Students from Appalachian School of Law recently joined Dean Will Thompson at the West Virginia Summer Judicial Reception, where they had the opportunity to meet judges, attorneys, bar representatives, law school leaders, alumni, and fellow law students.
The reception offered students the chance to build professional relationships and speak with members of the bench and bar in a welcoming setting outside the courtroom.
“The Summer Judicial Reception was a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet with judges and lawyers from West Virginia,” Dean Thompson said. “Our students had a good time and were able to make good connections with members of the bench and the bar, as well as other law students.”
ASL student Riley Petroski said the relaxed atmosphere made it easier for students to introduce themselves and develop meaningful connections throughout the legal community.
“It was an amazing event where students were able to communicate and develop personal connections with judges, bar representatives, professors, deans, and even named partners of large firms like Jackson Kelly,” Petroski said. “It offered a low-stakes, comfortable atmosphere that made breaking the ice less intimidating than meeting members of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, circuit courts, and Intermediate Court of Appeals from inside the courtroom.”
Petroski also appreciated seeing the continued involvement of ASL graduates within the legal profession.
“It was also a great opportunity to see how far ASL alumni have gone and how they still foster school spirit by taking current ASL students on as mentees,” she said.
For Petroski, attending the reception also provided valuable insight into the people who serve within the judicial system.
“I went because it was a great opportunity to meet the people who may hear many of the cases I have been working on,” Petroski said. “It showed me that our system of justice is alive—not only because it is always changing, but because of the diverse personalities of those who make up our judicial system.”
“I feel like I walked away with a better understanding of what judges look for and the realization that they genuinely want you to bring the best case you can,” she continued. “They also want you to bring what makes you who you are, because that is what they bring both in and out of the courtroom.”
ASL students in attendance included Jeff Watkins, Jeff McCoy, John Betencourt, Grace Thompson, Jordan Kirby, and incoming 1L Blake Collias.
Opportunities such as the Summer Judicial Reception allow ASL students to strengthen their professional networks, learn directly from members of the legal community, and begin building relationships that can continue throughout their careers.
