In the influential publication’s 2026 , ������Ƶ Law is No. 11 nationally — the highest-ranked law school in the Southeast and the only school in North Carolina among the top 35.

, with its required Residency-in-Practice Program highlighted as a model for immersive, practice-based legal education. All ������Ƶ Law students spend 10 weeks in the winter or spring of their second year in full-time placements with practicing lawyers, judges and legal teams, graduating with hands-on experience in the day-to-day realities of legal practice.

“You cannot graduate from ������Ƶ Law without knowing exactly what it’s like to be a lawyer,” ������Ƶ Law Dean Zak Kramer said in the article. “The legal practice becomes their classroom … They leave law students and come back lawyers.”

The article also features insights from Patricia Perkins, ������Ƶ Law’s associate dean of academic affairs and professor of law. “Our curriculum is designed to assist students in transforming into the lawyers they want to be,” she said. “Skills are just as important to develop as a knowledge base.”

PreLaw Magazine graded and ranked schools based on student participation in clinics, externships, simulation courses, moot court and other special programs.

������Ƶ Law offers students a broad array of opportunities to hone practical training skills throughout their 2.5 years of study. Those include:

• Full-time residencies-in-practice
• Lab and simulation courses
• Five clinics (immigration, small business and entrepreneurship, wills drafting, Social Security disability benefits and guardian ad litem appellate advocacy)
• Moot court and mock trial teams
• Internships, externships and judicial clerkships
• Bridge-to-practice courses
• Involvement with the Pro Bono Board

������Ƶ Law adopted its 2.5-year, seven-trimester full-time curriculum in 2014, making it the only American law school to intentionally design a program where all students graduate in December and can sit for the February bar exam — months ahead of peers from other institutions. (In 2026, 91.96% of ������Ƶ Law’s first-time North Carolina bar takers passed the exam.)

By completing their legal studies nearly six months faster than traditional programs, ������Ƶ Law’s full-time graduates have lowered their average student debt at graduation by almost a third since the curriculum was adopted.

For more information on ������Ƶ Law and the application process, visit the law school’s admissions page. ������Ƶ Law continues to actively admit the ������Ƶ Law Class of 2028, which will enroll in August 2026.

The corporations, athletes and entertainers at the center of those industries generate opportunity and influence that extend well beyond the spotlight, fueling local businesses and the people around them. That broader community impact is where Schultz aims to make her mark in the legal field.

She got a firsthand look at the breadth of that work during her Residency-in-Practice this winter at Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group — a boutique firm in Charlotte that counsels clients across a range of matters, from contracts, sponsorships and endorsements to intellectual property and brand protection.

“I’ve really enjoyed knowing that the work we do has a meaningful impact,” Schultz said. “These organizations and individuals have a real connection to their communities, and being part of that has been important to me.”

Before enrolling in law school, Schultz spent nearly eight years teaching elementary school after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Working with students and their families, she discovered a passion for advocacy that ultimately led her to pursue a legal career.

Schultz said ������Ƶ Law’s emphasis on experiential learning played a significant role in her decision to attend the school. The Residency-in-Practice Program, a cornerstone of ������Ƶ Law’s curriculum, places every second-year student in a full-time, 10-week residency with a judge or practicing lawyer, giving students the opportunity to apply classroom concepts in real legal settings.

At Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group in Charlotte, Schultz received close mentorship from the law firm’s team of attorneys working on matters ranging from document drafting to client interviewing. It was an inside look at the legal field that strengthened practical skills and confidence she will carry into her legal career.

“This has confirmed that I can succeed in this area and that I really enjoy the work,” Schultz said. “I’m full steam ahead on this path after law school.”

Below, Schultz reflects on her residency experience and what she learned while working with the Apollo team.

What inspired you to pursue a career in law, and why sports and entertainment law?

Before law school, I taught elementary school for seven and a half years, working with kindergarten, first, second and fifth graders. One of the parts of teaching I loved most was advocating for students and their families and helping them navigate challenges. Law felt like a natural next step to build on that advocacy and develop the skills and credentials to support people in new ways.

I became interested in sports and entertainment law as name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities began reshaping college athletics. Not everyone comes from financial privilege or financial security, and NIL allows student-athletes to pursue a degree while also helping support themselves and their families.

Why were you interested in completing your residency with Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group?

