Regent Law Leaps 17 Spots in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law School Rankings

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (May 11, 2023) – Regent University School of Law earned its highest ranking in school history in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best Law Schools Ranking. Today’s newly published list ranks Regent as 125th in the nation—jumping up 17 spots from the previous year. 

“Few law schools are rising more rapidly than Regent Law.  It’s wonderful to see Regent Law start to get the recognition it deserves.  And the best is yet to come,” said Brad Lingo, Dean of Regent Law. “Although our U.S. News ranking and other recent accolades are notable, no rankings can capture what makes Regent Law truly special—our Christ-centered community of students and faculty committed to truth, servant-leadership, and advocacy.  At Regent Law, we are serious about the law, serious about our faith, and serious about engaging law and faith together in community.”  

The 2023-2024 Best Law Schools Rankings measured 196 law schools that are accredited and fully approved by the American Bar Association. U.S. News & World Report based 75% of the rankings on objective measurements, including employment outcomes, bar passage rates, admissions selectivity, and student-faculty ratio. The remaining 25% of the ranking was based on the votes of law school administrators, faculty, and alumni.

Regent Law’s leap in the U.S. News rankings is part of a broader renaissance taking place at Regent Law. Recent rankings and accolades include:  

• Tied 1st in the Nation for Professors: Accessibility by Princeton Review, Best Law Schools, 2023
• 4th in the Nation for Public Policy by preLaw Magazine, 2023
• 9th in the Nation for Moot Court, 2023 
• 21st in the Nation for Ultimate Bar Passage Rate, 2023

Click here for more information on the programs and admission process at Regent University’s School of Law. 

About Regent Law

Regent Law’s more than 3,300 graduates practice law in 49 states and over 20 countries and include 38 currently sitting judges.  The School of Law is currently ranked 28th in the nation for obtaining judicial clerkships and 21st in the nation for Ultimate Bar Passage. The school offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights, an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies, and an online B.A. in Law.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with more than 13,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 11 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2023).

National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

By Joan Pi, DMA

Regent University is proud to join the nation in recognizing National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Observed annually in May, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month commemorates the tradition, culture, and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. 

In June 1977, the effort to recognize the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the United States began as Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Mineta of California requested the President to designate the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week. President Jimmy Carter signed the Resolution after the House and the Senate passed it in October 1978. Each President passed annual proclamations for Asian-Pacific American Heritage Week from 1980 to 1990. The week was eventually expanded to a month-long observation by Congress. Under the George H. W. Bush administration in 1990, May was designated Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in 1992 and renamed Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2009. 

The month of May was chosen for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month for several reasons, including the commemoration of the first Japanese who came to the United States in May 1843 and also of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in May 1869 that involved the labor of over 20,000 Asian immigrants. 

It was 1587 when Filipinos arrived in what later became the U.S. Since then, immigrants have continued to come from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands to the United States. According to a report by Pew Research Center in 2021, twenty-three million Asian American people trace their roots to more than twenty countries in Southeast and East Asia as well as the Indian sub-continent, each with unique history, culture, and languages. Currently, Asian American people comprise about seven percent of the U.S. population, and eighty-five percent of those Asian American people have origins in the following six countries: China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.[1]

Regent University was pleased to recognize George Thomas, who is of Indian descent, as the 2023 Alumnus of the year. Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa, to Indian parents, George graduated in 1995 with his master’s degree from Regent University’s School of Communication & the Arts and now serves as a CBN News senior international correspondent and co-anchor. 

For almost 30 years, George has traveled the globe as a television journalist, reporting from more than 100 countries. He has covered all the major wars over the past two decades—making multiple trips to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. He was most recently in Ukraine covering Russia’s invasion. George arrived in Ukraine’s capital two weeks before the war started and stayed for three months—crisscrossing the nation while documenting the bravery of ordinary Ukrainians fighting for freedom and democracy. 
When he’s not chasing ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the desert sands of North Africa, George is dodging Chinese, Iranian and Indian police as he ventures underground to meet with secret Christians trying to change the spiritual destinies of their nations or with human rights and religious freedom advocates fighting the good fight. George’s stories of faith, struggle and hope combine seasoned journalism with a deep calling to tell the inspiring stories of the people behind the news.

