Friday, December 14, 2012
Fri, 14 Dec 2012
Liberty University News Service
Three graduates of Liberty University School of Law recently became the first Liberty alumni to secure full-time positions in a state supreme court.
Benjamin Boyd (’10), Matthew Clark (’12), and Dr. Martin Wishnatsky (’12) each accepted clerkships at the Alabama Supreme Court where they will serve under Chief Justice Roy Moore, who not only decides cases, but also oversees the administration of the entire court.
“These positions are very difficult to obtain, they are very competitive, only the elite lawyers get these jobs,” said Mat Staver, dean of Liberty’s law school. “The achievement to put our graduates at the state’s highest court is outstanding and it reflects incredibly well on the legal education they obtained at Liberty University School of Law.”
As Supreme Court clerks the graduates will assist in research and writing opinions, having significant influence in the court.
“The impact these graduates can have in the legal profession is quite substantial,” Staver said.
He added that clerkships are “very esteemed” positions and open a lot of opportunities in the legal profession, including becoming a judge.
This is another step in Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s vision of a world-class Christian University training Champions for Christ in all professions. Staver said Falwell told him of his vision to have clerks, and eventually a justice, on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Liberty is starting to build that track record,” Staver said.
Liberty’s law school graduated its first class in 2007 and already its graduates are becoming influential in the law profession. Several graduates have obtained clerkships in federal courts.
A U.S. News & World Report study placed Liberty in the top 17 percent of all law schools in the country for placing graduates as clerks for federal courts.