Apollo stood out to me because of the breadth of work the firm handles across the sports and entertainment industries. The attorneys work on a wide range of matters, from brand agreements and trademark issues to litigation and transactional work, and I wanted the opportunity to see how those different areas come together in practice.

I was also drawn to the firm’s boutique environment. Working with a smaller team provided the opportunity to take on meaningful assignments, receive direct feedback and better understand the reasoning behind the work we were doing. The combination of variety and mentorship made it an ideal place to learn.

What were your daily responsibilities?

Every day was different, which was one of the most exciting parts of the experience. I worked on a variety of projects ranging from reviewing employee handbooks for compliance with state and federal laws to conducting trademark clearance checks and drafting legal documents.

I also helped redline different agreements, like revenue-sharing agreements, and drafted settlement and cease-and-desist letters.

What was it like working with the attorneys at Apollo Law Group?

The mentorship was incredible. Every attorney in the firm played a role in guiding me through the work and explaining the reasoning behind different legal decisions. They were truly mentors in every sense of the word.

They trusted me with meaningful assignments, like redlining agreements and participating in client meetings, and then walked through the work with me afterward. That process helped me understand not only the legal details but also how attorneys approach problems by prioritizing the client’s best interest and overall goals.

What skills did you strengthen during the residency?

Contract drafting and redlining were two of the biggest skills I developed during the placement. Those are tools that I now feel confident using in practice.

My legal research skills also improved, especially learning how to locate information efficiently and communicate it clearly. I also became more comfortable interacting with clients and working in a professional legal environment.

What advice would you give to students searching for a residency placement?

Think carefully about the kind of legal work you want to do long-term and try to align your residency with those goals. The placement gives you 10 weeks of hands-on experience with attorneys who are committed to helping you learn. Choose a residency that will give you meaningful experience and help you grow professionally. It’s an opportunity to confirm what type of work you enjoy before you begin your career.

At ������Ƶ Law, Schultz is vice president of the Student Bar Association, a student mentor and teaching assistant. She is an active member of student organizations including the Women’s Law Association, the Sports & Entertainment Law Society, First Gen Society, and OUTLaw.

Craige traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend oral arguments in two cases — including those for a closely watched immigration asylum case — after securing tickets through the Court’s public lottery.

“It was an unforgettable experience to watch the Justices engage in real time: asking questions, testing arguments and shaping the legal issues I’ve spent the past few years studying,” Craige said.

A 2024 graduate of ������Ƶ with a degree in psychology, Craige’s interest in law grew from a desire to lead, advocate and serve her community. At ������Ƶ Law, she is a Leadership Fellow and member of the Moot Court Board. The daughter of a U.S. Air Force family, she spent much of her childhood on and near military bases, including in Stuttgart, Germany. Her family now lives in northern Virginia.

During her visit, the Court heard arguments in Keathley v. Buddy Ayers Construction, a bankruptcy case, and Noem v. Al Otro Lado, which centers on the rights of asylum seekers at the U.S.–Mexico border. Craige was especially struck by the immigration case. Justices closely examined the meaning of statutory language, parsing even what it means to “arrive” in the United States. The questioning, she said, revealed how minute distinctions in wording can carry significant consequences in how the law is applied.

“It was incredible to see how even small details can shape the outcome of a case,” she said.

The experience felt both familiar and surreal. Craige recognized concepts from class while watching justices press attorneys in real time.

She also experienced something impossible to capture in textbooks and manuals: The rhythm of the room.

“Seeing the justices interact, even joking at times, made it feel less abstract,” Craige said. “It reminded me these are real people behind the decisions we study.”

This spring, Craige is completing her Residency-in-Practice with the Guilford County District Attorney’s Office. She is exploring a future in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, a return to the kind of service that shaped her childhood.

“Moments like this remind me why I chose this path,” she said.

This year’s group is the largest in the program’s history. ������Ƶ doubled the size of its physician assistant class from 38 to 76 students, growing its capacity to prepare clinicians for communities across North Carolina and the Southeast.

The expansion reflects a broader transformation in graduate eduction underway at ������Ƶ. From classrooms on the main campus in Alamance County to new opportunities in Charlotte, graduate education is evolving with intention and purpose.

Guided by the Boldly ������Ƶ Strategic Plan, university leaders are investing in
programs where student interest intersects with societal need — strengthening health sciences, business, counseling and legal education while positioning ������Ƶ to serve both emerging professionals and working adults seeking new pathways.