Deeply rooted in the history of the United States, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders make our nation more vibrant through the diversity of culture and traditions. Such various contributions enrich American society and strengthen the nation’s role as a global leader. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. also contribute to the diversity of the nation’s religious landscape. In 2020, about thirty-four percent of Asians in the U.S. identified as Christians.[2]

During Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, many communities celebrate the achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with festivals and activities, commemorating the contributions and legacies of those who have helped build and unite this nation for many years.

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/29/key-facts-about-asian-americans/
[2] https://www.prri.org/research/2020-census-of-american-religion/

Easter 2023

by William L. Hathaway, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Academic Affairs

We are currently in what many Christians have referred to as “Holy Week” or the “Great Week.” The phrase “Holy Week” appears to have been first used by 4th century Christian figures such as Athanasius, but even before this time key moments in the Easter week were distinctively commemorated by Christians. It marks the final period of Lent in Lenten calendars. The marking of certain time periods as having special sacred significance is a ubiquitous feature of religion, Christian and otherwise. For those from Christian traditions that do not tend to talk in liturgical ways, references to “Lent” or “Holy Week” may be less common, but even in these Christian forms the significance of “Good Friday” and “Easter” often stands out. It is not that God is less involved in our daily lives during other periods, or that any moment is “less sacred” than days that are identified literally as Holidays (i.e., Holy Days). In an important sense, as we live our lives before the eye of the omnipotent, ever present Holy God of Love, no moment is truly profane. But the marking off certain moments and locations as having special significance in both time and space serves important spiritual and other functions in human existence. God has made us creatures for whom this is the case. 

Research shows that humans operate with two broadly different types of thinking process. One type of thinking is fast and more automatic, requiring little conscious focus or effort. We drive home by an often-traveled route with little recollection of whole blocks we may have driven down on any particular day, unless something unusual stands out. It is not that way when we are first learning a route. Novel tasks, particularly tasks dissimilar from those we are used to performing require a lot of mental focus and controlled thinking. If navigating sacred moments and spaces become “automatic,” their impact on us can be similarly shifted to the background of our awareness. Jesus cautioned against the practice of engaging in vain, repetitive prayers (viz., Matthew 6:7) as though the simple repetition of words would somehow compel divine response. But the fervent prayers of the righteous “avail much” (James 5:16) when our devotion is done “in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). 

Taking time and marking out space to deliberately focus on the sacred significance of this Easter season can help us redeem the mundane moments of daily existence by recentering on the works and being of the One who sustains all moments and places. To that end, let us briefly recount days of Holy week according to the most commonly recounted Christian understandings:

• Palm Sunday—the day that Jesus triumphally entered Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.
• Monday—the day Jesus cleared the temple.
• Tuesday—Jesus delivers messages on the Mount of Olives (the Olivet discourse).
• Holy Wednesday—A period of rest in the midst of the Sacred week. Some believe Jesus spent this day in nearby Bethany where he had previously raised Lazarus from the dead.
• Maundy Thursday—the Passover meal, Gethsemane prayer, and betrayal by Judas.
• Good Friday—Trial, death, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. 
• Holy Saturday—Jesus remains buried in the tomb.
• Easter—Jesus rises from the dead.

Countless applications and vitally significant spiritual lessons have been drawn from each of these sacred moments. For instance, CBN CEO Gordon Robertson gave us a powerful reflection on the significance of Gethsemane during a recent chapel service. I encourage you to slow down and give deliberate focus to the lessons God has for you during this time. Let the oft repeated phrase “He is Risen” be more than phrase but a declaration of awakened faith and appreciation for who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do in our lives.

