OBCL Alumni Association

Reformation Tour 2011

2011-10-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

In the past two weeks, OBCL alumni and students had the chance to visit Switzerland, Germany, and the United Kingdom to walk where the great reformers - men like Luther, Calvin, Huss, and Knox - lived and died in their fight for the gospel. Led by OBCLAA President Paul Harman and Dean Roger Magnuson, the sightseeing was accompanied by lectures detailing the impact these men had on history.

The OBCLers outside of Huldrych Zwingli's Grossmunster in Zurich, Switzerland

I can tell you for certain that I was challenged by this first-hand look at the Reformation. Hope you can make it on the next OBCL study abroad trip!

Wall Street Journal Law Blog: Should States Deregulate the Practice of Law?

2011-08-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

For a roundup of some of the most recent talk on deregulating the legal profession, see this post from the Wall Street Journal's Law Blog. It seems that this kind of news doesn't end. And I think that's a good thing.

Ribstein: Compulsory Licensing of Attorneys is Doomed

2011-07-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

Larry Ribstein has been writing about the "death of big law" and other changes in the profession for some time. This week he is debating compulsory licensing of lawyers at a Federalist Society event in Los Angeles. Ribstein comments, "This is one of the big regulatory issues of our time. It’s not just about who makes how much money, but access to justice. The current system of compulsory licensing for the practice of law is doomed. The question is not whether it will end, but when and how. "

Gary Rosin comments on the importance of this issue for law schools:

If state licensing, and state licensing (Bar) exams, go the way of the dodo. What does that do to law schools? In most states, only graduates of ABA-approved law schools are qualified to take the Bar exam. With no Bar exam, what happens to the demand for ABA-approved legal education, or to the demand for ABA accreditation?
At that point, formal legal education would be, at best, a matter of branding, of distinguishing a lawyer from mere providers of "servicios notarios." So, too, would accreditation become a way of branding, with the ABA only one of several law-school accreditors. But would the ABA retain its power if it no longer controlled the gates to the profession?

Book: "First Thing We Do, Let’s Deregulate All the Lawyers"

2011-07-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

A new book argues for deregulation of the legal profession. Check out the description on Marginal Revolution. The book is published by the Brookings Institution.

Josh Blackman comments regarding ABA regulation of the legal profession: "The cartel won’t last long friends. Embrace the change now."

Lasting Change in the Legal Profession

2011-07-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

I've been posting a variety of news items on on this blog regardingchanges in the legal profession that will put pressure on law schools to take measures to increase the value they offer to students (all of interest, of course, to graduates of a non-traditional law school like Oak Brook College of Law). There will undoubtedly be more to come. Here's the latest from the ABA Journal:

The golden era is gone, but this is not because the law itself is becoming less relevant. Rather, the sea change reflects an urgent need for better and cheaper legal services that can keep pace with the demands of a rapidly globalizing world. The Great Recession—a catalyst for change—provided an opportunity to re-examine some long-standing assumptions about lawyers and the clients they serve.

Whether BigLaw lawyers, boutique specialists or solo practitioners, U.S. lawyers can expect slower rates of market growth that will only intensify competitive pressures and produce a shakeout of weaker competitors and slimmer profit margins industrywide. Law students will find ever-more-limited opportunity for the big-salary score, but more jobs in legal services outside the big firms. Associates’ paths upward will fade as firms strain to keep profits per partner up by keeping traditional leverage down.

And those who wish to rise above the disruption will have to deal with technology that swallows billable work, a world market that takes the competition international, and a more sophisticated corporate client with vast knowledge available at the click of a mouse.

More here.

Victory for Oak Brook College graduates in Minnesota Supreme Court

2011-06-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

Oak Brook graduates will now have the ability to take the bar exam and practice law in Minnesota under the newly amended rules issued by the Minnesota Supreme Court on Monday. Read the press release here; background information is available here. Bravo to the group of petitioners, including Oak Brook alumni Micah Stanley and Valarie Wallin, who worked long and hard for this excellent new rule in Minnesota!

Ribstein: "Law schools as borscht"

2011-06-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

A recent report on the "lawyer surplus" has generated a lot of discussion on the blogosphere. I think the most interesting commentary on this report is from Larry Ribstein:

The problem isn’t that we have too many law trained people and so should train fewer. In fact, in our increasingly regulated economy, there is probably a gross undersupply of law-trained people.

The problem is that regulation has fixed the nature of the product so it hasn’t adequately responded to shifts in demand. The downward demand shifts have been produced by, most importantly, technology. But demand is increasing for new kinds of law-trained people both at the low-cost end of service to the poor and middle class and the potentially high-profit end of producing new kinds of products and services (see Law’s Information Revolution). Yet regulation has locked law schools into models that don’t serve these new needs.
In a real market, the supply side would change. As discussed in yesterday’s WSJ, if nobody’s buying borscht, make more horseradish.

Read the whole post here. It seems that there is a never ending stream of articles on the need for law schools to innovate and adapt to changing markets. Oak Brook College is a law school that thinks outside the box already and should be in a good place to respond to these developments.

CA law school alternatives

2011-06-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

This month's California Lawyer is running a feature story on the little-used option of Bar eligibility by reading the law:

The Path Rarely Taken

It is interesting, among other things, for what it says about law school debt, the realities of practice (v. academic preparation), and the potential success of an alternative approach.

The new world of legal practice: a second track for associates

2011-05-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

Big law is changing the way it does business. Outsourcing is here - only this time, it's not to India, but to out-of-the-way cities in the U.S.

The New York Times reports on the trend for major law firms to have a second track for associates, a "non-partner" track.

The nation’s biggest law firms are creating a second tier of workers, stripping pay and prestige from one of the most coveted jobs in the business world.

Make no mistake: These are full-fledged lawyers, not paralegals, and they do the same work traditional legal associates do. But they earn less than half the pay of their counterparts — usually around $60,000 — and they know from the outset they will never make partner.

These career associates are being moved out from the major metropolitan centers of big law.

Orrick moved its back-office operations to a former metal-stamping factory here in 2002, and in late 2009 began hiring career associates. Costs of living are much cheaper in Wheeling than in San Francisco, Tokyo or its 21 other locations, saving $6 million to $10 million annually, according to Will A. Turani, Wheeling’s director of operations.
“It’s our version of outsourcing,” said Ralph Baxter, Orrick’s chief executive. “Except we’re staying within the United States.”

This is not necessarily a bad thing except in the sense that a lot of attorneys who hoped for big law jobs aren't getting what they planned on. But this new efficiency helps employ people; it's the market at work.

As I noted before on this blog, these changes in the legal profession will increase the pressure on law schools to take measures that will increase the value they offer to students. I believe this will lead to more schools explore non-traditional methods of education - like that which OBCL is pursuing.

SAVE THE DATE! Tahoe scheduled for Sept. 9-11, 2011

2011-05-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Board of the OBCL Alumni Association is happy to announce the dates for this year's annual General Meeting and Retreat Friday-Sunday, September 9-11, 2011. All alumni and students—along with their families—are invited to attend.

Once again, the retreat will take place in scenic South Lake Tahoe, on the border of California and Nevada.

Here is a tentative schedule for the weekend:
Fri., Sept. 9: evening open house in alumni cabin
Sat., Sept. 10 (morning): 2011 General Meeting at Forest Suites Resort
Sat., Sept. 10 (afternoon): fellowship, site-seeing, and enjoying the beauty of Tahoe
Sat., Sept. 10 (evening): BBQ and fellowship in alumni cabin
Sun., Sept. 11: morning worship and fellowship time

Be on the lookout for further details and registration in the next few weeks!

Each year, the annual retreat proves a wonderful opportunity to be refreshed and encouraged—and informed about how to impact the future success of Oak Brook College and its alumni. Whether you've never missed a meeting or are debating coming for the first time, come out and help make the 2011 retreat our best yet!

Questions? We are happy to help! Email any questions to Emily Younger (obclaasecretary@gmail.com) or Mark Bigger (mjbigger@gmail.com).

See you there!

(photos courtesy of Heidi Miller)

The debate over law school scholarships

2011-05-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

The legal blogosphere has been buzzing with discussion of a recent New York Times article about the use and abuse of law school scholarships. A good roundup of the discussions is available here.

The Costs of Legal Education: How Much Does a Law Review Article Cost?

2011-04-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

A recurring theme in discussions of legal education is the excessive cost associated with the traditional law school model. Here's the latest example:

What is the total cost of a law review article written by a tenured professor at a top-flight law school?

It's in the neighborhood of $100,000, according to Hofstra University School of Law professor Richard Neumann. His estimate factors in the salary and benefits for a tenured professor at a high-paying school who spends between 30% and 50% of his or her time on scholarship and publishes one article per year.

....

Neumann also pointed to research suggesting that 43% of law review articles are never cited by anyone. "At least a third of these things have no value," he said. "Who is paying for that? Students who will graduate with six figures of debt."

....

New York Law School Dean Rick Matasar urged legal educators to consider the possibility of new, lower-cost law schools that rely heavily on untenured faculty and adjuncts to teach rather than write law review articles.

"Students are saying, ‘I don't want to pay for it anymore,' " he said.

Of course, I am not about to discount the value of good scholarship (see here and here). I think it's essential, and should be part of the mission of a Christian law school, of Christian law professors, and yes, of Christian attorneys. (See, for example, David Skeel's plea for Christian legal scholarship here.) Should professors be paid enough to be able to pursue scholarship? Yes. But should students have to cover the cost of $100,000 law review articles that no one reads? That just isn't a sustainable economic model.

Judicial Clerkship Applications: A Brief Guide

2011-03-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

What It Is

Most judges employ one or more law clerks who act as their research assistants, proof readers, sometimes opinion-drafters, and sometimes play other roles in assisting the judge. Clerkships are often one or two year positions, although some judges hire “career clerks.” Clerkships are commonly filled by recent law school graduates, and many judges see this as an opportunity to mentor young attorneys at the beginning of their careers (although attorneys who have been in practice for a while have been known to take time off from practice to spend a year or two clerking). As a current law clerk, I can personally affirm what I have heard from so many people before me: clerking is great experience, allowing the clerk to see the legal field from the other side of the bench, observe a lot of practitioners, deal with a wide variety of cases, hone research and writing skills, and learn from an experienced judge. It also looks great on a resume.

Clerkships are desirable, meaning that they are also highly competitive. There are always a lot of applicants for each position. Lately, it has only gotten worse. (See some of the reports from the last couple of years here, here, here, and here.) Given the current state of the legal job market, a lot of law school graduates as well as practicing attorneys are finding that t a year on a state or federal payroll, without worrying about billing hours, looks pretty appealing.

Application Procedures

So, what does it take to get a clerkship? There are tons of resources available on this subject, so in this post, I will give the bare-bones outline.

Good research and writing abilities are an absolute must. Good grades are usually a make-0r-break. And good recommendations, especially from people who the judge knows, are extremely helpful.