That growth builds on more than 40 years of momentum. ������Ƶ launched its Master of Business Administration in 1984, followed by a Master of Education in 1986. Graduate offerings expanded into the health sciences with a Master of Physical Therapy program in 1997, which became a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2003. The university established its School of Law in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Today, that trajectory continues with strategic expansion in fields
experiencing high demand.

“Pursuing growth now allows us to serve regional needs while also staying true to our tradition of innovation and student-centered academic excellence,” says Allie Duffney, dean of graduate admissions.

A Changing Landscape

������Ƶ’s growth reflects broader shifts across higher education.

“We’re seeing a decline in the traditional college-age population, so expanding strong graduate programs allows ������Ƶ to serve new learners while staying centered on our undergraduate mission,” says Rebecca Kohn, provost and vice president of academic affairs.

According to the Council of Graduate Schools, applications and enrollment in health professions, counseling, data science and business analytics programs remain strong in recent years. “Health care, law and behavioral health professions are facing sustained shortages across North Carolina and the Southeast,” Duffney says.

Several graduate programs are expanding to ������Ƶ’s National Campus in Charlotte, where students can learn, intern and network alongside major health systems, corporations, nonprofits and courts in a major metropolitan area.

“Growth in Charlotte allows ������Ƶ to design graduate education aligned with workforce needs and to support interprofessional collaboration and community partnerships,” says Veronica Marciano, associate professor, founding chair and program director of physician assistant studies in Charlotte. “It creates space to innovate across disciplines and opportunities for involvement in system expansion and workforce development.”

Recent and planned expansions include increasing the cohort size in the PA program on main campus; launching a second PA program, a full-time law program and Master of Science in Business Analytics Flex Program in Charlotte; introducing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program; and expanding graduate certificates designed for working professionals.

A Critical Call for Health Care

In response to nationwide demand for physician assistants, ������Ƶ expanded its cohort size from 38 to 76 students in January. The program remains committed to engaged learning, hands-on clinical practice, close faculty mentorship and access to diverse, high-quality rotation sites.

������Ƶ plans to matriculate an inaugural PA class on the Charlotte campus in January 2027, pending accreditation-provisional review by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

“Establishing a PA program rooted in Charlotte directly supports workforce needs by preparing highly trained clinicians who understand the local health care landscape and are invested in serving this community,” Marciano says. “Our goal is not only to educate excellent clinicians, but to meaningfully support and strengthen the health care ecosystem in Charlotte.”

That responsiveness also shaped the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, which plans to welcome its first cohort in fall 2026 on ������Ƶ’s main and Charlotte campuses.

“Mental health care is no longer optional; it is essential,” says Judy Folmar, interim program director and chair of the clinical mental health counseling program. “Communities across North Carolina and the nation are facing rising rates of anxiety, depression, trauma and substance use while the supply of licensed counselors has not kept pace.”

Delivered in a 21-month accelerated hybrid format, the 60-credit program is designed to equip graduates for licensure while combining academic preparation with extensive clinical experience.

“The growth of graduate education at ������Ƶ reflects both institutional momentum and a commitment to workforce relevance,” Folmar says. “What excites us most is the alignment between ������Ƶ’s engaged-learning ethos and the preparation of advanced practitioners.”

Skills for a Changing Economy

As organizations accelerate digital transformation and integrate artificial intelligence technologies, demand continues to rise for professionals who can translate data into strategic action.

“Organizations are undergoing rapid digital transformation and increasingly rely on data and AI to make faster, higher-stakes decisions,” says Mark Kurt, associate dean for the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. “The MSBA Flex Program in Charlotte equips working professionals with applied analytics and AI skills plus the leadership and ethical frameworks needed to translate data into responsible, measurable business outcomes — without pausing their careers.”

Built on the same STEM-certified core as ������Ƶ’s full-time MSBA, the flex format is designed for working professionals and emphasizes AI-informed entrepreneurship.

Pursuing growth now allows us to serve regional needs while also staying true to our tradition of innovation and student-centered academic excellence. — Allie Duffney, dean of
graduate admissions

“Faculty and leadership are actively refining the curriculum, building stronger employer partnerships and adapting quickly to changes in the business and analytics landscape,” says ������Ƶ alum Craig Brandstetter ’25 g’25. “That flexibility and openness to feedback mean the program can stay relevant and cutting-edge, rather than being locked into outdated structures.”