Celebrating Women’s History Month 2023

A Tribute to Mrs. Adelia “Dede” Robertson in Honor of Women’s History Month

By Regent University faculty member Dr. Carletta N. Artis

Regent University stands with the nation in celebrating Women’s History Month. Throughout history, women around the world have made outstanding impacts in economics, culture, politics, innovation, and justice. Here in the United States, the continued legacy of women’s accomplishments can be seen all around us. Today, women comprise more than one-fourth of Congress. And while women represented less than 2% of the armed forces in 1950, women currently account for around 15% of active members in the U.S. military. Annually, women earn over 60% of college degrees granted. Not only do they represent the majority of workers in education, health services, and social assistance, but they continue to make significant impacts in these industries. Women-owned businesses are expanding more than two times faster than the average business in the U.S. These are only a few of many examples of the growing impact women have had on American society.

With growing recognition of women’s contributions came reason to celebrate. The first Women’s History Day commenced on February 28, 1909, in New York City. Almost 70 years later came the first Women’s History Week in 1978, and in 1987, Women’s History Month was declared. The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” The National Women’s History Alliance will “encourage the recognition of women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media.” In line with this theme, we would like to highlight Mrs. Adelia “Dede” Robertson, beloved late wife of Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson, for her countless contributions to storytelling and to Regent University: 

• In the early 1960s, Mrs. Robertson served as a TV host alongside her husband as they launched the Christian Broadcasting Network.
• Mrs. Robertson was a faithful wife, mother, educator, author, and nurse. She held a bachelor’s degree in Social Administration from the Ohio State University and a Master of Nursing degree from Yale. 
• Mrs. Robertson served on the Regent University Board of Trustees from 1977 to 2019. During her tenure on the board, she served on various committees including: Building & Grounds, Public Relations & Development, School of Communication & the Arts, and College of Arts & Sciences.
• In 1982, she was appointed as the principal U.S. delegate to the Inter-American Commission of Women, where she represented the United States from 1982 to 1990. In that capacity she played a key role in elevating the status of the women who lived in Latin America.
• Mrs. Robertson specialized in interior design and personally decorated Regent’s campus to create beautiful spaces conducive to academic and spiritual enrichment. 
• The Dede Robertson Theatre and the Dede Robertson Student Center were named in her honor. At the theatre’s dedication ceremony in 2019, Dr. M.G. “Pat” Robertson said of his devoted bride: “Thank you, Lord, for my wife, Dede, and the many gifts you’ve given her. As we dedicate this magnificent theatre in her honor today, we ask for a special blessing on this beautiful, loving, and talented woman of God.”

God continues to bless women with strength and unique gifts to make the world a better place and to further His kingdom. There are countless examples of courageous and fierce women who have made a positive mark throughout history. Let us celebrate the legacies of women’s significant contributions to society while eagerly anticipating the future impacts of women who are living empowered, courageous, and authentic lives.

Princeton Review Lists Regent Law Among the Best Law Schools in the Nation

The results of the Princeton Review, in part, reflect the dedication of our faculty in mentoring students. Regent Law’s Center for Professional Formation coordinates all mentoring by faculty and through the alumni mentoring program. 

The Center pairs a first-year student with a faculty mentor. The student and mentor work on the student’s self-awareness and recognize talents and areas where the student can grow, gain experience, and develop professionally. The guidance for the student’s self-awareness and professional growth exercises are part of the 1L Foundations of Practice course, which the Center developed and runs each year.    

A student remains with the same faculty mentor for three years, and the ability of a mentor to help the student increases. The  99 scores on accessibility certainly reflect the strong connection between the faculty and students developed in mentoring. Moreover, most law faculty had extensive practice experience before teaching and have taught for many years.   

The practice experience enhances not only the professor’s teaching but also the ability to mentor effectively.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (Feb. 21, 2023) – Princeton Review has once again included Regent Law in its listing of The Best 168 Law Schools in 2023.  Regent Law has consistently been recognized in this influential college guide, which assesses metrics such as admissions selectivity, academic rigor, student satisfaction, quality and accessibility of professors, campus life, and career prospects at the nation’s law schools.

