One hundred and sixty-three new law students entering the University of Mississippi School of Law spent a day with judges and attorneys to get an introduction to the professionalism, ethics and integrity demanded by a career as a lawyer.
On Aug. 23, at the end of a week of orientation, the law school, the Mississippi Bar and judges and lawyers from across the state gave law students an introduction to the high standards they must meet.
Chief Justice Mike Randolph of Hattiesburg, who earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, recalled sitting in a similar gathering at Lamar Hall 52 years ago. In a 30-year career as a lawyer, he tried cases in 14 states. He has served on the Supreme Court for the past 20 years.
Randolph shared wisdom and advice. He recounted the advice former U.S. Senator Thad Cochran gave him when, as a newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court in 2004, he sought out the veteran lawmaker for some pointers about running for public office. The senior Senator told him, “Be nice.”
He cited UCLA basketball coach John Wooden’s distinction between character and reputation: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
He brought along the three books on which he relies: The Constitution of the State of Mississippi, the Bible and the Mississippi Rules of Court.
“Every state (constitution) in the United States of America makes a reference to the creator or God,” he said.
He quoted a biblical standard for judges: In Exodus, Jethro told Moses to select men who were God-fearing, trustworthy and hated dishonest gain. In 1 Kings, Solomon asked God for wisdom and discernment.
“Never confuse knowledge with wisdom,” he said. And he gave students a dose of humility. “The garbage collector is more important to you than you are to him. Don’t be full of yourself.”
He gave them a two-point measure of being fair and conscientious in their dealings: how would you feel if the roles were reversed and you were on the receiving end of what you were about to do, and “would you want your mama to know what you just did?”
And he repeated the motto of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division, in which he served as an air traffic controller at age 19: “No mission too difficult, no sacrifice too great. Duty first!”
Mississippi Bar President Meade Mitchell of Ridgeland told the students that the practice of law requires sacrifice, integrity and compassion. Being a good lawyer requires “service to humanity over all else,” he said.
“You should conduct yourselves with the highest standards of professionalism and honor.”
He urged them to practice civility, and cautioned them against what he called “slash and burn” tactics.
Mitchell spoke on behalf of the Mississippi Bar as part of the 25th annual James O. Dukes Law School Professionalism Program. The program is named in honor of its founder, the late James O. Dukes of Gulfport, who served as Mississippi Bar president 1999-2000. The annual program is sponsored by the Mississippi Bar as part of orientation for students entering law school. A similar program was presented on Aug. 13 at Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson.
Judges and attorneys from across the state spent part of the morning in small group discussions with the University of Mississippi law students. They discussed hypothetical ethical situations and gave some advice based on years of practice.
Attorneys Paul Watkins of Oxford and Juan T. Williams of Southaven talked to eight students about topics ranging from avoiding conflicts of interest to dealing with unreasonable clients. The top two things that get lawyers in trouble and put them at risk of discipline, up to disbarment, are misuse of trust accounts and failure to communicate with clients, they said.
“Treat your colleagues with respect, the same respect you want to get….The backbone of the practice of law is collegiality,” Watkins told the students.
Watkins and Williams also talked about how to be a successful law student.
“Treat it like a job,” said Watkins, who teaches employment law as an adjunct professor.
Williams told them that class participation counts, so raise your hand, and he advised them to take advantage of professors’ office hours for additional discussion.
The new class of first-year law students has a few more women than men. About 55 percent are Mississippi residents; 45 percent are out-of-state students. Their interests and goals are as diverse as their backgrounds.
Tessa Andres, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and a resident of Biloxi since 2016, hopes to work with the National Sea Grant Law Center at Ole Miss. Andres worked as an administrative assistant for the St. Louis based nonprofit Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals. She did legal research and helped draft proposed federal legislation. She also earned an undergraduate degree in political science and a minor in legal studies.
“I’m so excited to get the information that I need to move on to the next phase.”
Will Lawrimore, whose undergraduate degree is political science and pre-law, is interested in air and space law or cybersecurity. He is from Hartselle, Alabama, 30 miles south of Huntsville, home of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. He quizzed Chief Justice Randolph after the program. They talked about the importance of studying hard and keeping current on reading.
“He told me to keep God first. That’s the most important thing.”
Ryan Beallis of New Lenox, Illinois, earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Purdue University and worked in the Indiana State House. He’s weighing business law or an area that would give him an opportunity to be a courtroom litigator. He considered law schools across the South before settling on Ole Miss.
“I was sick of the Midwest winters.”
Jamie Blanchard of Clinton earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Mississippi. She was at one time interested in working in government, but decided that a business law concentration suits her better. Judges and lawyers’ thoughts about civility resonated with her.
“Be kind – it’s like the basis of my personality.”
Ben Brown of Starkville had lunch with recently retired Court of Appeals Judge Jim Greenlee of Oxford and students Nick Polaszek and Josh Lazaroe during the orientation program.
“It’s a really good icebreaker for a lot of the students and it’s essentially our first networking experience,” Brown said.
He wouldn’t mind eventually becoming a judge. Brown earned a degree in economics from Mississippi State University.
Polaszek, of Sarasota, Florida, said he was inspired by his uncle, who practices law in Tampa. He is interested in corporate law. He earned an undergraduate degree from Florida State University. Why law school in Mississippi?
“I’ve lived in Florida my whole life. I see it as an opportunity to break out.”
Lazaroe, of Covington, Louisiana, is interested in tax law or business law. He earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Mississippi.
“I couldn’t imagine going to law school anywhere else,” he said.
Addison Carole Murphey of Batesville is the daughter of Circuit Judge Smith Murphey and Mississippi Judicial College Director Carole Murphey. She did not always want to go to law school.
“My whole life, I tried to find a way around it.”
She now sees her background as a gift. She grew up hearing about law and legal concepts, but realized as a college student that many people have poor if any understanding of law and the rights to which they are entitled. As a student in the Honors College at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, she produced a four-part podcast called “Learning How to Read Your Rights.” She graduated magna cum laude. She believes that earning a law degree is the best way to work toward being a voice for the voiceless.
“You have to be the change that you want to see in the world. I know that I want to help those who are not in positions to help themselves. I’m not sure what that is going to look like.”
By: Beverly Kraft, Public Information Officer for Mississippi Courts