Marietta College graduates feel prepared for law school | News, Sports, Jobs

Four members of Marietta College’s class of 2022 who were active members of the pre-law program will enroll in law school this fall, including two at the University of Cincinnati Law School.

Taiylor Williamson Ryan and Tyler Walker will be classmates in Cincinnati, while Taylor Carr will attend the University of Toledo College of Law and Lauryn Ward will attend West Virginia University College of Law.

“I visited many schools before making my decision and ultimately WVU seemed like the best fit for me,” said Ward, who grew up in Mineral Wells.

“I’m from West Virginia and plan to practice there after I graduate from law school. So I thought WVU would be a good place to study to gain experience in the state I will be practicing in. I also like the facilities and resources offered by WVU, which made them stand out from other law schools I have considered.

walker said “I’ve always had a love for Queen City, but the University of Cincinnati gave me a great financial package that was hard to ignore. Besides Skyline Chili and Joe Burrow, other factors that stood out to me attracted to Cincinnati were the personalities of the deans and faculty when I spoke to them, the brand new facilities opening this fall, and the fact that one of my sisters is also attending Cincinnati for her undergraduate schooling.”

Mark Schaefer is the college’s pre-law adviser and is excited about this year’s graduates.

“This year’s pre-law students took the law school admissions process very seriously,” he said. “They excelled in their undergraduate studies and completed legal internships while at MC. They have each been diligent in their preparation for the LSAT and the law school entrance exam. Plus, each of our future lawyers is exactly the type of person I would want to hire if I ever needed a lawyer. I’m proud of each of them and look forward to hearing about all of their future successes.

Each student praised Marietta College for preparing them for this next step in their career.

“I think the comprehensive education I received at Marietta really prepared me for my next step,” said Ward.

“I’ve taken so many courses that I probably wouldn’t have considered if it hadn’t been for the general education program. I think it gave me so much valuable knowledge. I also feel that the small size of the school also helped prepare me, as it allowed me to participate in many extracurricular programs and to be really involved in campus life.

Carr added, “Being a dual-sport athlete while taking classes has helped me develop great time management skills. The main skill I learned from my classes was writing, which made me more confident in research and writing, which will be good for law school.

Ryan also thinks the demanding academics at Marietta College prepared her well for law school.

“The courses and expectations of the Department of Political Science prepared me very well to enter law school,” she says. “My advisor, Dr. (Michael) Morgan, was a big help in deciding to go to law school and his classes really prepared me for the rigorous program I will see in law school. In addition to academics, the organizations I participated in at Marietta College also helped me prepare.

Ryan chose the University of Cincinnati Law School because of its academics.

“This law school has career paths that allow for more specialized training,” she says.

“There are many disciplines that will also create comprehensive knowledge. They also have amazing clinics where I will get real world experience while I am a student.

Ryan was a member of the Student Government Association throughout her time in college and served as student body president for the fall 2021 semester. She was also a McDonough Scholar and a member of Sigma Kappa sorority.

Ryan also gained valuable experience in the legal field before attending law school.

“Working as a legal assistant in the law firms Saia and Piatt, I gained so much experience,” she says.

“The lawyer I work for took me to court with him for different hearings and tried to help me learn more about the practical applications of law school. Working at this firm really solidified my decision to become lawyer.

Ward believes his internship with US Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) in his senior year was beneficial.

“Although this is not a law firm, I believe that the experience I gained working in this firm is very much related to law and has prepared me for my journey to the faculty of Law”, she says.

Walker worked at the Andrew J. Warhola Jr. law firm in Cambridge, Ohio, and Carr articled in Washington, D.C. while taking a course at American University in the summer of 2021.

“It has benefited me by helping me navigate the types of law that might interest me during law school,” Carr said.

Every aspiring lawyer said they weren’t ready to commit to the kind of law they hoped to practice.

“I plan to enter law school with an open mind and take different courses to see what I like and what I’m good at,” said Ward. “I have interests in a few areas of law that I would like to explore, such as intellectual property or public service, but I don’t have specific plans for the type of law I want to practice.”

Carr said the atmosphere at Toledo Law reminded him of his time in Marietta.

“One of the reasons I chose Toledo Law was because of their small student body which creates a close-knit community,” Carr said.

“It reminded me of Marietta in that aspect where students had more opportunities to connect with their professors. Another reason is that Toledo Law prides itself on being one of the best law schools for women, with much of their class size being women.

service added, “I don’t think I could have picked a better undergraduate school to prepare for law school. The access to extracurricular activities, the help and guidance of professors, and the excellent academics provided by Marietta College have helped me immensely on my journey through law school. I am very excited to start my law studies and will surely visit Marietta again in the future.”