To apply for the job, the standard application requirements are:

Cover letter;
Resume;
Law school transcripts;
Legal writing sample showing your writing and research abilities and ability to craft an argument—for example, a law review article or comment, a sample brief from a legal writing class, or actual brief from an internship (but make sure to check with your boss first, to see if you can use the brief and if anything needs redacted);
Letters of recommendation (most judges require three letters of recommendation).

This webpage from Indiana University School of Law has good advice on what you should have in your cover letter, writing sample, recommendation letters and other application materials. See also this site from George Mason.

Of course, it’s always good to double-check when you are ready to apply to see if the judge has any unique or different requirements.

Select where you are going to apply.

Timing

Be aware that you have to apply about one year in advance.

Federal Clerkships

The place to apply for federal clerkships is http://oscar.uscourts.gov/. Federal clerkships are by far the most competitive field (see here).

Many federal courts follow a hiring plan (see here), supposed to keep the hiring on a schedule so that the “hiring of law clerks will be done no sooner than the Fall of the third year of law school.” (Or, for those in part time programs like Oak Brook College, that would be the fall of the final year of law school.) Law school graduates may apply and be hired at any time. The key dates this year are:

Event	Fall 2011
First date when applications may be received [actually, this is the day that judges start looking at applications, which means you should have your applications on the OSCAR website by that date]:	Tuesday, September 6, 2011 (OSCAR release: 10:00 a.m. (EDT))
First date and time when judges may contact applicants to schedule interviews:	10:00 a.m. (EDT), Friday, September 9, 2011
First date and time when interviews may be held and offers made:	10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, September 15, 2011

Remember, if you’re hired in September 2011, that means you start your job in August 2012.

Not all federal judges follow the hiring plan, however (it’s only “binding” on those who choose to participate). So try to double-check on the judges you’re applying with. The most well-known judges often hire earlier than the plan, on the theory that then they get the “top” clerk applicants before other judges start making offers (and more and more judges seem to be doing this – see here). This has created a lot of controversy and discussion, and searching online will turn up some information. See here, here, and here.

State Courts

State courts have quite a bit more variety in hiring timing than the federal courts. Most commonly, the judges at state courts hire before the federal courts do. That means that if you apply in state courts, you generally should have your applications in by June or July for the positions that would start over a year later (usually August or September). For information on state courts, visit www.ncsconline.org/D_KIS. For slightly dated but still useful reference on state hiring practices, see http://www.law.virginia.edu/pdf/judclerkguide2009.pdf.

Further Resources

Law Clerk Addict

The Vermont Law School Guide to Judicial Clerkships

Indiana University Clerkship Resources

George Mason Clerkship Guide

University of Virgina Clerkship Information

UVA Clerkship Blog

Slaves of some defunct...law professor?

2011-03-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

At the OBCL Alumni Association Meeting, I did a short presentation encouraging OBCL students and alumni to pursue the writing and publishing of legal scholarship. Trying to make the point that scholars and scholarship have an important impact on the world, I quoted Keynes' old line that even those who think of themselves as eminently practical men are actually the slaves of some defunct economist - and, I added, the same applies to law schools and legal scholars. I was pleased to see the same point being made, with the same quote from Keynes, in yesterday's Wall Street Journal:

The British economist John Maynard Keynes famously observed, 75 years ago, that statesmen who think that they are pursuing policies of their own devise are really showing themselves to be "the slaves of some defunct economist." In America today statesmen are more likely to be the slaves of some defunct legal theorist. Our litigation-prone culture and complex legal structure—not least the matrix of overlapping state and federal powers—regularly translate questions of policy into questions of law. As a result, American law schools wield more social influence than any other part of the American university.

Read the rest here.

Alumni in the News IX

2011-03-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

99A Oak Brook alum Sean Sangree receives Porterville’s Prosecutor of the Year Award.

Mike Reitz talking on the Dave Boze Show about the top ten reform ideas for public employee unions. Writing for the Freedom Foundation, Mike invokes the ghost of Democrat icon FDR for confirmation that public employees unions are bad public policy. Mike speaks to a loud crowd on the steps of the Washington Capitol in support of Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker’s efforts to limit collective bargaining by public employees.

99B Alum Chris Walsh is elected Chairman of the Fresno County Republican Party. This Fresno Bee article talks about his successful prosecution of a Fresno gang member resulting of a term of 60 to life.

Lael Weinberger recently wrote a law review article entitled "The Business Judgment Rule and Sphere Sovereignty" for Cooley Law Review. He also has a book chapter entitled, "Enforcing the Bill of Rights in the United States" which is being published in Jurisprudence of Liberty (LexisNexis 2011).

Professor Rucker to Testify in Ethics Hearing

2011-02-22T21:19:00.001-08:00

Guest post by Rebekah Millard (03B)

Some OBCLers may recall Professor Rucker telling the story of a prosecutor, Phill Kline, who was unafraid to stand for the rule of law, paid dearly for his stand, but was blessed by God despite the best efforts of his political enemies. That story continues this week in Topeka, Kansas, where Kline is the subject of a state ethics investigation.

In a Kansas State Ethics Committee hearing that began earlier this week, state Disciplinary Administrator Stanton Hazlett has (at the direction of the Kansas Supreme Court) targeted Former Attorney General Phill Kline for potential ethical misconduct concerning his prosecution of late-term abortion providers in Kansas. It appears that Professor Rucker, formerly Kline's chief of staff, will be playing a continuing part in this story as he testifies this week at the hearing.

Here is a little background:

Phill Kline, former Kansas Attorney General (2002-2006), was the first and only prosecutor ever to succeed in obtaining abortion records from Planned Parenthood and late term abortionist George Tiller. Despite having one of the strictest late-term abortion laws in the U.S. (drafted and enacted thanks in part to Kline's previous tenure in the Kansas House of Representatives), due to a lack of prosecutions, Kansas had remained the nation’s capital for late-term abortions.

When Kline’s investigation of Planned Parenthood became public, Kansas Governor Sebelius (now head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and the President of Planned Parenthood announced a new political initiative to spend massive amounts of money to defeat Kline. Governor Sebelius also used her authority over two Kansas agencies to thwart Kline’s investigation and used her appointment authority to pack the Kansas Supreme Court with justices who would work to block the investigation.

With this political machine in play, Phill Kline was defeated in his bid for re-election as Attorney General in 2006, but was elected as Johnson County District Attorney, which allowed him to retain jurisdiction over the Planned Parenthood investigation. As a result, a district court judge found probable cause that crimes were committed at Planned Parenthood. In October 2007 Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri was charged with 107 criminal charges, including 23 felonies.

In 2008, Kline lost his bid for reelection as Johnson County DA (some would say due to the fact that his exoneration in an ethics investigation was never reported).

The current ethics investigations could result in censure or loss of law license for Mr. Kline, and, certainly might lead to the derailing of the case against Planned Parenthood.

Among the “ethics” violations with which Kline has been charged is the accusation that Mr. Kline’s strong personal anti-abortion beliefs interfered with his judgment. (Are we to gather that if a prosecutor is adamantly opposed to rape, for instance, his prosecution of rape would present a conflict?)

How to help:

Pray for God to bring justice and vindication to a man who has faithfully and professionally fulfilled his calling to uphold and enforce the law. Pray for wisdom and protection for Professor Rucker as he engages in this ongoing controversy. Pray that other state prosecutors will be emboldened to enforce the law—that the rule of law may be strengthened throughout our land.

_____________________

Find out more at Phill Kline's web site, Planned Parenthood Corruption.

Bakersfield Bar Prep

2011-02-19T09:37:00.000-08:00

12 graduates of OBCL are in Bakersfield doing bar prep for next week's bar exam. Most of them have been putting in long days as they went through two simulated full bar exams and hours of discussion and private study.

Paul Johnson is caught looking at his cell phone during essays. He is likely to face censure from the group during a lunch hour meeting at Moo's Creamery. Luke Bowman studies on with a Bible verse from his namesake in the background as Josiah Heagy and Christiana Holcomb demonstrate the concentration that makes Bakersfield OBCL Bar Passage rates second to none.

Justin Kelly, Ryan Bedford, and Jason Lau have come from all over the world to study in the Oak Brook Mecca of Bakersfield, California.

Please keep bar takers in your prayers this week as they get ready to increase our bar passage rate.

Representing at the Federalist Society

2011-01-31T10:01:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was the Federalist Society's annual Western Conference at the Reagan Presidential Library in beautiful Simi Valley, CA. They had a great lineup of speakers on cutting-edge legal topics, but perhaps even more important for the OBCLers in attendance, it was a time to catch up with a great group of alumni.

All told, we had more than a dozen OBCL alumni and students in attendance. Keep your eyes open for next year's conference dates, and let's keep increasing that number!

You Can't Teach Character in a 2-Hour Ethics CLE

2010-12-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

One of the themes of Oak Brook College of Law is the importance of character in our students. Character is something that OBCL emphasizes from the time the initial application for admission is reviewed all the way through the graduation ceremony. It is part of the fabric of life at OBCL.

Character is pretty important in the legal profession. Recently, in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, an attorney for a residential mortgage lender lied to the Court on several issues. They may have seemed like small, distracting issues to the attorney, but the court was pretty upset. The name of the case is In re Hill, Case No. 01-22574. The court considered what punishment to give the attorney. One common punishment for ethical violations is mandatory continuing legal education on ethics. But the court decided not to do that, reasoning as follows:

The Court also rules out any requirement for mandatory CLE or ethical training. As indicated at the hearing, the essence of the Rule is a lack of honesty. The Court does not believe it is necessary to undertake training in order to know that dishonesty is wrong despite the potential consequences of telling the truth. Honesty and truthfulness are matters of character that cannot be taught, if at all, in a few hours of CLE training.

Character is something that is engrained over a lifetime of making right choices, not something that you learn in summer school or in a 2-hour Ethics CLE. OBCL understands that and looks for applicants who are already in the process of engraining that character in their lives. Once in law school, OBCL does everything it can to promote the growth in character in the lives of its students.

Calling all West Coast Oak Brookies!

2010-12-07T17:52:00.001-08:00

A number of OBCL grads have benefited from the CLE, fellowship, and networking opportunities afforded by the annual Federalist Society convention held every November in Washington, D.C.

And then there are the rest of us, who only wish we could be there.

Well -- for the West Coast crowd, at least -- here's another opportunity to enjoy some stimulating discussion, good food, lovely scenery, and affordable CLE (especially timely for those of us in the N-Z MCLE group!) from the Federalist Society at the 2011 Western Conference. Students are welcome, too, and benefit from FREE registration.

Come out to the Reagan Presidential Library on Saturday, January 29th for the 2011 Western Conference of the Federalist Society. Click here to register (students should register, too; space is limited). This year's topic is "After the 2010 Election: What's Next for Campaigns and California?"

Here are a couple pictures of last year's OBCL contingent. Picture yourself here!

Alumni in the News VIII

2010-11-12T17:04:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since we had an installment of our "Alumni in the News" segment, but that's not because Alumni haven't been busy! Let's take a look...

Mike Reitz writes in Washington State's largest paper on Washington's open-meetings law.

Timmy Teepell finds himself managing political crises.

Meredith Turney writes about California jobs in the latest installment of her regular Townhall column.