Alongside degree programs, ������Ƶ is also expanding stackable graduate certificates designed for working professionals. Certificates in health care analytics and operations excellence can serve as stand-alone credentials or pathways toward an MBA or MSBA.

The Office of Continuing and Professional Studies recently launched its second cohort of an AI certificate for professionals, delivered fully online to provide practical AI fluency grounded in ethical application.

Expanding Access to Legal Education

������Ƶ Law has built a national reputation for experiential, practice-ready legal education. In 2024 the law school expanded its presence in Charlotte through the part-time Flex Program for working professionals and place-bound students seeking an in-person J.D. in North Carolina’s largest city.

That program quickly gained momentum, reflecting strong regional demand and ������Ƶ Law’s established ties to the Queen City, where nearly 10% of its alumni live and work. ������Ƶ has applied to the American Bar Association to begin a full-time law program in Charlotte in fall 2027.

“We already have strong relationships there through our programs and alumni,” says Zak Kramer, dean of the School of Law. “The legal community’s embrace of our Flex Program students confirmed that. A full-time program will allow our graduates to learn alongside Charlotte lawyers, build networks and launch careers there.”

Together, Greensboro and Charlotte position ������Ƶ’s School of Law as a statewide presence while maintaining the relationship-rich model that defines the institution.

Looking Ahead

As higher education evolves, graduate education is becoming an increasingly important part of the university’s future.

“The heart of ������Ƶ will always be our undergraduate liberal arts education,” Kohn says, “but we are strengthening and growing our graduate programs to meet changing societal and workforce needs.”

From Alamance County to Charlotte and beyond, ������Ƶ is expanding opportunities for graduate students to learn alongside health systems, businesses and legal institutions across the region. Those programs are preparing the next generation of physician assistants, counselors, analysts and attorneys to serve the communities that need them most.

Results from the February 2026 exam were released Wednesday, April 1, by the . ������Ƶ Law’s result far exceeds the statewide first-time passage rate of 74.78% and the school’s previous high of 82%, set by ������Ƶ Law’s charter class in 2009.

The Class of 2025’s success reflects a sustained, school-wide focus on teaching, preparation, and student support, all aimed at helping graduates succeed not only on the bar exam, but in their legal careers.

“This is what ������Ƶ Law is all about,” said Zak Kramer, dean of ������Ƶ Law. “We’re in the dream-making business. The better our students perform, the faster they can begin making an impact as lawyers.”

An upward trajectory

In recent years, faculty and staff have aligned around the mission of excellence on the bar exam. They adopted a new motto and mindset: “One and Done.”

The gains are striking. First-time passage has climbed from 52.8% for the Class of 2021 to 91.96% for the Class of 2025, with steady increases along the way, including 79.4% for the Class of 2023, and 73.5% for the Class of 2024.

These efforts are part of a broader vision. ������Ƶ Law’s faculty continuously refine how they teach for real-world lawyering. The school’s 2.5-year J.D. program accelerates students’ path to the profession — with a December graduation and February bar exam — while reducing the cost of a legal education. Recognized nationally for practical training with an A+ rating from PreLaw Magazine, ������Ƶ Law prepares graduates to enter the profession with confidence and experience.

“We’re so proud of our students who took the bar,” said Jenny Lane, assistant dean for academic success. “We gave them the mission, ‘Commit, complete, conquer,’ and that’s exactly what they did.”

With its highest bar pass rate in recent history and a multi-year trend of steady growth, ������Ƶ Law is on a sustained upward trajectory.

“Big things are happening at ������Ƶ Law,” Kramer said, “and we’re just getting started.”

About ������Ƶ Law

������Ƶ Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.

������Ƶ Law has graduated nearly 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining a Top 10 placement and an A+ rating each year since 2023. ������Ƶ Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.

������Ƶ has applied to the American Bar Association to open a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in fall 2027. The ������Ƶ Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched there in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it enrolled its second cohort in fall 2025.

Vice President for Inclusive Excellence Randy Williams received the 2026 Rising Star Award from the during the association’s annual conference held this year in Philadelphia.

The Rising Star Award is presented to a NADOHE member in good standing who has served as a chief or senior diversity officer for at least three years, but no more than 10 total years at a higher educational institution.

Nominees are considered for their “exceptional contributions to research, administration, practice, advocacy and/or policy informs and advances the understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence in higher education.”

