From the Alumni Board president

A look toward the future of Emory Law

As we celebrate our centennial, I hope that each of us takes a moment to appreciate this milestone. Emory Law has accomplished a great deal in 100 years, some of which is seen in those selected for the Emory Law 100.

I assure you that this list could have been called the Emory Law 1,000, as alumni continue to shine throughout the country and around the world. We should be proud of our history and acknowledge all we have done.

Just as we reflect on our careers to improve in our professions, I suggest it is also time for us to look forward and envision the next 100 years for Emory University School of Law. What will Emory Law look like in the future, and how will alumni bring about changes at the law school?

What will the classroom look like? I still remember how novel it was when a classmate brought a laptop to class to take notes rather than pen and paper. Perhaps, in the future, more classes will be offered online, allowing professors to reach a broader audience. Perhaps we will be discussing the location of the new law school building.

What will the student body look like? Emory is proud of its diversity: ethnically, geographically, and otherwise. The recent class includes students from more than 20 foreign countries, and the academic accomplishments of incoming Emory students continues to improve. Alumni receive a direct benefit from the admission effort, as the value of our diplomas keeps increasing. We trust Emory will continue its efforts to build upon its diverse student body.

Most importantly, what will your alumni participation look like? Emory Law has amazing programs available, such as the Kessler-Eidson Program for Trial Techniques, the Transactional Law Certificate Program, the TI:GER program, and external clinics, and as alumni, we should strive to build upon these programs. Maybe you will volunteer to bench a moot court team preparing for a competition, mentor a current law student, or, better yet, hire a recent graduate. Your time is the most valuable contribution you can give as alumni, and Emory Law will need your participation if the next 100 years are going to be as great as those we have just traversed.