“It’s terrific to see Princeton Review recognize the quality of our program of legal education,” said Brad Lingo, dean of Regent University School of Law. “These ratings confirm that students appreciate our excellent and dedicated faculty, supportive community, and commitment to providing a high-quality legal education grounded in truth.”

Six of the 14 ranking lists were tallied using both student and administrator-reported data, five solely from student data, and the remaining three solely from administrator data.

Regent Law received strong marks on a rating scale from 60-99, with 99 being the highest, in many categories, including:

• Professors: Accessibility: 98
• Professors: Teaching: 96
• Academic Experience: 92
  
  

Regent Law’s rating for Professors: Accessibility was tied for the highest score in the nation among the 168 law schools that were surveyed, its score of 96 for Professors: Teaching tied for 16th best in the nation, and its score for overall Academic Experience was tied for 38th.

Lingo added, “There’s no law faculty in the country as dedicated as ours.  We’re fully committed as a faculty to discipling our students.  This accolade reflects our dedication to that commitment.”

The Princeton Review is a leading tutoring, test prep, and college admission services company. For information about the methodology used in the Princeton Review rankings and ratings, visit princetonreview.com/law-school-rankings/ranking-methodology and https://www.princetonreview.com/law-school-rankings/ratings.

About Regent Law

Regent Law’s more than 3,300 graduates practice law in 49 states and over 20 countries and include 38 currently sitting judges.  The School of Law is currently ranked 28th in the nation for obtaining judicial clerkships and ranked 20th in the nation for Ultimate Bar Passage in 2019.  The school offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights, and an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with more than 13,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for ten years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2022).

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National Black History Month 2023

by Jasmine Knight, Ph.D. and Mary Sanderfer Stull, Ph.D.

Regent University joins the nation in recognizing African American History month. This month, also known as Black History month, begins February 1st and ends March 1st. In 1925, Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian, and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History introduced what was at the time called “Negro History Week.” The overwhelming positive response eventually became a month-long celebration, affording opportunity to recognize the many historical and current contributions of African Americans.  

African Americans make up approximately 46.9 million people in the United States, with 134,567 owning their own business, and 3.2 million serving as military veterans (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022).  From the conception of this nation, African Americans have contributed to all facets of American progression, such as in science, medicine, education, arts, sports, military, government, and religion. Faith has historically been the grounding force of the African American experience.  Many early prominent African American leaders were guided by their faith and belief in a kind and just God. This foundation in Christianity continues to echo throughout black culture.  

Although there are too many to name, there are several noteworthy African Americans who used their faith to change their community, the American community.  Some examples of this leadership are: 

• Mahalia Jackson: An American gospel artist, she is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. She believed that “faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul.”   
• Mary McLeod Bethune: Born to former slaves, she did not learn to read until the age of 11.  She eventually became the founder and president of a prominent university. Bethune lived a life of Christian service, stating that “Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service.  Without it, nothing is possible.  With it, nothing is impossible.”
• George Liele: Born a slave, he became the first ordained African American Baptist preacher in America, established the first African American Baptist Church in North America, and served as a missionary to Jamaica.   

This tradition continues with current faith leaders who are heads of African American denominations, conventions, and conferences. We commend Black church pastors and leaders who are a voice of hope, healing, justice, wisdom, redemption, and reconciliation.

Praise God for faith and hope in Christ as African Americans continue to make notable contributions all over the world.  Thank God for Black American History month to celebrate the contributions made by people of African American descent to this nation. May we join our fellow believers in celebrating the richness of the month, as each of us is an intricate member of the body of Christ.

What Happened to CEFLER?

Professor Ben Madison

You may have noticed that the Center for Ethical Formation and Legal Education Reform (CEFLER) is now the Center for Professional Formation.  Our mission has not changed, so why did the name?

When Professor Ben Madison co-founded the Center for Ethical Formation and Legal Education Reform a decade ago, legal education had not accepted the goal of knowing one’s mission and professional formation.  Last year, the ABA finally acted by including in accreditation standards requirements that all law schools provide substantial opportunities for students to achieve these goals.  

