Top Law Students Name Their Favorite Professors

THEY ARE ROLE MODELS WHO SET STANDARDS
“Professor Stephen F. Befort is my favorite professor because of his expertise in employment law and his personal character. He demonstrates the best qualities that all teachers should possess: respectful, inclusive, accessible, caring, professional, with high expectations for students.” – Christopher Ortega, University of Minnesota Law School
“Professor Joshua Schwartz. He taught our Legislation seminar, a course designed to familiarize students with the tools and touchstones of statutory interpretation. He was especially adept at forcing us to attend to the oft-overlooked details of the cases, dissecting each opinion into many arguments and mapping out the debates among the Justices. I had never read any opinion with such scrutiny, and in that sense he has played an important role in my development as a law student.” – Dane Shikman, George Washington University Law School

“I can’t say enough about how exceptional each of my professors have been, even those professors whom I have never had a class with who were always enthusiastic to help. I would say the faculty at Northwestern is unmatched in their willingness to help students. However, if I had to pick one, I would say Professor Nadav Shoked, if for nothing else than how much he graciously puts up with my never-ending questions. Additionally, effective teaching in a graduate setting is a rare skill and one that Professor Shoked masters with a biting wit and a genuine concern for his students’ learning and well-being.” – Meghan Claire Hammond, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“My 1L Contracts professor, Tracey George. She was a great 1L professor — she pushed us to think harder and further, and believed in our ability to do so (even when we forgot the facts of the Hairy Hand Case). Her instruction and mentorship has been invaluable over the past three years, and I am consistently inspired and motivated by her passion for preparing us to be the best lawyers possible. I am excited to have her again for Evidence in my last semester.” – Samiyyah Ali, Vanderbilt University Law School
“James Cox is not only one of my favorite professors at Duke Law, he’s probably one of my favorite people. Not only because of his teaching style and engaging personality, but who he is as a person. This semester I am taking his Securities Regulation class. At the end of the class before MLK weekend, he made a point of stopping the class and encouraging students to do something in service of MLK Day. He said he grew up in the Sixties and it was something that was important to him and it should be to us as well. As a black man in a Southern law school with the painful history that a school like Duke must own, to have a professor with the influence and intelligence of James Cox to take the time to encourage students to acknowledge a day that celebrates the achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to me not only about who James Cox was, but about the values of Duke Law, as well. It cemented that I had made the right choice in choosing this school to continue my legal graduate education.” – Seth Pearson, Duke University School of Law

“My favorite law school professor is one whom I have not personally had, but with whom I have worked closely this year: Professor Kamela Bridges, Legal Research and Writing. As a TQ at UT Law, I have had the privilege of working with Professor Bridges as her teaching assistant for the first-year legal research and writing course. Over the course of this year, I have seen Professor Bridges meticulously labor over her curriculum in an effort to best prepare her students for legal research and writing. I recall one discussion we had during a weekly meeting in which Professor Bridges explained the concept of fixed versus growth mindset and the impact each has on students’ learning, along with the ways we can navigate such nuances.” – Firas Adam Abulawi, University of Texas-Austin School of Law
“My favorite is Professor Joseph Fishkin because he taught my other favorite class, Employment Discrimination. He is a teacher who effectively communicates the material and is truly committed to helping students succeed. Additionally, my legal interests coincide with his areas of research. Professor Fishkin also serves as one of the faculty advisers of Texas Law’s American Constitution Society chapter, of which I am a member.” – Hannah Alexander, University of Texas-Austin School of Law
“I’ve had a number of wonderful professors — it’s Berkeley Law after all! I’ll just mention a few: Sarah Laubach, for her humanity and emphasis on the human stories behind legal writing; Kristen Holmquist, for her work with first-generation law students, including myself, in preparation for law school courses; Bertall Ross, for his humility and willingness to promote student growth through student groups, like Berkeley Law’s First-Generation Professionals; Melissa Murray, for her tireless commitment to advancing the law school generally and student writing in particular, through her work with the California Law Review; Saira Mohamed, for her willingness to advise and counsel the law review contributors; Kathryn Abrams, for her optimism and important work on immigration law and organizing in Maricopa County, Arizona; and Andrew Bradt, for his encouragement and counseling of students, including myself, interested in clerkships. There are still many others. The common trait is a willingness to get to know students and a passion for the legal field that they teach.” – Lora Krsulich, UC-Berkeley School of Law
DON’T MISS:
THE TOP LAW STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2016
HOW LAW STUDENTS WOULD REFORM LAW SCHOOLS
LAW SCHOOL ADVICE TO THE CLASS OF 2019
TOP LAW STUDENTS SHARE THEIR BIGGEST LESSONS FROM LAW SCHOOL