“Receiving the Rising Star Award at this point in my career reminds me that I am, and always will be, a lifelong learner, continually striving to grow and improve,” Williams said. “I am also grateful to NADOHE for its support of the many professionals dedicated to creating high-quality learning environments for all students, faculty, and staff.

“Because awards are rarely earned alone, I share this recognition with my ������Ƶ colleagues, who prioritize inclusive excellence every day.”

Since his promotion to his current role in July 2020, Williams has led wide-ranging efforts to advance inclusive excellence at ������Ƶ, driving measurable gains in faculty and staff diversity, student belonging and institutional accountability.

He has helped embed equity-focused practices across the university through initiatives such as a Shared Equity Leadership national research project and through guided reforms to faculty development and student services that have addressed structural barriers.

Colleagues credit Williams with fostering a collaborative, campuswide approach that positions inclusive excellence as a shared responsibility with leadership that contributed to national research partnerships and programs now serving as models for other institutions.

Beyond campus, Williams has strengthened community partnerships and helped shape institutional responses to social issues, extending the university’s impact regionally and nationally.

Laké Laosebikan-Buggs, ������Ƶ’s director of inclusive excellence for graduate and professional education, nominated Williams for the award.

“What distinguishes Dr. Williams is not just his expertise but his bold, forward-thinking leadership,” she wrote in her nomination. “His ability to navigate institutional complexity, including the shifting winds of public opinion, while inspiring broad engagement, and implementing systems-level change, positions him as a future national leader in higher education equity and inclusion work.”

The 2026 results surpassed the previous high of $46,157.01 set during ������Ƶ Day 2025 and reflected broad engagement from alumni, students, parents and friends of the law school.

“There is an energy at ������Ƶ Law that you won’t find anywhere else,” said Assistant Dean of Development and Alumni Engagement Scott Leighty. “Philanthropy here is more than just giving. Every gift is a direct investment in this special community and the innovative way we prepare students for the profession. Seeing our alumni, students, parents and friends come together like this shows just how much they believe in our mission.”

In total, 178 donors made gifts on March 5, a 24.5% increase from the 143 donors who participated on ������Ƶ Day in 2025.

Participation increased across nearly every constituency group.

• Gifts from students rose sharply to 45 donors, up from eight last year — a 462.5% increase.
• Parent participation increased to 12 donors, up from eight, or 50%.
• Alumni participation also climbed, with 64 alumni making gifts compared with 56 last year, a 14.2% rise.

������Ƶ Day events and competitions were held throughout the day on March 5, including a large “E”-painting competition among student organizations and an evening celebration at Joymongers in downtown Greensboro. Perhaps the highlight was a Pie Your Professor event, with student donors lining up to hurl plates of whipped cream at Dean Zak Kramer, Professors Steve Friedland and Bob Minarcin, and Assistant Professors Erin Fitzgerald and Susan Ross.

Kramer praised the growing support for ������Ƶ Law and the community members who help make the annual day of giving successful.

“I want to thank everyone for their contributions, whether philanthropic, pitching in to make the day special, taking a pie to the face, or all of it,” Kramer said. “These gifts go directly to support our students and the opportunities that prepare them for the profession.”

Kramer also credited Leighty’s leadership in connecting with alumni and supporters, growing ������Ƶ Law’s momentum.

“Scott is doggedly pursuing financial support for our students,” Kramer said. “It’s not easy asking people for money, but our numbers keep increasing in a remarkably steep line. It’s a testament to his hard work and the great investment of our whole community.”

������Ƶ Day gifts help fund scholarships, student programs and experiential learning opportunities that define ������Ƶ Law’s innovative, practice-focused curriculum.

The growth in participation during ������Ƶ Day reflects a broader trend in philanthropy supporting ������Ƶ Law. The law school has seen steady increases in donor engagement over the past several years, underscoring the strength of its alumni network and the community’s investment in the next generation of lawyers.

Recent ������Ƶ Law graduate Dmitri McKinney L’25 appeared as a contestant on where a legal hypothetical (or what sounded like one) led him astray.

Calling in from his hometown of ������Ƶ, McKinney joined host Peter Sagal for the program’s “Bluff the Listener” segment, where contestants try to identify the real news story among three humorous options presented by the show’s panelists.

During his introduction, McKinney shared that he had recently graduated from ������Ƶ Law and hopes to pursue public service or civil rights work, drawing applause from the audience.