The Center thus began with the goal of having legal education acknowledge the need for the kind of training and guidance we have offered.  The Center has also, from the start, provided such training and guidance through the means identified in the Mission Statement. 

We look forward to continuing connecting students with Christian lawyers and judges through the mentor program, helping students discern their calling, and training students and practicing lawyers in moral development and decision-making.

Native American Heritage Month: November 1–30, 2022

Below is a thoughtful and timely contribution from Professor Kathleen A. McKee in celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Professor McKee is an associate professor and Director of Experiential Learning in our School of Law. Her parents are from different tribes, and she has a primary tribal affiliation of Missouri Cherokee. She has also been active in Native American concerns in her professional journey, having served in roles such as an attorney for the Indian Claims Commission, as a task force analyst for the American Indian Policy Review Commission, a program specialist for the USOE/Office of Indian Education, and an education specialist for the Institute for the Development of Indian Law.

Regent Law Professor Kathleen A. McKee, Esq.

Recognition of Native American Heritage has its origins in what may be described as a “grass roots” effort. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a member of the Seneca Tribe, persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for what he referred to as the “First Americans.” In 1915, at the annual meeting of the Congress of the American Indian Association members adopted a plan for American Indian Day. The Association adopted a proclamation which declared the second Saturday of each May as an American Indian Day.[1] The following year, the first American Indian Day in a state was declared by the Governor of New York.[2]  Several other states followed suit in 1919. In 1990 President George H.W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Since that time, proclamations have continued and have been broadened to include Alaskan Natives and Hawaiian Natives. 

The relationship of Native Americans to the United States government is a complex one. It has been both conflicted and cooperative. There are 570 federally recognized tribes in the United States. These tribes enjoy a special relationship with the federal government because of treaties, federal legislation, and presidential executive orders. That relationship results in tribes dealing directly with the federal government rather than as subordinate governmental units subject to the authority of state governments. It also qualifies these tribes for programs established solely for the benefit of federally recognized tribes.

There are also approximately 200 tribes that are not federally recognized. Many of these tribes enjoy a unique relationship with the states in which they are based. For example, until the enactment of recent federal legislation, many of the Virginia Indian tribes were not federally recognized.[3] However, because of a relationship dating back to the 1677 signing of the Treaty of Middle Plantation, the Mattaponi and Pamunkey tribes honor the Treaty each year in November by presenting the current Governor of the Commonwealth with a deer and other gifts as a symbolic tax payment. 

We encounter the influence of Native Americans in our culture on a day-to-day basis. There are many words in the English language that are derived from Native American languages such as “squash,” “opossum,” “chocolate,” “hammock,” “canoe,” and “kayak.”[4] There are place names and battlefields throughout the United States whose names are derived from Native American languages. 

Native Americans have a proud history of service to the United States. Ely Samuel Parker, a member of the Tonawanda Seneca Tribe was commissioned a lieutenant colonel during the American Civil War. As adjutant and secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant, he wrote the final draft of the Confederate surrender terms at Appomattox.[5] Ira Hamilton Hayes, a member of the Gila River Pima Tribe, has been immortalized in a photograph as one of the soldiers raising the United States flag on Suribachi’s peak at Iwo Jima during World War II.[6] During World War II code talkers from the Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, and other tribes used their tribal languages to send secret communications on the battlefield.[7] The Germans were unable to break the codes. 

Service of Native Americans has not been limited to the military. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe served in both the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993 and in the United State Senate from 1993 to 2005. In 2002 John Herrington, a member of the Chickasaw Nation became the first Native American in space. This October NASA astronaut Nicole Mann became the first Native American woman in space. 

Many different religious denominations have served the Native American community. The Quakers established missions in the mid-Atlantic Native American communities, the Baptists in the southeastern states, the Franciscans in the southwest, and the Jesuits in the mountain-plains tribes. Many of the churches established in these communities remain in use today. How pleasing it is to hear a recording of the hymn based on the Lord’s Prayer sung in one of these churches in a Native language reminding us that we are all God’s children.