Peter Fear and Gabe Waddell team up with Pacific Justice Institute to educate activists on the Constitution.

Brian Tyson is featured in the Georgia Criminal Appellate Law blog.

Peter Fear digs deep into the mortgage crisis.

I'm sure there are many more stories from Alumni out there. If you hear of an OBCLer in the news, be sure to e-mail the tip to Mark Bigger at mjbigger@juno.com.

The Constitution, the Tea Party, and Tell Ten

2010-11-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

The wave of political activism that swept the nation in the past months is bringing about a renewed desire by activists to understand the foundations of the freedoms we enjoy. After all, our common fight for freedom is the essence of what makes us American.

(To the right: OBCLAA President Nathan Deladurantey speaking at Liberty Day 2010.)

As a graduate of OBCL, I'm quite proud to tell people that I studied at a school that makes it a point not only to teach our Constitution, but also the philosophical underpinnings of our system of government - the foundations of the freedoms that we enjoy today (and take for granted all too often). The OBCL education gives students the chance to steep in the ideas that made us a great nation.

And it gives alumni the footing to go out and be an integral part of this fight for freedom - a task that many alumni take very seriously, by working in politics, public interest and Constitutional law, by donating time and money to organizations that lead the fight, and by being involved on a grassroots level.

All of these opportunities present alumni with the perfect opportunity to spread the word about OBCL, too. Law school might not be for everyone, but for the person that wants to go in-depth into this study of freedom, OBCL is a terrific opportunity.

Alumni Peter Fear and I had the chance to speak at a couple of Tea Party events in the last couple of weeks, as a group put on a "Constitution Bus Tour" aimed at educating and encouraging activists in our Constitution. We had a great time discussing a wide variety of Constitutional topics, and I received a very positive response after sharing about OBCL. People that want to fight for freedom are looking for training for themselves, their children, and their friends, and for some, OBCL might just be that opportunity.

So while you're out fighting for freedom, let me encourage you to throw OBCL into the mix. Seems like a fantastic fit to me - and a great way to massively exceed your Tell Ten goals!

(To the left: Gabe Waddell speaking at a get-out-the-vote rally in Northern California.)

Meet the Board: Christopher Martens

2010-10-30T21:15:00.001-07:00

Our final installment in the "Meet the Board" feature is Christopher Martens (JD98B), Chairman of the Alumni Relations Committee.

Christopher Martens is a solo practitioner out of Visalia, California. As a criminal defense attorney, he has taken 18 cases to jury trial -- everything from simple misdemeanor to life in prison cases.

As chairman of the Alumni Relations Committee, Chris is focused on getting more alumni involved, recruiting class coordinator positions, gathering law firm profile information on firms where alumni are partners or sole proprietors, and promoting alumni through networking. Chris is looking forward to working with alumni on these and other issues in the coming year.

You can reach Chris at martenslaw@gmail.com or at his office number of (559) 967-7386.

From Legal Training to Business Savvy

2010-10-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

A recent ABA Journal article entitled “CEO, Esq.: Why lawyers are being asked to lead some of the nation’s largest corporations” dug into some of the reasons that more and more lawyers are making an impact on the business world.

The article quotes Continental Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek, a former corporate lawyer in Houston as saying

"The CEO role requires the ability to constantly break down problems and analyze issues that are at the core of a decision. As leaders we need to be persuasive to many constituencies in communicating our strategic vision and describing the path where we will take our business. All of those requirements rely in no small part on skills I developed in law school and honed as a practicing lawyer."

Nine of the Fortune 50 companies now have lawyer CEO’s. A decade ago, only three of those CEO’s were lawyers. Experts contend that this trend will continue.

The skills cultivated in law school go a long way in developing a successful business career, a fact that has also been confirmed in the OBCL experience. Take OBCL graduate Tim Andre (JD02A), who started the successful Emma Parker & Company along with fellow OBCL grad Seth O'Dell. Like the business leaders interviewed in the ABA article, Andre has seen his legal education opening doors for him:

"Earning my JD has been akin to being given a key to the city. The doors of opportunity that have swung wide open once I completed my legal education have been incredibly helpful. Everything from gaining greater respect among my colleagues, to closing venture capital investment, to the ends and outs of starting my company, my legal education comes into use every single day.”

The value of a juris doctor degree in business continues to grow. Relatively unknown schools have made their dent in the business world by emphasizing business-related legal skills.

Case in point is SMU’s Dedman School of Law, which boasts 3 of the 11 CEO’s from Fortune 50 companies. Dedman has made preparing for business leadership a priority in their curriculum options. But the price is high: tuition for three years is around $115,000 plus another $14,000 a year in room and board.

Oak Brook graduates have an opportunity to learn to think like a lawyer, negotiate, understand business structuring, contract, torts, and other areas of interest to those in business for around $20,000 altogether.

To close with another thought from Tim Andre,

“The training gained in Oak Brook is extremely applicable to everyday life in the business world. As a small business owner, I would rather hire one law school graduate than ten MBA graduates."

--MJB

Meet the Board: Kaitlin Showerman

2010-10-11T12:13:00.001-07:00

Over the last couple weeks, we've been posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Kaitlin Showerman (JD07B) is the OBCLAA's returning Student Liaison. Here are some thoughts from Kaitlin.

I am currently a student in the 07B class and live in the Central Valley of California. I'm a "second generation" Oak Brook student as my dad (Greg Showerman) graduated OBCL this past August.

This year I am working to continue conference calls between OBCL alumni and current students. These conference calls are set up between an alumnus working in a field that corresponds with the subject material for each class. The goal of this mentorship program is to help students with their studies as well as give some real-world perspective on topics that they are studying.

If you are interested in volunteering your time and experience, please let me know! We'd be glad to have your input.

Kaitlin can be reached by e-mail at kaitlineshowerman@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Gabe Waddell

2010-10-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple weeks, we've been posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

After serving two terms as the president of the Alumni Association, Gabe Waddell (JD03A) is now serving the OBCLAA Board as Immediate Past President. Here are some thoughts from Gabe.

Gabe lives in Fresno with his wife Katie (another OBCL grad!), where he practices bankruptcy law with Peter Fear (another OBCL grad!).

Gabe's biggest goals for this year are to do everything he can to "pass the torch" and assist the work and vision of the new President, Nathan Deladurantey, and to continue the excitement being generated by the social media outreach projects of the Association. (In that vein, subscribe to the blog! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter!)"

Gabe can be reached by e-mail at gabe@gabewaddell.com.

Meet the Board: Paul Harman

2010-10-07T14:15:00.001-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Paul Harman (JD04A) is the OBCLAA's Vice-President. Here are some thoughts from Paul.

I’m a proud member of the last “A” class offered by OBCL (04A). After passing the February 2009 bar exam, I moved from my home state of Connecticut back to Minnesota to finish revising Advising Minnesota Corporations and Other Business Organizations and to assist with an ongoing effort to amend the Minnesota Bar admission rules. I now find myself in Bakersfield, CA working with Mark Bigger’s criminal and traffic ticket defense practice and assisting fellow OBCL graduate Win Eaton in his immigration practice.

I have a very flexible role as the Vice President of the Alumni Association. My primary responsibility is to assist Nathan in managing the committees, specifically by making sure that each has the manpower and resources to accomplish this year’s goals. If you want to get involved with the OBCLAA but aren’t sure what you can do to help, contact me and we can figure that out.

You can reach me at paulharman412@gmail.com or at (860) 810-6161.

Meet the Board: Mark Bigger

2010-10-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Mark Bigger (JD97B) is the longest-standing Board member of the OBCLAA, and this year's Promotion and Media Committee Chairman. Here are some thoughts from Mark.

I am a native Oregonian currently residing in the Oak Brook mecca of Bakersfield, California. Oak Brook graduate and recent hire Paul Harman and I specialize in criminal and traffic ticket defense and are in the process of expanding into estate planning. I enjoy playing basketball, tennis, hiking, reading, traveling, and rooting for my Seahawks and Blazers.

My focus for this coming year is to use social media, direct contacts, free press, and the Tell Ten Initiative to increase the stature of the College in the Christian and legal communities with the specific goal of bumping up enrollment for the 2011 class.

Reach Mark by e-mail at mjbigger@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Jordana Ward

2010-10-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

I currently reside in sunny Florida. I'm a graduate of the P01B paralegal class and the 03B JD class and a member of the California Bar. I perform legal work as an independent contractor and enjoy traveling in my spare time.

The main objectives of the Student Affairs Committee are as follows:

1. Establish a mentorship program for Bar Exam takers.
2. Organize a mentorship program for first-year students.
3. Facilitate outreach through the use of regional coordinators at homeschool conferences, debate and homeschool clubs.
4. Work to establish a scholarship fund for prospective and current students.

We need individuals who are willing to volunteer as mentors for Bar Exam takers and/or first-year students. This is a meaningful opportunity for alumni to give back to the Oak Brook community. If you're interested in volunteering as a mentor or a regional coordinator, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you!

Email: jordana.ward@yahoo.com

Meet the Board: Brian Hutchins

2010-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Brian Hutchins (JD02B) is the College Liaison.

Brian resides in Fresno, California where he recently entered private practice after spending the last three years as a Deputy Prosecutor with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

Over the next year as College Liaison, Brian’s main goals are:

1) Continue to update College faculty and administration of what is happening with the OBCLAA and to facilitate communication in those areas that the OBCLAA overlaps with faculty and administration.

2) Encourage faculty and administration that their work is bearing fruit by updating them on the outstanding work that their former students are accomplishing. A few of the specific steps to do this will be forwarding to them via email information from the alumni blog, including OBCL Alumni Bios and OBCL in the News updates.

3) In recognition of the investment that the faculty have made in the College, Brian also intends to look for internship matches where current students could provide valued assistance to professors while the students gain practical experience to prepare them for the job market.

Brian will be partnering with other board and committee members; you may be getting a phone call or an email from him.

You can reach Brian as follows: Cell (903)217-3324. Home (559) 243-9395. Email brhutchins65@hotmail.com.

Meet the Board: Nathan DeLadurantey

2010-09-28T06:26:00.001-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

After serving two terms as Vice President, Nathan DeLadurantey (JD01A) is the OBCLAA President.

I currently reside in Southeastern Wisconsin (Go Packers!!!) with my wife and three children. The focus of my current practice is bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and contract litigation -- a very busy area of practice in today's economy. In my few "spare" moments I enjoy reading, kayaking and working in my yard.

My chief goals are leading the Board in generating increased enrollment for the 2011 class, providing a network of employment opportunities for graduates, and increasing the number of graduates involved with the alumni association.

Questions? Ready to get involved? Nathan can be reached by e-mail at nathan@dela-law.com.

Meet the Board: Emily Younger

2010-09-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Emily Younger (JD99A) is the OBCLAA Secretary.

A native Californian, I live in Orange County, where I just started graduate studies in Spanish at the University of California, Irvine. On the legal side of things, I work as a contract research attorney and teach Legal Writing III for OBCL. This summer, I also took the opportunity to become an allied attorney with Alliance Defense Fund (If you can, do it! You will not be sorry.)

