Testimonials for Law Students:                                                        (Return to Previous Page)

Stephanie Good, '08 - First Year Law Student

Policy Studies gave me a background that set me apart from my peers in my first year of law school. Obviously, everyone at law school is extremely smart, but courses like PAF 101 and PAF 315 forced me to master skills like writing concisely, being attentive to detail, and researching thoroughly. Those skills are why I excelled in legal writing - while everyone else had to spend the first semester learning how to stop writing "like English majors," Coplin broke me of that habit years before and I had a huge advantage on everyone else.

Also, the Policy Studies puts a big emphasis on knowing the ins and outs of programs like Microsoft Word and Excel, and many times I have been a very valuable employee because I know how to set up an elaborate spread sheet or because I can show someone how to put a different footer on different pages. It all seems trivial until you realize how much your boss needs you because you are the only one who knows how to work that master spreadsheet of all the cases your firm is currently handling and who is working on them.

The other great thing about Policy Studies is how well it pairs with so many other programs at Syracuse. I also majored in Economics, at Coplin's strong urging. I can't count how many times I've been reading a case that had a detailed discussion of economic policy and I've thought about how lucky I am to have such a strong background in both policy and economics. It comes up in law a lot more than you might think. Policy Studies also paired really well with some courses I took in the Legal Studies program that is run through
University College. The legal research and writing course was a great way to further hone the writing skills I learned in PAF 101 and PAF 315.

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Carlo Serio '07 - Paralegal Dechert LLP

I decided to take a year or two off before going to law school. I wanted to get a little more experience, take a break from school so I'm not already burned out when I enter law school, and make sure that law school is what I really want to do. I accepted a job as a paralegal at Dechert LLP in Manhattan and I love it. The city is great and I really enjoy my job. I'm learning a lot and also making some great contacts. During my interview process with the several firms I applied to, Syracuse (the Maxwell School in particular) and my Policy Studies major were always topics of discussion. A lot of the skills you taught me were beneficial in me getting the job I decided to take. The work I did in the major, especially the internships were so helpful and tended to be the focus of my interviews. The employers liked how there was an emphasis on both individual and team work. I just wanted to thank you again for all of your help during my years at Syracuse. The practicality of what is done in the major set it apart from a lot of others at Syracuse.

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Eric Apjohn '06 - Law School Student

My time at WP with Andy as a volunteer under Amy Klein and Vanessa Delaine, which led to the two of us taking over their program when both Amy and Vanessa went abroad, is one of the foremost memories in my mind during my 4 yrs at Syracuse. This experience actually served as the basis for my law school admission essay. I'll never forget some of the work I did during my time as a PAF major at SU, especially as a co-manager of the WP mentoring program with Andy. 

As a freshman I wasn't quite sure of the significance in requiring volunteer hrs for 101 but I'm glad I stuck with the program and ended up completing countless hrs at both WP and Skills.
 

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Shaun Kodes '04 -  Law Student at New York Law School

I have just completed my first semester at New York Law School and I cannot thank you enough for the skills that you have taught me through my fours years at SU. I finished my first semester with a 3.5 GPA which places me in the top 10 percentile of my class. In addition, I have been selected to partake in a very exciting study with several legal scholars. We will be analyzing the trends in the rate of litigation in the US and how accurately it is represented by the media and by politicians. The position was highly competitive and I can honestly say that the only reason I got this opportunity was because of the skills I learned in PAF. There were three rounds of interviews, a written policy analysis, and a writing sample. The interview process went well since I was able to apply the public speaking skills that I learned in 101, 315, & 410; the written policy analysis was basically a combination of the 315 paper, the Mod's, and the law and society courses; and finally I used the B&G club paper from 410 as the writing sample which blew them away (and don't worry Carol, I made sure to tell them that you had revised the paper).

Although Coplin always tries to convince his students to do anything but go into law, when they do, I am sure they will be the most prepared. However, as a word of caution, if a student leaves PAF 400 w/ Captor and says "I want to be a lawyer," tell him/her to take Con Law or American Legal History. I think that Renee makes class so interesting that it presents a glorified version of the profession. Students interested in law should take at least two courses that deal with actual case law analysis (i.e. Con Law I or II) to make sure that
they are prepared to dedicate three years of their lives to reading similar material. Unfortunately, I have seen many students that chose to go to law school after just taking non-intensive case reading courses (i.e. Renee Captor's class) and were unprepared for what they got themselves into.

In addition, I never actually thought that a member of the legal profession would ever benefit from knowing how to use Access ... boy was I wrong. My firm was having a problem with their file managing software and they needed to add an additional search and report function to their program. The company that released the software charges thousands of dollars to design such a program and incorporate it into our system. During the holiday break, I stopped by the office and had engaged in a conversation with one of the senior partners at
the firm when he told me about the situation. I informed him that I was familiar with our filing system and that I could design the search and report function in Access and then give it to the software company to translate into our system. The database took me a week, it saved the company thousands of dollars, and got me a significant raise. Once again, PAF to the rescue.

I will be eternally grateful for the guidance and wisdom that the two of you have given me, and the lessons I have learned are truly responsible for my success in law school. I hope that everything is going well, and hopefully Coplin has broken the curse of the declining Spring enrollment in PAF 101.

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David H. Greenberg, ’97 (former 101 and 315 TA), Associate at Dickstein Shapiro LLP

          
           I chose Policy Studies over other courses of study because of  the major’s pragmatic focus on the real world rather than the theoretical.  Now, approaching ten years after my graduation, I have no doubt that I made the right choice.  I use the analytical framework honed during four years under Professor Coplin’s tutelage each and every day.  Indeed, how many other majors can say that they still read their 101 textbook each and every morning? I do, along with the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal for editorial balance. 

          Today, I am a member of the State Government Compliance and Litigation Practice in one of the largest law firms in Washington, D.C.  My job is to educate state attorneys general on complex legal issues that affect both their states and my clients, and assist attorneys general in reaching non-litigation solutions when they do have concerns about my clients’ actions or inactions.  As part of my representation of several Fortune 500 companies in this practice, I am doing largely the same player, position, and priority analysis I did as a PAF student.  And because the major focuses on development of a toolkit of skills (instead of the collection of soon to be outdated substantive knowledge), I am able to provide counsel to companies in a variety of industries, from retailers to pharmaceutical companies to table-top video game manufacturers.      

           I also was drawn to the major for its commitment to public service. I vividly remember taking the Athenian Oath on the last day of PAF101, and to the extent my day job does not allow me to live up to the lofty principles I committed myself to that day, I try to find other ways to help transmit our world greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us. Two examples come to mind.

           First, my colleagues at the law firm elected me to serve on a liaison committee with senior management, which allowed me to work to make the firm a better place for my fellow associates. Our successes were highlighted in a feature article in the American Lawyer magazine, which chronicled the firm’s assent from among the worst ranked firms based on associate satisfaction to the best firm in the country in that category.  Second, I ran for and was elected to what must be the lowest ranking elected post in all of the land:  a Director of the Conduit Road Fire Board, a citizen-constituted body created by the Maryland Legislature in 1933. The Conduit Road Fire Board established and oversees the Glen Echo Volunteer Fire Department in Bethesda, Maryland.  I am now a Vice President of that organization and work to make sure my family and neighbors are receiving world-class fire and rescue service.   

I recommend that Policy Studies major to current students without reservation.  I am confident that without the skills learned in and around Maxwell Room 102, I would not be in the position that I am today.

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