[1] See “Native American Heritage Month,” https://nativeamerican heritagemonth.gov/about/, p.1

[2] Id.

[3] In January 2018 the president of the United States signed into law legislation which granted federal recognition to six of the Virginia Indian Tribes.

[4] See Emily Petsko, “Eleven common English words from Native American Languages,” https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/563419/native-american-names-in-english.

[5] See National Park Service, “Ely Parker-chief, Lawyer, Engineer, and Brigadier General.” https://www.nps.gov/apco/parker.htm.

[6] See Gina Dimuro, “Ira Hayes Raised the Flag At Iwo Jima –But His Story ended In Tragedy,” https://allthatsinteresting.com/ira-hayes.

[7] See “American Indian Code Talkers,” https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/american-indian-code-talkers.  

Lawyer Well-Being is an Ethical Duty Too

  This blog post is written by Sydney Coelho, class of 2022, with edits by Professor Benjamin Madison.

Happy "Well-Being Week in Law" to all of you aspiring and practicing professionals out there. In honor of this week, CEFLER brings you some food for thought:

            Do you know “Question 17”? Perhaps it’s not “Question 17” where you live, but you can be certain that your state’s bar exam likely covers the same topic: Are you mentally fit enough to practice? In other words, are you well enough to practice—mentally and maybe even physically?

            While the scenario below is related to Virginia test takers, anyone who is planning to take the bar exam is advised to talk to your state bar about this highly troublesome topic.

Consider this: Jane has a history of heavy drinking with two DUIs from back in her undergraduate days. Jane cleaned up her act seven years ago while still in school and worked for about five years before she decided to go to law school. Jane is now facing an existential crisis because she has to report the DUIs on her character and fitness application. Can a candidate like Jane still pass the character and fitness assessment of the Virginia bar exam despite her history of mental illness or addiction, colloquially referred to as a “question 17”? In the above matter, because Jane has a criminal record, she would need to report the DUIs. She may even be called in to speak to the committee about it because a DUI is considered a rather serious offense when one considers someone’s character, let alone two. Jane should, therefore, prepare to be examined on this issue more in depth. Having a couple references and reference letters, ideally from at least one certified professional and a couple of close personal acquaintances, lined up to answer questions about her character now versus then will be of utmost importance to her.

But what if Jane only had a drinking problem? Maybe she voluntarily spent a stent in rehab, but had no DUIs? Must she report this? As typical of the legal profession, it depends on the candidate. Is the issue recent or past history? Is it an ongoing condition like bipolar disorder or epilepsy, but managed properly with medication and therapy, or is the condition unmanaged and out of control? These are the questions a potential bar candidate must ask his/her self when considering a “question 17” in this context. If it’s an ongoing condition, but its managed, there is no mandatory reporting. Likewise, if the issue is unmanaged and ongoing, one must report. In other words, Jane does not have to report her stent in rehab because it’s a managed condition that does not, in her current state, affect her ability to competently and diligently practice law. The same would be true if she had a present health condition or mental illness. So long as she was being treated, she would not have to report it.

Best rule of thumb, when in doubt, report it and plan to have someone speak on your behalf.

            What if you’re already practicing? There are resources out there to help you too:

The ABA had launched an initiative for employers to promote lawyer well-being in the profession. You can learn more about it here. See https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_assistance/well-being-in-the-legal-profession/. Virginia students and practitioners can always reach out to the Virginia Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program. See https://vjlap.org/. The program’s phone line is confidential and available 24/7 at 1-877-545-4682.

            What if you’re not from Virginia or are planning to practice in another state? There are places you can go too. A good place to start is the ABA website. See https://www.americanbar.org/groups/lawyer_assistance/resources/lap_programs_by_state/.

            You may also want to check out the following: https://lawyerwellbeing.net/well-being-week-resources/.