My goals this year are to maintain OBCLAA records, help with promotion and media (Facebook and this blog, specifically), and support the Tell Ten initiative with the goal of having a significantly larger-than-lately orientation class in 2011.

If you have any questions about Tell Ten or ideas for content on this blog, send me an e-mail at obclaasecretary@gmail.com. And, if you ever see an article or web site of interest to the OBCL community, feel free to post it (that means pictures, too!) to the OBCLAA Facebook page.

Meet the Board: Crystal Kinz

2010-09-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Crystal Kinz (P07) is the OBCLAA's Paralegal Liaison. Here are some thoughts from Crystal:

I reside in San Diego, CA. I completed the paralegal program in 2007 and was certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants in 2008. I am a freelance paralegal as well as working full-time in retail management.

My goals as the Paralegal Liaison this year are to

1. continue and improve in networking to the other paralegal alumni and students while providing updates on Alumni news, and

2. create and maintain a video networking site that will provide information and assistance to alumni members, students and prospective students.

I can be reached at crystalkinz@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Anita Paulsson

2010-09-22T10:30:00.001-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Anita Paulsson (JD01A) is OBCLAA Treasurer.

A resident of Washington state, Anita is admitted to the bar in California and Washington. She does legal work part-time as an independent contractor and is finishing up a seasonal job as a baler operator.

Anita's two major goals for the Treasurer this year are

(1) to create a yearly budget, and

(2) to create a workable method of increasing and tracking the number of "dues-paying" alumni.

How to help? Of course, contributions are always welcome. Remember that donations to the OBCLAA are tax-deductible. Also, please send in your dues if you have not already done so, and feel free to contact your classmates and ask them if they have joined the Alumni Association.

If you have any questions about the office of Treasurer, alumni association dues, or how you can help, Anita can be reached by e-mail at anita.paulsson@gmail.com.

Submitting articles to law reviews

2010-09-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

At the Alumni Association meeting, I gave a brief presentation on how to publish legal scholarship (i.e., navigating the law review submissions process). This blog post is a supplement to that presentation, featuring some links and resources related to law review submissions.

Helpful Articles and Guides to the Process
An excerpt from Eugene Volokh's excellent book on scholarly legal writing: http://www.law.ucla.edu/volokh/writing/a25.pdf.

Here are two great introductions (aimed at current law students but generally applicable to anyone new to the process) on how to start submitting to law reviews: a blog post and an article.
Several law school libraries have created helpful guides to the process (although sometimes internal links are restricted to students/staff/faculty):
Harvard
Georgetown
University of Washington

There is also a journal-by-journal guide to law review submission policies available to download at SSRN. The only problem with the guide is that it is if anything too detailed.

Links for Submitting Articles
Northern Kentucky University Guide - This website lists submission information for law reviews. Most of the law reviews listed here accept submissions via email (although some of the journals require online submissions through their own websites – links are provided where that is necessary).

Law Journal Rankings - This site provides a fairly exhaustive list of law reviews and journals. It also will rank the journals in terms of their impact factor.

ExpressO – The submissions service that virtually every law review accepts. You don’t have to send the emails to submit your article if you’re willing to pay a nominal fee to have ExpressO submit for you. (Of course, if you’re submitting to a lot of law reviews – and if you’re not a tenured professor with really impressive credentials and good name recognition, you should be – the cost will add up.)

Meet the Board: Caleb Harlin

2010-09-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple weeks, we'll be posting short snapshots of each new OBCLAA Board member. If you see a Board member working on a project that interests you, shoot him or her an e-mail and jump right in!

Caleb Harlin (JD05B) is the chairman of the National Association & Accreditation Committee. Here are some thoughts from Caleb:

I am currently residing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. For employment, I am working part time for Mark Meuser and occasionally for other Oak Brook alums. For pleasure, I play the piano, run long distance races, play chess, compose music, take pictures, and travel.

As chairman of the National Association and Accreditation committee, I have three primary objectives this year:

1) research and update U.S. and international accreditation standards;
2) research the ramifications of seeking approval/accreditation from legal associations at a local and national level; and
3) assist petition efforts by Oak Brook students or graduates who wish to challenge resistant state bars.

I believe that the first and second goals are achievable this year, while the third goal will be an ongoing effort that I will pass on to a future chairman.

Volunteers can make a big difference in this committee's success, and have a big impact on the marketability of our school. Researching bar requirements in your jurisdiction would be very helpful. We need coordination so that we do not duplicate efforts unnecessarily. Another big help will be in the area of researching the specific requirements for local and national legal associations whose endorsement of Oak Brook would enhance our impact without diminishing our standards. A final area of this field is in the area of long-term vision. If there are students who feel called to challenge their state or provincial bar association requirements, I want this committee to be a resource from the very earliest stages of the process.

I can best be reached for NAA committee purposes at this e-mail address: caleb.harlin@wybark.com.

I look forward to a productive year.

2010 Alumni Association Meeting Pictures

2010-09-18T16:47:00.001-07:00

I'm sure that everyone who attended will agree that our time in Tahoe was refreshing, energizing, and simply a great time overall. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

Jack Stuart flew over Lake Tahoe in his T-38 on Monday morning.

OBCLAA Board 2010-2011

2010-09-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

More Tahoe updates coming soon, but, for now, congratulations to the OBCLAA Board for 2010-2011!!!

Here's the lineup:

President: Nathan DeLadurantey
Vice President: Paul Harman
Treasurer: Anita Paulsson
Secretary: Emily Younger
College Liaison: Brian Hutchins
Student Liaison: Kaitlin Showerman
Paralegal Liaison: Crystal Kinz
Student Affairs: Jordana Ward
Alumni Relations: Christopher Martens
National Association & Accreditation: Caleb Harlin
Promotion & Media: Mark Bigger

This year's breakout sessions

2010-09-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

Our Lake Tahoe retreat is less than a week away! We have a fantastic weekend planned - our biggest and most exciting yet.

Every year, we try to find people to handle breakout sessions on topics of value to the Oak Brook community. Here are our breakout sessions for this year:

- Hanging Shingles: On Your Own, But Not Alone. The resources you need and the strategies to succeed in your own law practice.

- Voices in the Wilderness: Worldview and Written Scholarship. How can we advocate for truth in academia and the public square? Learn how to find opportunities to make an impact on law and public policy in print.

- Lawyers without Borders: OBCL beyond California. Graduates share their experience and insights on federal practice and working outside of California.

"Best Value" in Legal Education

2010-08-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

An ABA Journal article listing National Jurist's "best value" ranking for law schools has attracted some interesting comments from attorneys about the value of legal education, the weight of debt, and the disconnect between perceived earning potential and real-world experience:

Magazine Names Best Value in Law Schools

Good News in Minnesota

2010-08-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

The effort to open the Minnesota Bar to attorneys from non-ABA schools has led to a favorable decision from the MN Supreme Court. Here's the report from the MinnLawyer Blog:

The court ordered the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners to draft a rule allowing an attorney licensed in another state to sit for the Minnesota bar exam without having graduated from an ABA-approved law school.

The order was in response to a petition, filed with the court on April 29, 2009, seeking such an amendment to Rule 4A(3) of the Rules for Admission to the Bar. In its Aug. 10, 2009, the court ordered the board to examine the issues raised by the petition and to submit a report to the court. The board filed its report on June 2, 2010.

After reviewing the submission, the Supreme Court determined that it will consider a rule amendment that would permit a licensed attorney who has successfully practiced law in another U.S. jurisdiction for a substantial number of years to sit for the Minnesota bar exam and, if successful and otherwise qualified, to be admitted to the Minnesota Bar, notwithstanding the fact that the attorney had not graduated from an ABA-approved law school.

The court ordered the board to file the proposed rule amendment with the court on or before Sept. 30, 2010. The amendment will then be scheduled for public comment and hearing.

In the struggle against the ABA monopoly, this is an exciting victory. But the battle's not over. There are some things still to do in the coming weeks.

1. Pray. Thank God for opening this door and pray for wisdom and discernment for Dean Magnuson and others who are working with the MN Supreme Court on the rule amendment. Also pray that this action by the MN Supreme Court would influence other jurisdictions to consider exceptions to ABA restrictions.

2. Participate. I was able to talk to Dean Magnuson immediately after he heard about the ruling. He is eager for OBCL alumni to submit public comments once the forum becomes available.

Praise God for the opportunity for a fair hearing in Minnesota! We'll keep you posted...

Alumni in the News VII - Continued

2010-08-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

Matt McReynolds made the front page of the Sacramento Bee for successfully defending a pastor's first amendment right to share his faith.

Alumni in the News VII

2010-08-13T14:51:00.000-07:00

Oak Brooker Timmy Teepell is mentioned in Sports Illustrated. Governor Jindal signs into a law a bill to allow homeschoolers to participate in public school athletic activities and says that it should be called the “Timmy Teepell” bill. Take that, Timmy Tebow!

Carrying on the Oak Brookers and sports theme, Mike Reitz of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation helps interview Pete Carroll, former USC coach and current coach of the Seattle Seahawks on a local radio show.

Mike Reitz and Jonathan Bechtle discuss, among other things, if free speech applies to honking your horn in their entertaining monthly podcast.

Meredith Turney writes in Townhall on Milton Friedman’s enduring legacy.

Bryan Tyson bravely tries to make boring Georgia Supreme Court cases interesting on the Georgia Supreme Court blog.

Write Mark Bigger at mjbigger@juno.com on interesting stories involving Oak Brook grads or students.

Outsourcing lawyers?

2010-08-12T18:13:00.001-07:00

"Where have all the lawyers gone?," Larry Ribstein asks in a recent Forbes article. His answer: "To India." Ribstein predicts that the international competition will force the American bar to change the way it does things.

"The licensing requirement restricts the supply of lawyers in the U.S. and, of course, raises the price. Even lawyers performing the most routine services must pay $100,000 or so for a legal education, plus three years of their time and thousands for a bar exam and bar review course. No wonder legal services are priced out of the reach of much of America even as legal regulation plays an increasing role in our lives.

"In the long run, for better or worse, this regulatory structure will not survive global competition. It is threatened not only by India and other outsourcing venues, but also by loosening restrictions on law practice in the U.K., Europe and Australia, which now has the first publicly traded law firm. Hedge funds already are providing outside financing for litigation. The capital markets offer the legal services industry a glittering pile of cash for remodeling. Even lawyers must see that licensing laws keep them from competing in the world that is rather than protecting them from competition in the world that was."

This has important implications for legal education as well. The legal academy nationwide will be forced to investigate new methodologies that cut costs without sacrificing quality, and I imagine that distance learning will come to play an increasingly important role.

More on the cost of legal education

2010-08-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

A recent study sponsored by the ABA raises a number of concerns with the U.S. News & World Report law school rankings. Their number one concern was the cost in legal education:

The current methodology tends to increase the costs of legal education for students. As a recent study by the United States Government Accountability Office has suggested, the U.S. News methodology arguably punishes a school that provides a high quality education at an affordable cost. Because low-cost law schools report a lower expenditure per student than higher cost schools, it is difficult for low tuition schools to top the rankings. A school that works hard to hold down costs may indeed find itself falling in the rankings relative to a peer that increases tuition above the rate of inflation each year.

