Wisdom, Law, and Lawyers

The Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion, and Ethics will host its annual conference today and tomorrow at the School of Law.  This year’s conference is themed Wisdom, Law, and Lawyers.  Check out the impressive lineup of speakers who will engage this fascinating topic HERE.

The February Bar

The bar exam is administered twice a year throughout the country–in February and July.  The large majority of our graduates sit for the bar exam in July following graduation.  A small number of our students graduate a semester early and sit for the exam in February.

We have graduates that sit for bar exams throughout the country, but most sit for the exam in California.  The California exam is statistically the most difficult to pass.  Our pass rates have been very strong, but there is no school in California that escapes the reality that some of its graduates will be unsuccessful on their first attempt at the exam at each administration.  Because the bulk of graduates sit for the exam the first time in July, that means that most of our repeaters sit for the exam in February.  We have a very strong repeater pass rate as well.

All this to get to the point that the February exam has been going on this week.  The California exam is an eighteen-hour exam spread over three days, and today is the final day of the exam.  Both our first-time takers and repeaters have put in strong work and will be very relieved this morning to have this difficult exam behind them.

Congratulations to our February bar exam takers!  I am so proud of them.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they wait until mid-May for the results to be released.

Best Brief Award

Charlie Walker (3L) and Andrew Kasabian (2L) received the Best Brief Award at the Craven Competition in North Carolina last weekend.  Congratulations to these two great student advocates!

Movie Screening

As if dodgeball wasn’t enough fun last weekend, on Saturday evening Professor Craig Detweiler hosted a movie screening at Pepperdine featuring Cary Elwes and The Princess Bride.  It was a packed house, and I saw several law students in the crowd.  After the screening, Professor Detweiler had a fun conversation with the famous actor who then stayed around for a book signing.  Also, prior to the screening, director Rob Reiner dropped by to speak to the crowd!

Just one of the fun opportunities when you go to school in Malibu!

Dodgeball Champions

The SBA put together a fantastic dodgeball tournament last Friday afternoon, and as pictured above, a team of upper-division students called The Dodging Patriots–Michael, Caroline, Kelsey, Tim, Ben, and Scott–emerged as champions.  We (unfortunately) don’t have statistics for champions, but I’m pretty sure nobody can top Michael, Caroline, and Scott in winning TWO championships during their law school years.  Those three also won the tournament when they were 1Ls two years ago!

Here are some more great pictures from the tournament courtesy of Macalee Taylor, our Events Coordinator at the law school:

Best Schools for Bar Exam Preparation

It was good to see Pepperdine listed on a chart indicating the top schools in an article titled, “Best Schools for Bar Exam Preparation.”  The article was published in the most recent edition of The National Jurist magazine

You can see the chart HERE.

11th Annual SBA Dodgeball Tournament This Friday!

You’ve heard the old saying about all work and no play making for dull children.  Well, I think the saying holds true for law students!  Tomorrow, the SBA hosts the 11th annual dodgeball tournament in the law school atrium, which is affectionately renamed “The Pepperdome” on dodgeball day.  Faculty, staff, and students enjoy an afternoon to take a break from important studies and simply enjoy being together as a community.  And to throw things at each other.  🙂

Click HERE to see a nice YouTube compilation of highlights from the tournament two years ago.

Environmental Law Panel Today

Our Career Development Office is hosting a lunchtime environmental law panel presentation today in the Mendenhall Appellate Courtroom.   A great panel is assembled representing large firms, the Natural Resources Defense Council, local government, and the judiciary.  Environmental law, an interesting mix of litigation, transactional, legislative, and policy work, could be an interesting career path for our students!

Tulane Mardi Gras Invitational Sports Law Moot Court Competition

Two third-year students, Katelin Eastman and Laura Grubb, took second place as a team (out of thirty-two teams!) as well as the award for the second place brief at the Tulane Mardi Gras Invitational Sports Law Moot Court Competition in New Orleans! This was Pepperdine’s first time at this competition. Congratulations to Katelin and Laura!

Former Dean Starr Speaks at Pepperdine Law Today