The Red Velvet Lawyer

The August 2013 issue of preLaw: A National Jurist Publication features the Appalachian School of Law in its article entitled: "Small and Personable." The article focuses on 12 law schools -- located in Virginia, West Virginia and eastern Tennessee -- that offer small class sizes and a personal touch. The discussion of ASL notes that its founders decided to place the law school in the heart of central Appalachia so it could serve the region in many ways. It quotes our fabulous Dean, Lucy McGough, saying: We are committed to and take great pride in our "Cheers Effect."  Here at ASL, everybody not only knows your name, but also is invested in your success in law school, in passing the bar, and in ensuring your professional career.  It notes ASL's focus on experiential learning leading to practice-ready skills.  It recognizes our nationally known externship program . It also describes our upper level focus on dispute resolution , our bar exam prep cou

This summer, I will serve as the Faculty Supervisor for our students working as externs in Kentucky.  I have played this role for our Kentucky students three summers in a row.  One year, I also covered southwest Virginia nearly to the Cumberland Gap. I love exploring the towns and cities in the area we serve as a law school.  I love meeting the prosecutors, attorneys general, public defenders, judges, Legal Service, and other pubic service attorneys that host our students and serve as their site supervisors.  I love talking with these folks about our well-trained rising 2L students who must complete the externship as part of our educational program.  I also love interacting in my Dispute Resolution course with these more savvy, world-tested lawyers-in-training.  I know they bring a level of confidence and experience to the course that elevates our conversations. The Appalachian School of Law recently completed a couple of videos describing the externship program that you can view