U.S. News responded to the criticism by pointing out that rising costs can be blamed on the still-rising demand for legal education: “Concerning law school tuition costs, . . . there's basic economics of demand being greater than supply, which is one key reason why law schools can keep raising their tuition.” U.S. News adds: “[I]t's very easy for the ABA and law school academics to blame U.S. News for many of the negative practices at law schools. Law schools and the ABA need to take far more direct responsibility for these trends.”

Whoever is to blame – and there would seem to be enough for everyone to share – it’s probably beyond controversy that law school in the U.S. is excessively expensive. Many law students who graduate and face the difficult legal job market are tens of thousands of dollars in debt. While I would be the last person to say that you should choose a law school based on cost alone, we have to acknowledge that the cost of law school is an important factor to weigh when evaluating your options. On this point, you would be very hard pressed to top Oak Brook College of Law (see this previous post).

Why Come to Tahoe? (Part 2)

2010-07-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

(Check out Part 1 here!)

Registrations are beginning to roll in for our Alumni weekend in gorgeous South Lake Tahoe on September 10-12, 2010. I'm excited to see so many that are planning to come, but I can't help but think that some of you are still on the fence. So - why would you come to Tahoe?

Here are a few answers from those that have experienced Tahoe:

The value of spending time with other Christians who have similar goals is immeasurable. The annual Alumni Association meetings have provided the opportunity to invest in an organization dedicated to supporting and continuing the mission of OBCL in the lives of alumni and current students, and the fellowship of Christians who are lawyers (and among whom you do not have to explain why you went to OBCL). There is a camaraderie among the OBCL family of alumni that you will find nowhere else. - Anita P.

My wife and I both found the 2009 Alumni Association meeting to be extremely edifying. We had just left our extensive network of friends on the east coast and had moved to California about 3 months before the meeting. It was a real encouragement to get together and fellowship with other Oak Brook graduates and their families....I highly recommend attending the Alumni Association meeting. It is a great time of fellowship, refreshment, and a great way to make sure that the school will be around for decades to come. - John O.

So don't delay! Register online today!

Taking Scholarship to the Next Level

2010-07-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

Lots of lawyers and law students have good ideas. It's a much harder task to take those good ideas and put them on paper. It's harder even than that to take your paper, fine-tune and polish it, and get it published in a legal journal.

OBCL Alumni Lael Weinberger and Bob Renaud did just that with their article entitled "Spheres of Sovereignty: Church Autonomy Doctrine and the Theological Heritage of the Separation of Church and State." As if that wasn't good enough, their article is now going to the next level - the citation.

Getting cited in any article is an achievement, but getting cited by a noted constitutional scholar is above and beyond that. And getting cited by former 10th Circuit Judge Michael W. McConnell, who fits all of the above categories - well, you just don't get too much higher than that. So with that in mind, check out footnote 1 to Judge McConnell's paper entitled "Non-State Governance."

Congrats, Bob and Lael!

Board Update

2010-07-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Even with the craziness of summer upon us, the OBCLAA Board is steadily moving forward with preparations for the upcoming Annual Meeting in lovely Lake Tahoe -- and a slew of other projects!

Here are some highlights from the last Board meeting on June 15:

* Preparations for the 2010 Annual Meeting in Tahoe are in full swing. Brandon Stallings has set up a Facebook event page dedicated to the meeting. If you have any pictures from last year's meeting that you would like to contribute to the page, message Brandon. And be sure to RSVP!

For the first time ever, a hard copy of the announcement has been mailed out to all alumni, and online registration is available here. Now would be a great time to RSVP!!

As always, this conference will be a memorable time of refreshing, refocusing, and reconnecting with the OBCL community. If you've never made it to an Alumni Association event, coming to Tahoe would be a great first step! Don't forget to RSVP!!!

* Congratulations are in order to Charissa Sonntag, who will be getting married later this summer. Sadly for the Board, however, Charissa will be not be seeking reelection as the National Association and Accreditation Committee chairman. If you are interested or know someone who would be interested in serving in this position, please let the Board know.

* Adam York reported that the Student Relations Committee is working to supply mentors to all students preparing for the Bar exam. The Committee is also in the planning stages of establishing regional coordinators to get the word about OBCL out to local homeschool groups, debate clubs, and other potential sources for future lawyers.

* Paralegal Liaison Crystal Kinz asked for the Board's input on a plan to publish contributions from Paralegal Program graduates on the Alumni blog. The Board enthusiastically approved, and hopes to be adding additional paralegal content soon.

* The Board approved issuing funding to cover publication of new publicity brochures for the school. The old brochures had become outdated, most notably with their listing of old amounts for tuition.

This year promises to be the OBCLAA's most productive year yet! If you're not already, make 2010 your year to become involved.

(Oh, and remember to RSVP.)

OBCL - Where Value Exceeds Cost

2010-06-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

The Alumni Association's College Liaison, Anita Paulsson, has been working with OBCL staff on a project to detail and illustrate the cost-effectiveness of OBCL's legal training.

At the same time, OBCL is in the process of kicking off a brand-new blog to highlight the college's news. Anita put her work into one of the first posts up on that blog, and shares her personal testimony along with the hard-and-fast statistics on OBCL's great value, both educationally and fiscally. Great work, Anita!

Read it here: Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy - Where Value Exceeds Cost

The Washington State Supreme Court Coming to a Community near You!

2010-06-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

"The Supreme Court of the State of Washington is now in session." It was a rainy day in May when the Washington State Supreme Court convened at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake to hear oral arguments in three cases. With the audience largely consisting of college students for the first case heard by the Washington Supreme Court on May 18, 2010, I had to remind myself this was the real thing, not a law school moot court. As the students returned to their classes, the audience thinned to a discouragingly few for the second case.

According to their website, the Washington Supreme Court has made periodic visits to communities throughout the state since 1985, welcoming and making it more possible for the public to observe that branch of government in action. http://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/?fa=newsinfo.pressdetail&newsid=1590. As the oral arguments began in the second case, nearly everyone simultaneously looked up as the first attorney to speak began discussing a case from 1895. That date clearly arrested the attention of everyone there and reminded me that how you begin your argument can make a difference.

For the citizens of Washington State, these visits by their state supreme court are great opportunities to learn more about the Washington Supreme Court and the current justices. I would encourage not only every attorney and law student but also every concerned citizen to take every opportunity possible to visit and observe their state supreme court in action.

RSVP for Tahoe on Facebook!

2010-06-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

Brandon Stallings, our Alumni Relations chairman, has created our official Tahoe Facebook page. Be sure to RSVP to let us (and other Alumni) know that you are coming to the annual meeting and retreat!

Check it out here.

Law school and "bad sociology"

2010-05-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

Catching up on old news, I read an interesting and provocative article by Charles Rounds (professor, Suffolk University Law School) lamenting the decline of the “common law” subjects in law school. (HT: Law School Innovation.) Courses on the bread-and-butter common law courses ought to be at the heart of the law school curriculum, he says.

“Common law, of which agency and trust are critical components, is the bedrock upon which all our statutory and regulatory edifices are constructed. Unfortunately, the old required courses in the law—the courses necessary to master the law’s basic anatomy—have largely been crowded out by courses about the law. Almost every self-respecting law professor is now an amateur sociologist engaged in ‘ground-breaking’ and ‘cutting-edge’ scholarship that has a gender, race, or sexual identity hook. Those who are less sociologically inclined are likely preoccupied with some ultra-technical aspect of the Constitution, some piece of legislation, or a regulation. Many professors manage to cobble together entire courses around their preoccupations.”

Professor Rounds concludes that “law students at great expense are getting little more than bad sociology.”

What’s the solution? Professor Rounds suggests:

“This de-professionalization of the American law school, a phenomenon of profound concern to many in the legal profession, suggests that there is an opening for the for-profit sector. A bare-bones, back-to-basics for-profit law school staffed by seasoned scholar-practitioners may be the answer. The more boot-camp-like the better, in that the rigor will prepare future lawyers for the work they’ll actually confront in the real world.”

Rounds' comments raise some issues that I might quibble about some other time (should a law school curriculum be reduced to just nuts-and-bolts courses to prepare student for practice? I don’t think so). But I think he does raise some thought-provoking points about big issues facing law schools, especially in a difficult economy.

And, ahem. The Oak Brook College curriculum features the common-law staples prominently. The distance-learning methodology makes it possible for OBCL students to get real world experience working in law while still in law school. The faculty is comprised of practicing lawyer-teachers who know what really is happening in the real world. These are pluses that we OBCL grads sometimes take for granted, but shouldn’t.

And ending on a cheerful note, Professor Rounds thinks the future is bright for new approaches to legal education: "A for-profit law school that affords its students a thorough grounding in the fundamentals would soon win the respect and admiration of the hiring partners in the nation’s law firms. In time they would come to take with a grain of salt the puff pieces and propaganda of their non-profit alma maters, and of the American Bar Association which regulates them."

Alumni in the News VI

2010-05-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

98B’s Chris Schweickert writes an essay on prayer at public colleges for the American Thinker entitled "Free Speech at College: 'You Can't Do That Here'"

Alumni Peter Fear is featured in a Business Journal story on one of today's most discussed legal topics: "Local Attorney Cautions Against Debt Consolidations"

Matt McReynolds is quoted in an AP story on religious freedom in Southern California.

Jonathan Bechtle and Mike Reitz discuss internet filtering at libraries, rape shield laws, and other recent Washington Supreme Court decisions in their entertaining monthly podcast.

OBCL Grad Meredith Turney discusses the political blame game in the aftermath of BP’s recent offshore oil spill.

Alumni Brian Tyson has a number of informative updates out of Georgia on his firm's SCOG Blog.

Are you an alumni that has recently been published online? Please let us know so that we can highlight your work!

February, 2010 Bar Results

2010-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the OBCL Alumni who passed the February, 2010 California Bar Exam! This class did us proud.

Right now, I know of 7 of 9 first-time takers from OBCL whose names were on the pass list. There may be a couple of other first-timers who took it, so check back for an update later today when the school fills us in.

But for now, congratulations to Curtis, Kristi, Caleb, Heidi, Joshua, Laura, and Lael!

Stupendous work, Class 05! May God continue to richly bless your efforts.

***UPDATE***

Looks like the final statistics are in: 7 of 12 first-time takers passed, and 3 of 9 repeat takers passed. Both of those are fantastic statistics on the whole, and we congratulate each individual passer!

Why come to Tahoe?

2010-04-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

I hope that you already have the weekend of September 11 highlighted on your calendar. It is, after all, going to be a fantastic weekend of Alumni fellowship and fun in Lake Tahoe.

But if you're on the fence, or making excuses to miss out, you don't have to take my word for it. Here's what Alumni are saying about attending:

Tahoe is a beautiful location to get away to, but the best part of the reunion for me was not the sightseeing but the fellowship- with old friends and new. The highlight of the '09 reunion was the time of worship and sharing Sunday morning. I can't imagine any OBCL'er regretting making the effort to attend. - Sean S.

