First Day of Baby Bar Boot Camp!

by Amy Kerschner

We started Boot Camp this year with 16 students, with a few more arriving a bit later than the first group. This class is raring to go, ready to conquer this exam for the glory of our Lord. 

We "eased" them into their studies with a full mock-baby-bar exam, with essays carefully selected to challenge their legal depth and creativity. While the class was doing their MBEs, the mentors reviewed 54 student essays, provided constructive criticism, and individual feedback for each student, which we then emailed to them before we broke into small groups to discuss the essay sets. After dinner we again broke into small groups to discuss the MBEs that students had missed.

The mentor team is excited to see how God is going to work in this class:

Katie- "This is going to be a great week. The students are great, the location is great, the food is great...the subjects are great, the mentor team is absolutely great...the weather is great, I have the best roommates, and the elevators are just great."

Emily- "The MBE small group review last evening was encouraging as we engaged in several lively black letter law debates... The students are lawyers in the making!"

Amy- "I'm just blessed and thrilled to be able to invest in this class, and to encourage them in their studies. That moment when a student 'gets it' just makes my day, and this group of students are eager to 'get it.' I'm encouraged by their cooperation and their downright determination."

Please keep this class and the mentor team in your prayers!

Meet the Board: Anita Paulsson, Secretary

For the next several of weeks on the OBCLAA Blog, we will be introducing OBCLAA's 2013-2014 Board. As we introduce the leadership of the Alumni Association, you will catch a glimpse of the goals we hope to see accomplished this year. It is our hope that something you will read here will give you an idea for how YOU can get involved. Please feel free to post a reply or contact individual Board members. 

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 currently running for a position on the City Council of the Town of Coulee City. In addition to law, Anita enjoys reading, hospitality, and learning about and being involved in local agriculture.

“I’m excited about joining the OBCLAA board this year as Secretary, and look forward to supporting the Board in their efforts to advance the interests of the College, its alumni and students.”

If you have any questions for the Secretary, Anita can be reached by e-mail at anita.paulsson@gmail.com.

Meet the Board: Jonathon Hauenschild, Vice President

For the next several of weeks on the OBCLAA Blog, we will be introducing OBCLAA's 2013-2014 Board. As we introduce the leadership of the Alumni Association, you will catch a glimpse of the goals we hope to see accomplished this year. It is our hope that something you will read here will give you an idea for how YOU can get involved. Please feel free to post a reply or contact individual Board members. 

Since his admission to practice law in California, Jonathon has developed his expertise in legal research and writing, founding Franklin Adams & Company, LLC, a company focused on providing attorneys with solid research and well-written legal documents. In addition, he currently serves as a Deputy General Counsel for the Young Republican National Federation. Jonathon currently makes his home in Cabot, Pennsylvania, where his free time is spent biking, hiking, sailing, skiing, and generally experiencing the beauty of God’s creation.

As the Vice President of the Alumni Association, Jonathon had this to say about his vision for the coming year: “We have elected a Board that has a great vision and excitement for the upcoming year. We should have a vibrant, active alumni association this year -- one which is looking out for the interests of the alumni, the student, and the law school. I look forward to serving the Alumni Association and to assisting the Board in reaching for this vision. ”

If you have any questions or would like to find out how you can help, Jonathon can be reached by e-mail at jhauens@franklinadamsllc.com. 

Meet the Board: Mark Bigger, President

For the next several of weeks on the OBCLAA Blog, we will be introducing OBCLAA's 2013-2014 Board. As we introduce the leadership of the Alumni Association, you will catch a glimpse of the goals we hope to see accomplished this year. It is our hope that something you will read here will give you an idea for how YOU can get involved. Please feel free to post a reply or contact individual Board members. 

Mark is an Oregon native and the longest-standing member of the OBCLAA Board of Directors. A member California and Oregon bars, Mark currently lives and practices traffic law in Bakersfield, California. Mr. Bigger has a traffic law practice where he actively protects the right to travel by motor carriage with logic and due process. Mark is also on the board of the Oak Brook College of Law as one of three graduate members currently serving. He is the Legislative Director and a board member on the California Traffic Defense Bar Association. Mark has also provided Continuing Legal Education courses on zealously and ethically defending indigent clients to the public defenders offices in Madera and Placer counties.

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In his free time, Mark enjoys basketball, tennis, hiking, reading, and rooting for the Seahawks and Blazers. He also has been known to take cars on the road less traveled.

As the President of the Alumni Association, Mark recognizes the importance of strengthening the College for future generations of graduates and students. As part of that strengthening process, the Alumni Association will be working with the administration of the College to help increase student enrollment, bar passage rates, and job placement, all with the goal of providing a top notch Christian legal education at an affordable price. Accomplishing those priorities requires involvement from those who care about the school and are willing to be engaged in making sure that we are the educational “city on a hill” that we are called to be. Communication with alumni and offering a support system to help achieve our full potential will be a top priority.

Please contact Mark at mjbigger@gmail.com with any questions or comments, or if you would like to become more involved.

