Law Center News
Outgoing Southern University Law Review editor-in-chief shares details of her law school experience at 2016 Senior Banquet
At the Southern University Law Review 2016 Senior Banquet, March 21, outgoing Editor-in-Chief Rachel Dunaway told the incoming editorial board and members what the proverbial “they” don’t tell you about the law school experience.
The event was held in the Law Center’s Edward L. Patterson Moot Courtroom and was sponsored by Jones Walker LLP. It included the recognition of Dunaway and other graduating seniors who served on Law Review: Raymond Hicks, executive editor; Lillian Williams, managing editor; Lauren Noel, articles editor; and Charletta Anderson-Fortson, John Blanchard, Craig Cassagne, Rachal Cox, Lee Durio, Alanna Francois, Christopher Kubacki, and Janet Madison, associate editors. Also, the 2016-17 editorial board members were presented.
Dunaway discussed “the emotional roller coaster” that was for her the entire law school experience, including delivering the remarks of the hour. Her nervousness was squelched momentarily, the Pensacola, Florida, native said, with support from the Robert Frost’s adage that “the best way out is always through.”
“They tell you about the hard work, the sacrifice, the long nights, lack of sleep, and the endless reading and writing; and then all this money you’re going to make after you graduate and pass the bar,” said Dunaway, who was office manager of the Urgent Care and Occupational Health facility for the Sacred Heart Health System in Pensacola, before enrolling in law studies.
“They don’t talk about how anxious you are when you take the LSAT, how hopeful you are when you start filling out law school applications, how defeated you are when you receive a rejection letter, and then how ecstatic you are when you receive an acceptance letter,” she continued.
The emotional roller coaster of nervousness, panic, silliness, sense of dread, and frustration she described included attending orientation and initial class assignments, such as the first case brief, memo in legal writing class, and group assignment in Prof. {Alfreda} Diamond’s Basic Civil Procedure.
Dunaway shared her relief in meeting fellow students who “immediately put you at ease while talking during lunch break,” and her thankfulness “when you find out fellow classmates are going through the exact same thing that you are and you bond over your mutual frustration.” She described the excitement felt “when you find out you did not fail out of law school after the first semester and then not feeling anything over Christmas break because you are either sleeping or on a Netflix binge.”
Dunaway’s emotional roller coaster included the downs of regret, “having let your friends talked you into signing up for the moot court intra-school competition that you did not have time for during the second semester of 1L year,” and the ups of dignity “when you are part of a group of students like those who represented SULC at national moot court competitions.” In March 2015, Dunaway, the 2015-16 Moot Court Board secretary, won “Best Newcomer” in the Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition.
She discussed other complex feelings, such as “the joy” when offered an invitation onto the Southern University Law Review, and then “the resentment” that all the hard work that got you on now means more work to do.
The outgoing editor-in-chief was thrilled when she and fellow editors were published in the spring edition of the Law Review’s journal. “You actually feel a little bit like a scholar,” she said.
Throughout the journey with her Law Review colleagues, there were indeed feelings of irritation, fear, apprehension, and sadness; however, there were also feelings of happiness, love, hopefulness, and elation. The main emotion she felt then and at the moment is pride, Dunaway said.
“I am proud of myself; however, I am more proud of the people in this room who have made it to this moment and all of you who have helped us get here,” she said.
“I am proud that I have been able to share this experience with you and I am grateful to each of you that you have allowed me to play some small part of your experience here at Southern.”
The incoming Law Review editorial board members are: Shanado Lamar Gardner, editor-in-chief; Elizabeth Bloch, executive editor; managing editor, Carla Haney; and Candace Ford, articles editor.
Pictured seated: Shanado Lamar Gardner, editor-in-chief; and standing from left: Candace Ford, articles editor; Elizabeth Bloch, executive editor; and Carla Haney, managing editor.
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