The weekend in Tahoe made me grateful once again for the strong ties that bind Oak Brook alumni together, and for the fellowship that we have together in Christ regardless of where our professional paths lead. - Emily Y.

More Alumni testimonials to come - as well as registration forms. But mark your calendars now!

Follow the Alumni Association on Twitter!

2010-04-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Taking the next step in our quest to connect Oak Brook Alumni, we've launched a Twitter account! If you're on Twitter follow us @obclalumni. We will be certain to not only follow you back, but to re-tweet your news, accomplishments, and links along with general news from the Alumni Association.

And if there is something that you'd like to see on the Twitter feed, be sure to hit us up with a direct message. Looking forward to following all you twitter-savvy alumni!

"Law School Grads Face Tougher Economic Times"

2010-04-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

In a fitting update to Lael's post from last week, US News and World Report is reporting on the status of the legal profession's economy in a write-up entitled "Law School Grads Face Tougher Economic Times."

The truth is that the legal profession isn't what it once was. It is hard to get a job, especially a high-paying entry job to pay off student debt. As is pointed out in that article, it is a gamble for even the most brilliant student to incur a crushing amount of student debt in the hopes that high income will allow the new lawyer to pay it off.

This story is a great reminder to me of two things - first off, how grateful I am to be able to practice law without the burden of debt, thanks to the vision of OBCL. Second, it's a reminder to me of the great potential of the Alumni Association. We exist, in large part, to network graduates with Alumni that are established in their professions, so that institutional knowledge, practical wisdom, and yes, jobs can be available for the entire body of students and alumni.

Are traditional law schools keeping up?

2010-04-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Guest post by alumni Lael Weinberger

The National Law Journal has a report on a recent conference that called for big changes in traditional legal education. The conference was called “Future Ed: New Business Models for U.S. and Global Legal Education,” and was sponsored by the law schools at New York University and Harvard.

According to the article, the conference was a reaction to an important 2007 report from the Carnegie Foundation that warned that traditional law schools were doing a poor job teaching students practical job skills. Many of the participants in the “Future Ed” conference went further, warning that law schools are out of touch with the real world. They don’t teach practical skills as well as they should. They don’t emphasize business considerations (like talking with clients about costs). They are run on a model that is becoming obsolete: students rack up enormous debt on the assumption that they can get high paying jobs at firms, but those jobs are disappearing and the firm structure is changing.

The article quotes one analyst at the conference who said that American law school is “not simply incomplete.” “It's directionally wrong in many respects because it's misaligned with where the world really is. In my opinion, most of the things I see that are problematic in the profession right now are rooted in law schools.”

The report concludes by noting that the conference “included panels on the possible alternatives” to the standard legal education model and “addressed accelerated programs, experiential learning and distance education and lessons learned from other industries.”

“There's a saying in academia that change is good…for others,” one of the conference participants joked. For a long time, most American law schools have resisted change. But with conferences like this, momentum seems to be building for more change in the field.

Hopefully, this means that the larger world of legal education is recognizing what Oak Brook College of Law has known since its founding in 1995. OBCL’s non-traditional program puts an emphasis on practical skills and the curriculum makes it possible to get real-world work experience while in school. In the process, OBCL students also avoid the enormous debt that usually accompanies three years at a traditional law school.

Board Update

2010-04-14T08:35:00.001-07:00

Last night, April 13, the OBCLAA Board met to share our progress since our last meeting in February. Here are some highlights of the meeting:

* Thanks to the excellent work of Jordana Ward and Rachael (Moxon) Denhollander, and the cooperation of many alumni so far, we are coming close to finishing our compilation of updated contact information. The goal of having a detailed bio for each alumnus/alumna is still a bit more far off. If you've been contacted by Jordana or Rachael, please help them out by filling in the blanks in your bio.

* Plans for the OBCLAA's 2010 annual meeting in Lake Tahoe continue to go well. The meeting is scheduled for September 11, 2010, to be held at Zephyr Cove. Mark that weekend on your calendars now! And expect to see the official invitation and registration soon.

* As the contact information is gathered, Mark Bigger and Brandon Stallings are planning an information packet that will be sent to all alumni, informing them about the Alumni Association and its work on behalf of Oak Brook College, its students and graduates.

* Charissa Sonntag (with the exceptional help of Anita Paulsson for Washington state) is working on the ever-growing project of compiling admissions rules for states around the country. The next step in this project will be getting some estimates on web design to make this information accessible to OBCL students and graduates.

Please continue to pray for the Board and for the leadership of OBCL, that they would have wisdom and be faithful to the school's mission while adapting to new challenges.

Alumni In The News V

2010-04-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

Meredith Turney discusses Democrats attempts to change the subject of the health care legislation, how it was passed and what it contained to demonizing the opponents of health care.

OBCL Grads Michael Reitz and Jonathan Bechtle discuss in their own entertaining way rulings of the Washintgon Supreme Court on their extremely popular monthly podcast. The Supreme Court Blog Podcast gets over 11,000 views a month, making it one of the most popular State Supreme Court Podcasts in the nation.

Michael Reitz also writes on the WA Supreme Court’s ruling that the Governor of Washington does not have to fund in the state budget proposal an $87 Million arbritration award given to state workers.

OBCL Grad Bryan Tyson updates the latest on the Georgia Supreme Court Blog. The Georgia Supreme Court Blog is dedicated to following civil law rulings in Georgia’s top court.

Tahoe- Why This Is More Than A Destination

2010-04-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share my personal experience in going to Tahoe for the first time as a law student in hopes that this inspires students/alumni to attend this picturesque locale. I went to Tahoe to get a job as a clerk for a smaller firm that dabbled in all areas of law. I felt that this was necessary for my professional development as it allowed for me to get experience in many areas which would lead to me being able to make an informed decision on what I wanted to do for the next couple years of my life.

In contacting ABA attorneys regarding the possibility of interning for them, none of them were comfortable with the idea of OBCL, and at least comfortable with the nature of the education I was receiving. For this reason, I felt that my education in the practical workings of the law would be best assisted by an OBCL grad who would not be questioning my school background. Again, I felt that to get my foot in the door, it would be wise to intern with an OBCL grad and what better place to get a feel for things than a gathering of OBCL alumni.

My experience in interviewing and meeting OBCL grads proved to be inspiring and motivational in that it put a bit of meat to the educational skeleton that I had been working toward. To meet real live OBCL attorneys lent credibility to my endeavors and to the years of toil. I ended up getting a clerkship with Clayton Campbell which allowed me to be introduced to the Bakersfield legal community, and eventually led to a job with the District Attorney's Office.

I went back to Tahoe in 2009 as a newly licensed attorney, and was again struck by the level of support and motivation that this event offered. It was great to reconnect with friends, and also network with alumni that I had not met previously. Again, I saw the importance of being intentional in building community with those of a similar background as I was able to focus on moving forward, rather than merely treading water with ABA people.

As a new attorney, I couldn't say enough about Tahoe and the people that I have met there. Give it a try; I look forward to hearing about the growth that takes place as a result of making this much more than a destination.

ALUMNI IN THE NEWS IV

2010-03-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

OBCL Graduate Matt Reynolds is quoted on Fox News defending the right of folks to hold bible studies in their home without a permit.

Read OBCL graduate Bryan Tyson’s musings on court decisions on his law firm's Georgia Supreme Court Blog.

Meredith Turney writes in Townhall that Reagan Was Right About Government Run Health care.

Michael Reitz of 98B infamy blogs on the Washington State Supreme Court Blog about a ruling that a missing transcript material to an appeal requires a new trial for a man convicted of a DUI.

Contact me at mjbigger@juno.com to report any interesting writing or stories involving alumni that you come across.

Did you know?

2010-03-21T16:44:00.001-07:00

The Alumni Association is in the midst of completing some projects that will give us a springboard into further successful projects.

The biggest "springboard" project is the compiling of an accurate, up-to-date database of Alumni. With so many alumni moving around, and scattered all across the country, it is a huge project to catalogue what everyone is up to. So, if you are an alumni, hopefully you have gotten a call from one of the great folks who have been touching base and compiling the information.

If you have not, though, would you contact us? We want to know what you are up to, and how we can be in touch for the benefit of the growing body of alumni. We each have our own little circle of influence, and the Alumni Association is about combining those circles of influence for the benefit of all, and that's what this project is all about.

So, if you have not gotten a call, please e-mail us! We would love to let you know what's going on with the college and the alumni association. I can be reached at gabe@gabewaddell.com.

Ninth Circuit reverses self and makes sense.

2010-03-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Legal Writing III, all OBCL graduates in the last few years are familiar with the 9th Circuit's 2002 decision ruling the Pledge of Allegiance with the words "under God" unconstitutional.

Last Thursday, in response to yet another lawsuit filed by Dr. Michael Newdow, the 9th Circuit issued a ruling reversing the 2002 holding, finding instead that it IS constitutional to say "under God" in the Pledge.

Writing for a 2-1 majority, Judge Carlos Bea relied on the argument that the words "under God" are a statement of our nation's political philosophy, an echo of the Declaration of Independence:

The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our Republic was founded and for which we continue to strive: one Nation under God—the Founding Fathers’ belief that the people of this nation are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; indivisible—although we have individual states, they are united in one Republic; with liberty —the government cannot take away the people’s inalienable rights; and justice for all—everyone in America is entitled to “equal justice under the law” (as is inscribed above the main entrance to our Supreme Court).

Now there's an argument that should sound familiar to more than a few alumni.

Click here to read the press release from the Becket Fund, a leader in propounding the "philosophy of government" argument.

All 193 pages of the opinion (including Judge Reinhardt's dissent) can be accessed here.

A Moving Article

2010-03-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, inspiration comes from strange sources.

I regularly follow the Wall Street Journal's fabulous Law Blog for legal news. It isn't often, though, that my spiritual life is blessed by them, as well. They linked to an interview of a Harvard Law prof, who is living under perpetual threat of death from a terminal illness, as well as constant excruciating pain. He talks about his very real faith through it all.

I was highly blessed by this example of a man who is up to his neck in a very secular legal world, and yet, used every move - and every struggle - to glorify God. He teaches criminal law, studying the depravity of humanity on a daily basis, and yet, keeps his focus on God.

I pray that I, and every OBCL grad out there, will do the same.

Read it here:

You Will Call, I Will Answer

Ahead of the Game

2010-02-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

What is the ONE characteristic that makes Oak Brook lawyers the most unconventional? The most unusual? Counter-cultural?

It may be this: we don't have law school debt.

In this month's Bar Journal, California State Bar President Howard Miller wrote the following:

The cost of legal education has skyrocketed, not just at private schools. At Berkeley Law and UCLA, tuition alone is now around $38,000 a year. With many fewer jobs available, students are graduating with combined undergraduate and law school debt of well over $150,000.

Meanwhile, a typical OBCL grad is equipped to work, save, travel, and [if the past is any indication] start a new family . . . all outside the shadow of a mountain of debt.

Not a bad deal.

Alumni in the News III

2010-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

OBCL Graduate Will Humble scores a victory for Homeschooling liberty in an immigration case.