When the panelists shared three unusual New York City stories, McKinney joked that one option — involving a tourist suing over a painfully spicy taco — sounded like something straight out of a first-year law class.

“I’m not saying this is the real one, but Paula (Poundstone)’s story sounded like a tort hypothetical that I know a lot of the 1Ls went through a couple of months ago,” he said.

Ironically, that lawsuit story turned out to be the real one.

“All of the answer choices were so entertaining, but I thought there was no way that the real answer would essentially be a giant torts foreseeability hypothetical!” McKinney said afterward. “I wound up picking Alonzo Bodden’s story because it was so kind-hearted.”

He appeared on the show after submitting an online form shortly after graduating from ������Ƶ Law in December.

“I have been a lifelong listener of NPR and of ‘Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’ so I wanted being on the show to mark a special occasion,” McKinney said. “Someone from the show texted me last week asking if I still wanted to be on the show. It was an absolute delight.”

At ������Ƶ Law, McKinney was a Presidential Scholar, Leadership Fellow, editor-in-chief of We the People: ������Ƶ Law’s Constitutional Law Journal, president of the Innocence Organization, Law School Democrats and active on the Honor Council. He earned undergraduate degrees from North Carolina State University in chemistry and political science.

The new members are:

• Favia Delgado LF’28
• Trinity Jones LF’28
• Yukai Johnson LF’28
• Jane Lockwood LF’28
• Nadia Mazza LF’28
• Kayla Price LF’28

They are the first Flex Program students to become members of the School of Law’s Moot Court Board. Students were selected based on a combination of their performance in the fall 2025 Flex Program Intramural Moot Court Competition, their appellate brief writing in the Legal Method and Communication III course, and their overall academic record.

Members of the Moot Court Board represent ������Ƶ Law in external appellate advocacy competitions and help organize internal moot court events.

“These students distinguished themselves through strong written and oral advocacy skills, thoughtful analysis, and professionalism,” said Vice Dean Alan Woodlief, director of ������Ƶ Law’s Moot Court Program. “We’re excited to welcome them to the Moot Court Board and look forward to seeing them represent ������Ƶ Law in national competitions. They will also play an important role this fall helping coordinate the Intramural Moot Court Competitions and the 17th Billings, Exum & Frye National Moot Court Competition, one of our program’s signature events.”

Teams traveled from across the country, including law schools in North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Nevada and Oregon.

The competition promotes greater knowledge and interest in the client counseling functions of law practice. Students, acting as attorneys, conduct a simulated law office consultation based on limited background information, interviewing a client and explaining how they would proceed in addressing the client’s legal issue. Judges evaluate teams on their interviewing, planning and analytical skills in building effective lawyer-client relationships.

Dozens of North Carolina attorneys — including several ������Ƶ Law alumni — volunteered as judges. Professor of Law David Levine and Vice Dean and Professor of Law Alan Woodlief coordinated the competition with ������Ƶ Law students Isabel Craige L’26, James Galipeau L’26, Elizabeth Gregory L’26, Benita Kamaladua L’26, Brayden Nuffer L’26, Megan Chen L’27, Kyla King L’27 and Kali Williams L’27.

“The Client Counseling Competition is such a unique experience,” said Galipeau, a member of ������Ƶ Law’s Moot Court Board. “Unlike moot court, the judges measure the ability of competitors to elicit facts rather than argue them. That skill is so imperative to trial practice.”

Chen, an Advocacy Fellow, said the experience underscored the profession’s emphasis on understanding clients.

“It was valuable to see how lawyers and law students from across the country care deeply about having meaningful conversations with their clients and advocating for their best interests,” Chen said.

The competition’s finalists represented the University of Oregon School of Law, University of Illinois College of Law, and Texas A&M University School of Law. At ������Ƶ Law, Cheri Beasley, the Sandra Day O’Connor professor of law, Kathy Conner, associate professor of law, and Julia Gardea, attorney at Greensboro’s A.G. Linett & Associates, served as final round judges.

“Professor Levine and I were impressed with the leadership and initiative demonstrated by the Advocacy Fellows and Moot Court Board members working with us to coordinate the competition,” said Woodlief. “The competition provided a great opportunity for these students to assist competitors, develop their client counseling skills, meet law students from around the country, and network with attorneys and judges from across the state.”

������Ƶ Law regularly participates in ABA advocacy competitions, including the Appellate Advocacy Competition earlier this spring in Chicago.