December 2002

A Law School For Such A Time As This
by Mathew D. Staver

As the new Chairman of the Liberty University School of Law Steering Committee, I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. Almost every time I sit down to brainstorm about bringing the dream of a Christian law school to reality, I almost hyperventilate. I share Dr. Jerry Falwell’s dream of establishing a premier law school that will train Christian lawyers and judges, as well as political, business, community and church leaders, who will have a profound impact on the future of America.
As one who has been on the front lines of defending religious freedom and traditional family values, I have had a vision for developing a comprehensive approach to reforming the legal system. Thus far, I have accomplished this vision by engaging in education and litigation throughout the country defending the sanctity of human life, religious freedom, and traditional family values. Liberty Counsel has been on the cutting edge of defending some of the most significant religious freedom cases in the country. Liberty Counsel also has participated with other cooperating organizations including, but not limited to, the American Center for Law and Justice, the American Family Association Center for Law and Policy and others, in training and equipping attorneys and law school students in the fundamental principles that gave birth to our American religious liberty experiment. These efforts have been highly successful. As a result of these efforts, over 600 attorneys have been trained and numerous law school students have received valuable mentoring. Some of these are now working in state and federal courts throughout the country.

However, even with all of the great success that we have had over the past several years in regaining our freedom, I knew that there was a missing piece of the puzzle. I began to sketch the vision and to lay out what a comprehensive approach to reforming the legal system would look like. A critical missing component of that vision was the establishment of a premier Christian law school. The vision included a multifaceted approach to reforming and affecting the legal system with positive change. In this vision, the law school forms the hub from which many spokes emanate. With the announcement of Liberty University School of Law, this vision is now becoming a reality. Let me share with you a glimpse of this vision.

At the center of the vision is the School of Law. The faculty of this school will be comprised of committed Christians who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. These faculty must have a passion that burns within them and which compels them to dedicate their lives to teaching young people, using biblical and legal principles that will revitalize and revolutionize America. The curriculum will be challenging. Our students at the School of Law will experience a rigorous training regimen that will include extensive written and oral advocacy. As an attorney who has employed law students and graduates from the top law schools in America, I know that many graduates of today’s universities do not have the research, writing and oral advocacy skills necessary to make them good advocates. Those who graduate from Liberty University will have the finest education available to prepare them for the rigors of writing and oral advocacy.

Believe it or not, most law schools do not require students to read the Constitution as part of their constitutional law course. Not so at Liberty University. Our students will become very knowledgeable in constitutional law and will understand the principles upon which America was founded. These students will be well trained in early American history. Liberty’s students will learn how to think critically and will be very conversant in Christian and legal principles.

Most students graduate from law school with very little practical experience. Unlike the trend in most law schools, the School of Law will train students in practical skills so that when they leave law school, they will know how to litigate, know how to think, and know how to present their case.

As part of the law school, we will establish a Center for Constitutional Litigation and Policy. Liberty Counsel will also establish an office within the law school. Through the efforts of the Center and Liberty Counsel, we will train students in constitutional litigation. These students will participate in actual cases around the United States. We will also develop a training program for attorneys, in which they will learn how to represent Christian values before school boards, city councils, and in the highest courts of the land. We will also have a mentoring program for law school students to train and prepare them for the challenges they will face.

The law school will develop a public policy think tank which will draft legislation, consult political leaders and train politicians and community leaders on the best statutes and laws and how to pass and defend them, from the local level all the way up to Capitol Hill.

In addition to training programs for law students, attorneys and political leaders, the School of Law will also develop training programs for teachers, parents, community leaders and pastors.

In the future, the School of Law, in conjunction with Liberty University, will offer joint J.D. and M.B.A. degrees, joint J.D. and M.Div. degrees, and will also offer a Ph.D. in law.

Liberty University School of Law will produce some of the finest attorneys in the nation. I have a dream that one day, graduates from the School of Law will be working as law clerks in state and federal courts around the country. I also have a dream that state and federal judges will have earned their law degrees through the School of Law. I have a dream that one day a future Supreme Court Justice will have graduated from the campus in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty University School of Law will serve as a valuable resource and a catalyst for positive change to restore the rule of law in America and to inspire a future generation whose heart and soul is set on fire by the notion of true Christian liberty.