OBCL Graduate Gabe Waddell writes about an Iranian pastor facing martyrdom for his beliefs.

Alumni in the News II

2010-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

For those who want to really dust off the old thinking cap on 1st Amendment issues, read OBCL’s Lael Weinberger’s article that he wrote for the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review entitled “Religion Undefined: Competing Frameworks for Understanding 'Religion' in the Establishment Clause.”

Or read the law review that Lael co-wrote with OBCL grad Bob Renaud for the Northern Kentucky Law Review entitled “Spheres of Sovereignty: Church Autonomy Doctrine and the Theological Heritage of the Separation of Church and State.”

Meredith Turney writes for Townhall on the need for expanding Governor Schwarzenegger’s plan for prison privatization beyond the Department of Corrections.

Michael Reitz breaks down justice by justice how the Washington State Supreme Court voted in 2010 at the Washington Supreme Court Blog.

Lastly, Jack Stuart writes on the Christmas Day terrorist attack and the related public policy considerations in an article entitled “Warfront With Jihadistan: Hot Pants, Cold Shoulders, Lukewarm Policy.”

Fighting for Marriage in California, Part II

2010-01-25T17:05:00.001-08:00

For a more in-depth look at the fight for marriage in California, I’ve interviewed Matt McReynolds, an OBCL alumnus and attorney with the Pacific Justice Institute.

OBCLAA: Why is the Prop. 8 trial important for California?

McReynolds: The trial is important on a number of levels, including (but certainly not limited to) the future of democracy in California. In essence, the plaintiffs are proposing that, even after decades of civil rights advances, we cannot trust ordinary voters to decide what the basic principles of equality do and do not mean. Instead, we are told, only the privileged few in black robes can be trusted to define equality. The trial is also important in that the plaintiffs are presenting a mountain of evidence that arguably relies heavily on the emotion and sensitivities of the LGBT community to interpret constitutional principles. We’ve come a long way with the “elastic” Constitution, but this seems to be stretching our founding document in an entirely new and untested direction, with highly unpredictable consequences for future interpretation of other constitutional provisions.

OBCLAA: Tell us about your work on Prop. 8 before it passed.

McReynolds: During the Prop. 8 campaign, my firm and I spent a considerable amount of time counseling countless pastors and church leaders throughout California as to their rights to be involved in the campaign. There is a common misperception that churches and other 501(c)(3) organizations cannot take a position in any political campaign. In reality, while non-profits may lose their tax-exempt status for supporting or opposing particular candidates or political parties, they enjoy considerable freedom to speak out about ballot initiatives and legislation. To perhaps state the obvious, the involvement of these churches became crucial in the campaign.

After the campaign was over, and we began to see acts of physical violence, intimidation and vandalism against churches and individuals that had supported Prop. 8, my firm and I advised pastors and churches as to their rights and protections under the FACE acts and similar laws.

OBCLAA: Have you been involved in the Prop. 8 litigation? If so, how?

McReynolds: Yes, I think it’s safe to say that PJI has been involved with every phase of the marriage battles in California for the last decade, from the passage of Prop. 22 to its ultimate overturning, then through the passage of Prop. 8, its eventual upholding by the State Supreme Court, and the current federal litigation. I’ve only been on the scene the last five years, but I wrote letter briefs we filed with the state Supreme Court immediately after Prop. 8 was challenged there, and PJI has filed an amicus brie in the current federal trial.

OBCLAA: Tell us about your job for PJI. What do you do?

McReynolds: Pacific Justice Institute, founded in 1997 by attorney Brad Dacus, is a legal and educational organization that defends the rights of Christians in their workplace, houses of worship, schools and the public square. Since coming to PJI, I’ve been involved with brief-writing for every level of the state and federal judiciary on church-state issues, church land-use claims, employment discrimination cases, a same-sex marriage benefits case (unrelated to Prop. 8), a landmark homeschooling rights case, and so on. PJI did very little litigation when I arrived in 2005, but that now accounts for at least half of our work. I’ve argued a variety of motions in state court, federal court and a state court of appeals. Aside from the litigation, I’ve spent a fair amount of time advising thousands of individuals on a wide variety of religious liberty issues. As part of my job, I’ve also participated in dozens of media interviews and have testified before the state legislature and numerous local governmental bodies.

OBCLAA: Do you believe that your unique education at Oak Brook helped to prepare you for this job? How?

McReynolds: Absolutely. I would especially credit OBCL’s association with Prof. Jordan Lorence, a top-notch role model for aspiring constitutional attorneys, and the school’s emphasis on apprenticeship over ivory-tower academics. Because of the school’s emphasis on spending as much time as possible in a law office, I worked about 30 hours a week for the last two years of law school with the American Center for Law and Justice. That experience was far better preparation for what I’m doing now than anything I could have read in a textbook.

OBCLAA: Have you faced any discrimination because of your atypical education?

McReynolds: I don’t believe so. I’ve had a number of law students from ABA schools work for me over the last few years, and I can tell you that OBCL students and alumni have no reason to feel inferior to them. The school you attended—whether Ivy League or unaccredited—does not determine your destiny. You do. I should add that I’ve been very fortunate to work in an environment that was already favorable to OBCL thanks to great interns like Nicole Pallais and Christopher Schweickert.

OBCLAA: What can Oak Brook alumni do to help fight for truth in California and around the country?

McReynolds: It takes almost nothing to become an affiliate attorney of Pacific Justice Institute. That simply means you send me your contact info and agree only to get infrequent e-mails from us alerting you to pro bono opportunities in your geographic area. There is zero financial or any other firm commitment involved. I would also strongly encourage alumni to become allies with Prof. Lorence’s organization, the Alliance Defense Fund. While they expect more of a pro bono commitment than PJI does, the payoff is very nice—an all-expenses paid trip to somewhere nice (last year it was Hawaii, this coming summer it’s Chicago) for the best CLE hours you’re ever likely to get.

OBCLAA: What about OBCL students? How can they help?

McReynolds: I think students need to understand how important the apprenticeship aspect of OBCL is. My view is that an OBCL degree is woefully incomplete without some serious internship hours. Aside from the internship, though, students really need to network. Join the Christian Legal Society and Federalist Society, and make sacrifices to go to their conferences.

OBCLAA: Do you have any suggestions for how OBCL students can prepare for careers in Constitutional Law?

McReynolds: I believe most OBCL students—and especially anyone who wants to do constitutional law—should push themselves to submit an essay for ADF’s annual scholarship competition, and apply for ADF’s Blackstone Fellowship, which happens in the summer. The former was crucial in getting me started in this area, and I know other OBCL alums have benefited from the latter.

***

Thanks, Matt, for giving us a glimpse into your work for PJI and for constitutional freedom in California!

-- Emily Younger for the OBCLAA

Fighting for Marriage in California, Part I

2010-01-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

At a time when advocates of truth are so sorely needed, it is unsurprising that some of Oak Brook's own are on the front lines of the battle for traditional marriage in the U.S.

One of those "front lines" is California's Prop 8 trial, which began in San Francisco last Monday, January 11.

Prop 8 Background

Passed by California voters in November, 2008, Prop 8 made this simple declaration: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." (Learn more about the Prop 8 campaign here.)

The proposition's passage caused an immediate furor from California's vocal community of opponents to traditional marriage -- furor promptly funneled into federal litigation. In May, 2009, the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger, brought by two men and two women challenging the proposition's constitutionality, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. (Click here to read the Alliance Defense Fund fact sheet on the case, and here for a summary of the litigation and a link to ADF's brief on behalf of protectmarriage.com.)

Now, just a year after Prop 8 passed into law, Perry has come on for trial in San Francisco. (Here is some local perspective on the trial.) Trial is expected to last more than two weeks.

Voices We Know

Oak Brook students and alumni following the trial coverage will likely recognize some familiar voices. Jordan Lorence, Oak Brook's beloved Constitutional Law professor and Senior Vice President at the Alliance Defense Fund, is serving as ADF's media liaison for the duration of the trial.

Follow Professor Lorence's coverage at the following sites hosted by Alliance Defense Fund:

ADF Alliance Alert - This site links to ADF media releases as well as outside media reports on the trial and interviews with ADF attorneys.

Perry v. Schwarzenegger Resource Page - ADF's home for Perry-related news releases.

Another voice for the defense of marriage is OBCL's Matthew McReynolds (99B), an attorney with the Pacific Justice Institute. Both McReynolds and Lorence were featured last Friday in a Family News in Focus report on the trial. (Click here for interview audio.)

McReynolds and the California-based PJI have been involved in Prop 8's defense since long before Perry. For more on Matt's work for marriage in California, stay tuned for "Fighting for Marriage in California, Part II" . . .

* * *
If YOU are (or know of) an Oak Brook student or alumnus with reports from the front lines in the fight for truth, send an e-mail to our Media Relations chairman, Mark Bigger. We'd love to feature your story!

Getting your 2010 plans started right...

2010-01-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Happy new year from the OBCL Alumni Association! I hope and pray that you are having a terrific holiday season and looking forward to a blessed 2010.

And as you do your looking forward, here's something to look forward to - the 2010 annual meeting of the Alumni Association. As those of you that have attended know, these meetings are wonderful times of fellowship around our common goal of advancing OBCL and the kingdom of Christ. I hope that you'll block off the weekend on your calendar and make plans to join us!

We will be heading to beautiful Lake Tahoe for the weekend of September 11, 2010. We will be sending out more information, including registration forms, as the time approaches, but I hope you'll circle those that week and plan on being there.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or want to help out with the planning. See you in September!

Happy New Year.

Board Update

2009-12-16T07:32:00.000-08:00

Even during this holiday season, the OBCLAA Board has kept busy on projects discussed at our 2009 annual meeting. Our post-Tahoe Board meetings on October 8 and December 8 have been exciting times of reconnecting and watching projects take shape.

Here are some highlights of recent Board activity:

* Brandon Stallings, chairman of the Alumni Relations Committee, has been working hard to compile contact information and questions for an upcoming survey of OBCL alumni. It is our hope that this survey will increase awareness of the alumni association and make it easier for the OBCL community to connect, both personally and professionally.

* Charissa Sonntag, chairman of the National Association and Accreditation Committee, is creating (all the way from Taiwan!) a directory of Oak Brook's multi-jurisdictional practitioners, which will be a resource for those pursuing legal practice outside California.

* Mark Bigger, chairman of the Media Relations Committee, has formed a subcommittee to monitor Oak Brook's presence on the internet. He's also recruited two of our most media-savvy alumni, Meredith Turney and Mike Reitz, to handle any media opportunities that come our way. Also expect to hear more soon about a campaign to increase OBCL's internet presence using Google AdWords.

That's just a sampling of the Board's work to encourage growth in the OBCL community in the coming year.

To read more about what the Board is doing, you are welcome to access approved minutes of board meetings here.

Alumni In the News I

2009-12-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

Oak Brook’s emphasis on understanding the law’s connection to public policy and our individual role as attorneys in participating in that discussion is an important aspect of our educational heritage. In the coming months, I will try to put out regular updates with links to OBCL graduates efforts to make an impact on law and public policy.

