RALEIGH — The first-year law students entering the 2024 academic year at Campbell Law School represent a significant milestone, according to Dean J. Rich Leonard.
“This is the most highly credentialed class to ever enter Campbell Law,” he said during Orientation on Friday, Aug. 9.
These 191 1L students come from 71 different undergraduate institutions and 19 different states, including Hawaii, California, New York and Florida.
It’s also one of the most diverse classes to enter the law school with nearly 24 percent of its members identifying as students of color.
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.
“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 Friday evening, the new students and their families enjoyed a social BBQ dinner hosted by the Dean and his family at the law school. Find photos from the dinner at this link.
Here’s the Class of 2027 by the numbers:
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43 students are from out of state
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61 percent are women
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8 served in military
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13 have post-graduate degrees
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184 traditional students (i.e. full-time)
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7 Campbell FLEX students
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 in that order.
On Aug. 16, the students will take the Professionalism Oath delivered by North Carolina Special Superior Court Judge Hoyt Tessner ‘88 in the morning followed by the Dean’s annual afternoon 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 will also hear presentations from 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 2024, Campbell Law is celebrating 45 years of graduating legal leaders and 15 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.