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Carol Ann Stevens first decided to pursue a law career at age 5 because the field fascinated her. The Mississippian took a giant step toward achieving that goal at Mississippi College.
The Ridgeland resident was among 135 first-year MC Law students attending orientation sessions in early August on the Clinton campus.
Sitting around tables to converse with prominent Mississippi judges and attorneys at Anderson Hall proved to be an insightful experience for the future lawyers.
“It was an honor spending time with them,” said Stevens, a 2016 MC graduate who plans a career in corporate law. “These are people investing in our own lives.”
Whether they serve as members of the Mississippi Supreme Court or work at large law firms in metro Jackson, leaders in the state’s legal community offered invaluable advice.
Legal experts talked about “working hard and eventually achieving your goals,” added Stevens, who earned her MC bachelor’s degree in finance in May. “They taught us to act ethically and reach your goals.”
Stevens and classmates heard remarks from speakers like Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam of Sumrall, MC Law Dean Wendy Scott, and Mississippi Bar President W. Briggs Hopson III of Vicksburg.
Scott noted the first-year students are a diverse group with interesting backgrounds. Some worked in law enforcement circles. Others earned paychecks as fire fighters.
A 2013 University of Memphis graduate, Kanesha Johnson, 24, believes the profession is the right fit. The Memphis native wants to go into child advocacy work to help foster kids in a few years.
“This morning’s networking opportunities to sit with a judge was very informative,” Johnson said. “It was nice to pick his brain.”
A 2016 Louisiana Tech graduate, Michael Green says an MC Law degree will be his ticket to a career in corporate law.
Located in the capital city of Jackson, MC Law offers the right feel for the 23-year-old Shreveport, Louisiana native. “It’s a Christian university, and I come from a strong Christian family.”
The two-day MC Law orientation provided more than sage advice. It put the law students in touch with their future professors. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know the teachers,” Green said. It gives students and professors the opportunity to chat informally over cups of coffee and lunch.
The 135 first-year law students plus 17 international students represents a slight uptick over last year’s numbers at MC Law. Overall, there are more than 400 students enrolled.
After years of shrinking enrollments, law schools nationwide are expected to admit more students over the next decade as a growing number of Baby Boomers retire, MC Law leaders say.
The new MC Law students are not only coming from around the USA. Newcomers are enrolling from countries like Slovenia, France, and Saudi Arabia, noted professor Phillip McIntosh, who works with international students.
The James O. Dukes Law School Professionalism is sponsored by the Mississippi Bar as part of orientations at MC Law and the University of Mississippi School of Law. The annual program is named in honor of its founder, the late James O. Dukes of Gulfport, a former Mississippi Bar president.
Justice Beam says she’s excited to be part of the summer activities to encourage the newest crop of law students. “A law degree provides a graduate many opportunities to make a difference in one’s community, state and nation.”
Photo: MC Law Dean Wendy Scott