As befitting a blog run by members of the legal profession, the views linked to on our site do not necessarily reflect the views of the alumni association or its members.

The first OBCL grad whose work I would like to link to is Meredith Turney. Meredith is a graduate of the 99B class and is the California Communications Director for Americans for Prosperity. Her full biography can be read at the above link at Townhall.com. Besides Townhall, Meredith also writes for the The Flash Report.

Ms. Turney recently wrote an article entitled “Winning The Abortion War Battle But Losing The Pro-Life War?" Her most recent article is "America's Unnecessary Sacrifice For The Planet."

Our next OBCL grad in the news, is 98B class graduate, Mike Reitz. Mike Reitz is general counsel of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, where he oversees EFF’s legal affairs. He has been cited or published by the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, the Seattle Times, etc. Along with OBCL grad Jonathan Bechtle, he is the co-author of To Protect and Maintain Individual Rights, a reference guide to the Declaration of Rights in the Washington Constitution. You can follow Mike at the Washington State Supreme Court Blog.

Mike’s most recent articles on the blog include a discussion of rulings on the inevitable discovery rule and the legality of issuing infraction citations when the offense was not committed in the officer’s presence.

Mike recently made an appearance on the Fox News Channel to do an interview with Glenn Beck on Washington Election Law.

The last graduate that we are linking to is Jack Stuart. Jack is a graduate of OBCL, a commercial airline pilot, Air Force Reserves Colonel, and a great teacher on leadership skills. But to those of use who like action movies and/or moving fast, one of the coolest things about Jack is that he was the “Ice Man” of the 1990’s at the Top Gun school. Yeah, he’s that sort of pilot. “Feeling the need, the need for speed.”

Jack brings his uniquely qualified perspective on foreign policy, the military, and our constitution to The Patriot Post. He entitled his latest article on the troop surge “Just Enough To Fail.”

Please contact me with links to the recent work of OBCLers who you believe should be included. Thank you for your help.

ABA Journal Touts Oak Brook Graduate's Work

2009-12-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Oak Brook faculty and graduates have been on the cutting edge of the movement for change in state bar admissions rules. That effort in Minnesota has been picking up a tremendous amount of steam in the recent months. Though the legal system changes slowly, the inertia is building!

Even the ABA Journal is reporting the action.

Valarie Wallin, a graduate of an online law school, has passed the bar in California and Wisconsin. Now she wants the Minnesota Supreme Court to allow her to take the exam there.

Wallin is joining with three other petitioners to ask for a change in Minnesota rules that allow only graduates of ABA-accredited law schools to take the state bar exam, according to PineandLakes.com. Wallin graduated from the Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy, an unaccredited distance-learning law school in California that touts its Biblical approach.

Today the average annual tuition at the four law schools in Minnesota is $27,890, according to Wallin’s petition (PDF). That compares to an annual tuition of $9,250 at the online Concord Law School and $3,500 at Oak Brook College of Law.

Read the full story here.

Keep up the good work!

A Little Extra Thanksgiving...

2009-12-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

I have lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. For one thing, I'm grateful for an OBCL "second family" to celebrate with when I couldn't make it home for the holiday!

But I would be willing to bet that I'm not the only one with significant thanks to give. One particular blessing that it seems appropriate to give recognition, kudos, and/or props to relates to our very own Alumni Relations Committee Chairman, Brandon Stallings.

Brandon just recently found out that he was hired by the Kern County District Attorney's office, and will be starting there this month. It goes without saying that in this tough job market, that is a incredible accomplishment.

So congratulations to Brandon, and praise the Lord!

Alumni help needed to compile information

2009-11-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

The OBCL Alumni Association is looking to hire a student or alumni to make contact with all college alumni who graduated between the years 1999 and 2006.

The hiree will be responsible for:
1) contacting the alumni by e-mail and by phone;
2) asking a series of specific questions, previously drafted by the Alumni Association;
3) using alumni responses to these questions to draft general biographies;
4) return those biographies to the Alumni Association for posting on the Alumni website

The hiree will be given a list of names and contact information for each alumni. It is estimated there are 130-180 alumni who will need to be contacted. The Alumni Association will compensate the hiree at $8.00 a completed bio. There will also be a deadline for completing the project in a timely manner.

If you are interested in working on this project please contact Nathan DeLadurantey and Brandon Stallings.

Alumna Commemorates the Fall of the Wall

2009-11-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

Meredith Turney graduated from the OBCL JD program with the 99B class, and works in Camarillo, CA as a spokesperson for Americans for Prosperity. She is a regular columnist at townhall.com.

She wrote a great article on the fall of the Berlin Wall at Flashpoint - be sure to check it out!

Real Leadership brought down the Berlin Wall

Fear Not

2009-10-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of last year, an opportunity arose to become part of a research and lecture team made up of lawyers and law students and led by a professor associated with Oak Brook College of Law. The purpose of this team was and is to confront our culture regarding the danger of evolutionary thought through a discussion of the 1925 Scopes Trial.

Initially, I joined this team because I love history and research, not so much out of a desire to do much lecturing. After all, I told myself that “I am a horrible public speaker.”

As has frequently happened in my life, God had a bigger reason for this step in my life. As I started my research, God began to give me a strong desire to share this message.

And once again, He reminded me of His conversation with Moses in Exodus 4:10-12. “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

Who am I to say “I can’t” when God has said “go, and I will teach you what to say”? Lord, give me the strength and the courage to share your message because it’s not about me, it’s about YOU.

For more information about our team or the Scopes Trial Lecture, feel free to contact me at anita.paulsson@gmail.com or Professor Caprera at robcaprera@aol.com.

Alumni Association at the Crossroads - The 2009 President's Report

2009-10-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

Every organization starts with a vision of something great. For the Alumni Association, that was a vision of expanding, promoting, and growing OBCL's unique calling. Even as a student, I could see the vision of those that worked to establish this organization. It was apparent, and it trickled all the way down to my study-swamped self. In the intervening years, the vision has been clarified and built.

And in every organization's life comes a time in which the established vision must be put into practical reality by dint of hard work. And as I looked back on the last year's work done by the Alumni Association Board and numerous volunteers, I can't help but realize that we are at that point in the Alumni Association's life. The vision is there, and it is clear - and now comes the time in which we must turn that vision into practical reality.

This past year, the Board worked to lay the foundation to build this reality on. So many "small" components go into effective communication, effective promotion, and effective fundraising...and this list of essentials could go on. Beyond those normal challenges, the Alumni Association faces unique challenges simply because we are scattered all across this nation! One thing that I have greatly appreciated about the Board of Directors of this association is their willingness to do things the right way. We've never taken an idea and gone off half-cocked; we've taken good ideas and made them better - those ideas and that work is the foundation.

But right now we have this chance to turn vision into reality, if we are willing to put our noses to their respective grindstones and do the work. It's time to take the foundation and build on it, taking those ideas into reality. And that is our goal for this year.

It was terrific to see the excitement of the alumni at the annual meeting last week. Indeed, I found it impossible not to get excited myself! We have the skills and the desire to do the building - and we have the foundation to build on.

It is going to be a great year.

For the Complete Tahoe Update

2009-10-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

If you are having trouble accessing the complete Lake Tahoe post at www.obclalumni.org, try www.obclaa.blogspot.com. Thank you for your patience.

2009 Alumni Weekend at Lake Tahoe

2009-10-04T23:19:00.000-07:00

October 2nd through 4th was the weekend of the sixth Annual Oak Brook College of Law Alumni Association. This was the second year that alumni weekend was held in beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Over 30 members and associates of the alumni association gathered for a weekend of fun and fellowship.

The annual meeting was held on the lake at beautiful Zephyr Cove. At the general business meeting, the following board was elected:

President, Gabe Waddell
Vice President, Nathan DeLadurantey
Treasurer, Quinton Miller
Secretary, Emily Younger
Paralegal Liaison, Crystal Kinz
Student Relations, Adam York
Alumni Relations, Brandon Stallings
Media and Promotions, Mark Bigger
Association and Accreditation, Charissa Sontagg
College Liaison, Anita Paulsson
Student Liaison, Kait Showerman

Three break out sessions were conducted:

Facilitating College Outreach (with Mark Bigger and Peter Fear)
Alumni discussed ways to increase current college enrollment such as sponsoring google Adwords, using your practice to get the word out, use of social media in your practice and for the college, and using alumni skills and personal contacts in the community to generate interest in the school.

Please contact Peter or Mark if you would like more information or would like to get involved.

2. Helping Students Prepare for the Bar (with Adam York )
Alumni explored ways that the Alumni Association can assist 4th year students study for the Bar, including scholarships for bar review materials, staging reviews, video and audio conferencing, assistance with PTs, and improving the mentoring program.

Please contact Adam if you would like to be a part of this effort or need more information.

3. Creative Fundraising for the Future (with Nathan Deladurantey)

Alumni brainstormed (significantly longer than the other groups) on ways to connect with willing givers, facilitate giving, and link giving with projects and advertising.

Nathan Deladurantey is heading up a group committed to fundraising this year. Please contact him if you would like more information or to get involved.

After the session, alumni spread out over the South Lake area to hike, sight see, shop, or rest back at one houses reserved for alumni and family. On Saturday night, we had a BBQ and social time at a 4100 square foot house rented for alumni use by Peter Fear. On Sunday morning (late), we gathered at another vacation rental for a time of worship and reflection on God's blessings on OBCL over the last 14 years.

More pictures of the weekend will posted shortly. You can also find more pictures on facebook.

Lake Tahoe will also be the site of the 2010 annual meeting. A September date should be announced by the Board by the end of the year. Please plan on coming next year!

Contact Mark Bigger at mjbigger@juno.com if you have any questions from this post.

Tahoe, here we come!

2009-10-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

We have a terrific group registered for this year's Annual Meeting and Retreat in beautiful South Lake Tahoe. If you can't make it, be sure to check back here soon for pictures from the weekend!

If you are going to be able to make it, you are in for a treat - not only do we have a great group of people, not only is the weather supposed to be great, but I got a chance to sample some of the homemade goodies baked up for us by some enterprising alumni. Treats all around!

See you soon.

Welcome!

2009-08-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

The website you are looking at is the combined effort of a long list of people - a list long enough that I don't want to attempt it here for fear of missing someone. But suffice it to say that our hope, and our prayer, is that this website will be one of the tools that the Alumni Association can use to increase the networking potential of the organization. We are all about friendships, professional connections, and advancing the ministry and impact of the Oak Brook College of Law.

So be sure to take a look around. If there is something you see, at this early stage of the game, that looks like it needs content, consider being the author. Whether you want to participate by writing practice area articles, alerting us to pertinent news stories, writing a quick article for the blog, or even just uploading your own profile information, we ask that you go for it! The Alumni Association, by its very definition, is a group effort, and this website is the same way - and therein lies its potential.

Don't forget to register today for the retreat out at Lake Tahoe, and if ever there is anything the Alumni Association can do for you, please don't hesitate to contact me at gabe@gabewaddell.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Gabe
President, OBCLAA