Recruiters from more than 60 law schools visited FAMU Thursday for students considering law school. The Pre-Professional Law Program in the Grand Ballroom sponsored the annual Law Day.
Richmon Merilien, 22, a fourth-year business administration student from Fort Lauderdale, attended with the hope of gaining an understanding of what each law school had to offer students.
“I hope to find a challenging institution whose law program is catered to fit me as a student that will teach me the skills needed in order to be successful after school,” Merilien said.
A member of the Hatchett Pre-Law Society, Merilien also wanted to find out how each school could teach and prepare him to pass the Bar Examination.
“After passing the Bar, I’ll be able to get a great job practicing law and reap the rewards of my hard work,” Merilien said. “Lawyers get executive positions later in their careers and this attracted me to the idea of pursuing law within the entertainment industry.”
Among the recruiters, Jasmine Crowe, with the Phoenix School of Law, said her goal at this year’s Law Day was to recruit and inspire more blacks to pursue the legal profession.
“I am looking for students that have that special something,” Crowe said. “Although test scores and GPAs are important, it takes commitment, discipline and perseverance because law school will probably be the three hardest years of your life.”
Crowe also said one out of every 25 attorneys is a minority.
This under representation of blacks in the profession makes it harder for minorities to find help in litigious situations, Crowe said.
Bridgett Simmons, 20, a third-year political science student from Dallas, said the atmosphere and interaction with recruiters from top schools was a reminder of goals and motivation to remain studious and on track.
“This is an exciting event that makes you anticipate law school and encourages you to strive for the best LSAT scores while keeping a good GPA so you can be accepted into the most competitive programs,” Simmons said.
With such a large number of schools in attendance, FAMU students had a chance to interact with institutions from all around the nation.
“Law Day is a great opportunity for students to learn more about law school, network with schools they are interested in and discover schools that they didn’t necessarily know about,” Simmons said. ” Last year when I attended, I never thought about Tulane as an option but after talking with a representative, it has now become my top pick.”
Ashley Bashur, a recruiter from the University Of Baltimore School Of Law, came with the intent of seeking competitive students.
Bashur said Baltimore’s core values were very similar to FAMU’s motto of “Excellence with Caring.”
“Our first core value is excellent classroom teaching,” Bashur said. “That’s where you learn most of your material and we feel that most schools neglect this aspect of the law school experience. Our professors really care and use their connections to assist students after graduating.”
Despite the constant rain and overcast clouds outside, FAMU’s Law Day had a large turnout of partner institutions and aspiring lawyers.
Wednesday, April 24, 2024