|
|
|
| August 23, 2004 Law School Vision Becomes Reality Today At 8 o'clock this morning, the inaugural class of 60 students at Liberty University School of Law assembled for their first class. The historic reality of a vision come to life pierced my heart like an arrow last Friday when I addressed the students on the third and final day of orientation. I spoke of the law as a fulcrum which can be used for good or for evil, and challenged them to use the fulcrum of the law to restore the culture. After my talk, I spoke to many energetic, passionate and idealistic students (an idealism we intend to foster rather than destroy, as unfortunately happens at most law schools). Some of these students told me they came to the law school because they want to work for Liberty Counsel upon graduation to fight the culture wars. One student, who herself is adopted, stated, told the Associated Press last week that she looks forward to defending the sanctity of human life. It was an incredible experience to stand in the midst of an unfolding dream, to shake the hands of students who one day will hold gavels, to listen to the voices of those who will defend my liberties before the United States Supreme Court, and to gaze into the eyes of our soon-to-be colleagues who, armed with the best of the Western Legal Tradition, will champion the causes for which I was born to advance. Dr. Jerry Falwell, Pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and Chancellor of Liberty University, remarked, "We want to infiltrate the culture with men and women of God who are skilled in the legal profession. . . . We'll be as far to the right as Harvard is to the left." Every law school has a perspective from which they educate. The difference between Liberty and many other law schools is that we will tell you up front we intend to draw upon the best of the Western Legal Tradition while others will hide their perspective and claim they are objective. We make no apology that the Liberty is a Christian school and that we will draw from the well of the greatest thinkers who shaped our Western Legal Tradition. My friend and colleague, Dean Bruce Green is one of America's best legal thinkers who is well-equipped to mold the thoughts of the next generation of legal architects. Having been on-site for almost two years, and his fine faculty and staff have done an amazing job of preparing the School of Law for this historic day. Beginning next May, many of these students will be ready to begin their summer internships. Although we have completely filled our office space in Orlando, we must be ready financially and space-wise to accommodate Liberty Counsel's growth including up to 15 interns just in our Orlando office. More students will intern elsewhere. If you have a vision for training the next generation of legal warriors, and would like to underwrite the cost of one or more students for these summer internships, call Liberty Counsel at 1-800-671-1776 or send a response to this Liberty Alert. We cannot turn away any student who is qualified and called to intern with us. If you or someone you know wants to be part of the second entering class in August 2005, go to the law school's web site or call 434-592-5300. Law, Liberty and Litigation Roundtable Liberty Counsel's Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy, in conjunction with the Austin Fellowship, will host a "Law, Liberty and Litigation Roundtable" for attorneys at Liberty University School of Law on Thursday, September 30 through Saturday, October 2, 2004. CLE credits are available. Conference information, including agenda and registration form are available online. Topics will include the application of natural law principles, trends and challenges in religious liberties litigation, pleadings and pre-trial issues in constitutional cases, constitutional motions practice, advanced strategies in constitutional litigation, bioethics, and strategies to preserve traditional marriage. Dr. Jerry Falwell, Chancellor of Liberty University, will present the welcome and introduction. The keynote address will be delivered by Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law & Justice. Many other well-known leaders from various religious liberty and policy organizations will participate. Speakers include, among others, such notable constitutional litigation attorneys as Bruce Green, Dean of Liberty University School of Law and Director of the Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy; Brian Fahling and Steve Crampton of the AFA Center for Law & Policy; Steve Fitschen, President of the National Legal Foundation; Patrick Gillen of the Thomas More Law Center; Nik Nikas and Dorinda Bordlee with Americans United for Life; Deputy Attorney General of Kansas, Bryan J. Brown; as well as Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver, Erik Stanley, Joel Oster and Rena Lindevaldsen. Additionally, Mr. Robert Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute, an affiliate of Concerned Women for America, will participate as a panelist. "Same-Sex
Marriage: Putting Every Household at Risk" Make a tax-deductible online donation to this ministry Liberty Counsel, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a national public interest law firm dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the traditional family. On the campus of Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty Counsel's Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy trains attorneys, law students, policymakers, legislators, clergy and world leaders in constitutional principles and government policies. Mathew
D. Staver, Esq. Restoring
the culture one case at a time by advancing religious freedom, the sanctity
of human life | |
|
|
|
