Pro Bono Law School of the Year, presented by the New Orleans Pro Bono Project. During spring break in March 2007, a group of 35 students, alumni, faculty members and deans traveled to New Orleans for an “alternative spring break.” “When we heard about the unmet legal needs in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, the 1. Regent University 2. Ave Maria School of Law 3. Brigham Young University 4 George Mason University Students Lean to the Right 7. University of Alabama 8. Campbell University 9. Texas Tech University 10. The University of Mississippi Winter 2008 6. Louisiana State University 5. University of Notre Dame Source: The Princeton Review “Best 170 Law Schools” 2008 Edition. 21 PHOTOS BY MELISSA STOTTLEMYER/CYPRESS MAGAZINES
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