Remember: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV). A healthy lawyer is competent. A lawyer who isn’t honest with himself about his fitness to practice may find himself in trouble with the disciplinary committee and possibly disbarred.  Learn to trust the Lord and to rely on others in your life who reflect the peace to which the above passage refers. They will help you, as you help yourself, and doing that will lead to the peace we are promised.  Finding that peace will also inevitably lead to doing the right thing when faced with ethical challenges.

The Downside of Perfectionist Thinking

 The following blog post was written by Sydney Coelho, Regent J.D. Class of 2022, with edits by Professor Benjamin Madison:

A recent article featured by the British Broadcasting Corporation which claims that statistics show an increase in perfectionist tendencies in millennials compared to older generations. Frankly, it wasn’t surprising to hear, albeit a bit distressing. The phenomenon deserves attention because, as the article points out, perfectionism is linked to several health problems, including anxiety, insomnia, and depression—some of the major wellness issues affecting lawyers and law students. In fact, in 2018, Above the Law published an article all about law students and the battle with perfectionism in which it details the link between perfectionism and other issues like procrastination and low self-esteem.

And which law student doesn’t struggle with low self-esteem? As some of the crème de la crème of high achievers, 1L year is, in its own way, a sort of existential crisis where students are left wondering their worth as they’re ranked against their peers. As one practicing professional put it, “I was top of my class, but so was everyone else, and only one person can rank first.” Law students, like lawyers, can be “Type A” persons. To avoid the damaging effect of continuous perfections-seeking, one needs to develop a healthier perspective and then to follow it.

One important guiding principle is for law students (and later lawyers) to consider with whom they are comparing themselves and by what standard. St. Paul’s message in 2 Corinthians 10:12 reminds us, “do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (NIV). St. Paul’s guidance needs to be unpacked. Comparing oneself to others and trying to be like others who “commend themselves” will lead one to perfectionist behavior. However, the practice of comparing oneself to oneself is not necessarily unhealthy, so long as one is making a comparison of one’s progress in developing values or skills.  One can take satisfaction in seeing one’s progress from a poor writer to a good writer.   Here the key concept is the person is seeking to make “progress”—or, as one book puts it, “progress not perfection."[1]  In other words, the healthier approach is for one to measure one’s progress by more humble standards and to not seek to meet goals that, in one’s mind, deserve “commendation of others.” Seeking to reach goals to be commended is likely to lead to perfectionism.  Seeking humble progress in one’s development of life and working skills is reasonable and, in the end, will likely lead to internal satisfaction. To follow through on the earlier passage, one does well to keep reading and see the following affirmation: “[I]t is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” 2 Corinthians 10:18 (NIV).

It is only when one stops comparing oneself to one’s peers that someone can focus on the positive aspects she brings to her studies and the practice of law. Once the law student internalizes that lesson, she can begin to see her worth. That change of perspective should result in a shift from perfectionist thinking to realistic appraisal and goal-seeking.[2]

Moving from comparing oneself to others (and perceived external ideals) to comparing oneself humbly to oneself and seeking progress. In all likelihood, one will have to break a habit, perhaps one that is ensconced.  However, once one is aware of the tendency toward perfectionist comparison, one can then seek out the root or cause of the behavior, and come up with a strategy to counter the behavior.[3] For some, this may involve talking to a friend or professional.[4] For everyone, the goal should be to reassess how they see themselves. For one’s worthiness is not defined by being the best at everything, or being ranked” better” than everyone, one’s worth exists already and the student will find that everyone has gifts. Accepting one’s worth, and following the mantra of “progress not perfection," a student is far more likely to find her place in the legal field where her gifts will be of most help to others. And in so doing she will find the very satisfaction that eludes perfectionists.

 

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[1] Ernest Kurtz & Katherine Ketcham, The Spirituality of Imperfection 135 (Bantam Books 1992).

[2] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/turning-straw-gold/201806/how-overcome-your-perfectionist-tendencies

[3] https://caps.umich.edu/content/coping-perfectionism

[4] https://hbr.org/2019/04/how-to-manage-your-perfectionism