Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tue, 19 Jul 2011
During their annual trip to Washington, D.C., the interns/externs for Liberty Counsel, and students in the Constitutional Litigation Clinic operated by Liberty Counsel and Liberty University School of Law, had a unique opportunity to tour the Supreme Court of the United States of America and interact with Justice Antonin Scalia during a question and answer session. Students learned about the history of the Supreme Court during the private tour. Afterwards they were taken to one of the Court’s conference rooms for a photo opportunity and discussions with Justice Scalia and General William Suter, the clerk of the Supreme Court.
General Suter and Justice Scalia spent the majority of their sessions with the students taking questions and concluded their time by taking photos with the students. Justice Scalia also graciously offered to sign copies of his book.
Describing his time at the Supreme Court, a 2L from Liberty University School of Law, Erik Krueger, said “Meeting Justice Scalia was great. He’s entertaining, engaging, smart as a whip, and a champion of the Constitution.”
At Liberty University School of Law, students take part in the most comprehensive skills training program in the nation and are taught about the foundations of law. This education outlines the development of law through the Western legal tradition up to the present, which includes the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United States of America. This heritage is reflected in the Supreme Court’s architecture where Moses is depicted as a lawgiver in the South Wall Frieze inside the Supreme Court chambers, and where the Ten Commandments are displayed inside and outside the High Court about 50 times.
Matt Mihelic, a 2L at Liberty University School of Law said, “I have been to the Supreme Court before; however, there was something different about walking its halls with a group of future lawyers who are committed to rebuilding the foundations of justice in our nation's courts.”
Mathew Staver, Dean of Liberty University School of Law and Founder of Liberty Counsel, serves as a trustee on the Supreme Court Historical Society. “Each year we provide a unique opportunity for Liberty law students to visit the U. S. Supreme Court and tour historic sites. It is always a highlight for students who intern with Liberty Counsel and participate in the Constitutional Litigation Clinic.” Staver concluded, “These are memorable experiences that very few law students have the opportunity to enjoy. At Liberty University School of Law we have the nation’s only replica of the nine-member bench of the Supreme Court. We hope to inspire our students to achieve greatness.”