Meet the Board: Gabe Waddell

For the next couple of weeks, we'll be introducing (or re-introducing) the members of the OBCLAA's 2012-2013 Board. We're hoping that this will give you some insight into who's leading the OBCLAA and where we hope to take the Association over the next year. As always, if one of these bios gives you an idea for how YOU can get involved, don't hesitate to post a reply or contact individual Board members. Enjoy!

Today we'll be meeting Gabe Waddell, past President of the OBCLAA and now our returning College Liaison. In addition to his record as an excellent leader of the Alumni Association, Gabe and his wife Katie are best known in OBCLAA circles for ensuring that our annual Tahoe retreat boasts the best. food. ever. Thank you, Gabe and Katie, for making our meetings fun and for sharing your servants' hearts with us.

Gabe Waddell was admitted as an attorney in 2008 after graduating with class 03A.  Shortly after being admitted, he moved to Fresno and joined the Law Offices of Peter Fear. Most of his work consists of representing debtors in chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcies and related litigation, but he has been known to represent trustees and the occasional creditor's committee, as well.  Prior to beginning practice, Gabe worked with a wide variety of non-profit organizations, doing public policy, humanitarian, and legal advocacy work. Most recently, Gabe led an international humanitarian organization providing relief to widows and orphans in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He has traveled widely, and continues to be active in humanitarian work.

Gabe and his wife Katie (also an OBCL grad!) met while working at Home School Legal Defense Association during law school. When he’s not at the office, you might find him searching for scenic views to photograph, reading a wide variety of literature, or cooking for friends.

Gabe is quick to admit that he tries to spread the word about OBCL at every opportunity.  His work in bankruptcy has given him a clear picture of the dangers of student debt, and he is constantly grateful for the fact that he could study law with OBCL, debt-free and with the opportunity to pursue his passion for ministry at the same time.  Gabe has served on the OBCLAA board in various capacities for the last four years, and is looking forward to being the link between school administration and the OBCLAA in the upcoming year.

Gabe's practice website: http://fresnobklaw.com/index.php/attorney-profiles

Meet the Board: Joanna Turnbull

For the next couple of weeks, we'll be introducing (or re-introducing) the members of the OBCLAA's 2012-2013 Board. We're hoping that this will give you some insight into who's leading the OBCLAA and where we hope to take the Association over the next year. As always, if one of these bios gives you an idea for how YOU can get involved, don't hesitate to post a reply or contact individual Board members. Enjoy!

Today we'll be meeting Joanna Turnbull, our Student Affairs Committee Chairman, and one of the newest additions to the California Bar (and to the Board). Welcome, Joanna!

My name is Joanna Turnbull, and I’m from a little town called Feilding in New Zealand (yes, LOTR was filmed here and no, we don’t have kangaroos)! I had always hoped to study law, and Oak Brook gave me the opportunity to begin my law degree with an international flavor after graduating early from high school. Oak Brook provided me with a solid legal education, grounded a Christian worldview, which prepared and enabled me to sit and pass the California Bar Exam—one of the toughest bar exams in the USA, if not the world. Through the juris doctor program, I was blessed with Godly faculty and friends and had so many amazing experiences and opportunities that I would not otherwise have had at other law schools.

I am honored and excited to be serving on the OBCL Alumni Association Board this year as Chairman of the Student Affairs Committee. I hope to use this position, in conjunction with my role as an OBCL teaching assistant, to promote various projects beneficial to current Oak Brook students, ensuring they receive the relevant support, assistance, encouragement and resources they need to succeed well in their studious endeavors.

Meet the Board: Jessica Mulder

For the next couple of weeks, we'll be introducing (or re-introducing) the members of the OBCLAA's 2012-2013 Board. We're hoping that this will give you some insight into who's leading the OBCLAA and where we hope to take the Association over the next year. As always, if one of these bios gives you an idea for how YOU can get involved, don't hesitate to post a reply or contact individual Board members. Enjoy!

Today we'll be meeting Jessica Mulder, our Paralegal Liaison and one of the new additions to the Board. Welcome, Jessica!

Jessica is a third generation Connecticut resident and is a home school graduate.  Passionate about singing, travel and volunteering with children, she also enjoys photography and being involved in missions.  She operated Mulder Home Services, organizing homes and offices, for seven years.  Jessica also worked as an administrative assistant from 2001 to 2007 at a church and private school.  She earned her undergrad from Excelsior College (Albany, NY) in 2006, graduating cum laud with a General Business degree.

Jessica’s life-long fascination with law and justice led her to change direction and get involved in the legal field.  In 2007 she enrolled in Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy to take its intense one year paralegal program.  The effective and thorough training enabled her to sit for and pass the national Certified Legal Assistant exam in 2008.  Jessica was hired in 2009 by Perlstein, Sandler & McCracken, LLC as the paralegal to the senior partner.  This Farmington, CT based firm services the legal needs of over 350 condominium and homeowner associations throughout the state.  Among other duties, Jessica assists in preparing governing documents for associations, performs legal research pertaining to association governance, maintenance and finances, and reviews service contracts.