RALEIGH — The first-year law students entering the 2025 academic year at Campbell Law School represent a major milestone for the law school — they make up the 50th entering class, according to Dean J. Rich Leonard.
It’s also the most diverse class in the law school’s history, with 25 percent of its members identifying as students of color.
“Twelve years ago I walked away from a federal judgeship to come here to be the dean,” he said during the final day of Orientation on Friday, Aug. 15. “I did it because I believe in this school, I believe in the faculty, its mission, the training we give and I believe in the enormous impact we are having in our state, our region and our country…this school is a collection of great teachers. We write, we perform public service, we’re involved in the community, but first and foremost, we teach. You will be exposed to a level of pedagogy that you have never experienced before. Equally devoted to you are the staff of this school. You will find here a collection of men and women who work tirelessly to make this school the best experience for all of you that it can possibly be.”
The 203 1L students come from 79 different undergraduate institutions and 20 different states.
In his welcome remarks, Leonard talked about the law school’s award-winning trial advocacy program, its extensive externship and internship opportunities, its growing pro bono clinics and student-led projects, dual degrees and international opportunities. He also described Raleigh as one of the great cities in the United States and the world, adding it is no longer a sleepy, little Southern capital but one of the most sophisticated, savvy and coolest places to live and work.
“All those things make this a special place,” he told the law school’s newest students. “I see my job as dean as keeping a balance between our rigorous curriculum and very vibrant external opportunities.”
On Aug. 8, the new students and their families enjoyed a social BBQ dinner hosted by the Dean and his family at historic Haywood Hall. Find photos from the dinner at this link.
Here’s the Class of 2028 by the numbers:
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39 students are from out of state
- Ages range from 19 to 61
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58 percent are women
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14 served in military
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20 have post-graduate degrees
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192 traditional students (i.e. full-time)
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11 Campbell FLEX students
- 99 percent earned merit scholarships
The majority of incoming students call N.C. State University, University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, East Carolina University, UNC-Charlotte, Appalachian State University, Campbell University and UNC-Wilmington their alma maters.
The students took the Professionalism Oath delivered by Wake County District Court Judge Rashad Houter ’11.
“You are now part of the Campbell Law tribe,” he explained. “Because what you are joining this week is not simply a law school, not merely an academic program but it’s a community that is bound by shared values, shared struggles and a shared pursuit of justice. A shared promise to use our training not only to succeed but to serve others.”
Orientation concluded with the Dean’s annual Campbell Law Court Crawl — a tour of all of the local, state and federal courts in downtown Raleigh.
Orientation photos can be found at this link.
Orientation for Campbell Law’s incoming students consists of attending instructional meetings with faculty and staff, including participating in the Campbell Advantage program. They also heard presentations from Christine Mumma, executive director of the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence and representatives from the North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA) and AccessLex.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law School has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 5,000 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2026, Campbell Law is celebrating 50 years of graduating legal leaders and 17 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.