School of Law welcomes largest-ever class of first-year law students to campus

Liberty University School of Law welcomed over 140* 1L (first-year) students — the largest class in J.D. program history — to campus this week and kicked off the new school year with the annual Professionalism Ceremony for its incoming class on Monday afternoon, followed by an inspiring law school Convocation on Tuesday featuring a message from Liberty President Dondi E. Costin.

During the Professionalism Ceremony, held in the Supreme Courtroom, first-year students stood and recited a pledge to uphold the responsibilities of being a legal professional. They also signed their names on a board that will be displayed in the law school, a new addition to the ceremony. Though the incoming 1Ls were the first to take part in this new tradition, returning students will also sign their names on separate boards based on class years later this month.

Following the pledge, administered by Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Lawyering Skills Scott Thompson, School of Law Dean Timothy Todd gave the keynote address.

Todd emphasized that while many law schools teach professionalism revolves around values like being ethical, competent, civil, polite, and serving the community, that “formula” is incomplete because it misses the reason why professionals should strive for those things.

He explained to the students that those attributes — such as competence, ethics, and service — flow naturally from a perspective that places God at the center of everything you do, particularly when you realize that we are here for the purpose: “to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” Todd further explained that the study of law is intrinsically the study of God, and Liberty Law’s primary goal is to grow the students’ relationships with Jesus Christ.

“You can know the law extremely well, but if you miss Jesus Christ, you’ve missed the essence of the law, which is to love God and love people. If you miss that point, frankly nothing else matters.”

He said the law school’s second goal is to build up excellent lawyers.

“You will be trained with excellence here, and that’s evident from our results, from having the top bar passage rate among Virginia law schools for the July 2024 Virginia bar exam, having a top-ranked moot court program in the country, and having alumni who are already serving as judges, even having one argue before the United States Supreme Court. You will receive an excellent education here,” he said.

At Tuesday’s Convocation, Costin exhorted the new students to see how “God’s story is (our) story.”  As he reflected on his own family’s history, he said he realized how his story began generations ago.

“My story started like your story started: in the mind of God, the same God who gave the law because He’s a God of order, not a God of disorder,” Costin said, “the same God that loves you with His everlasting love, (who) wants there to be law and justice and peace and mercy in this world in which you live. You get to be an instrument in the hands of God to (carry out justice) for people. Because the people that you come across, you get to learn their story.”

He talked about his time as Air Force Chief of Chaplains, where he heard many life stories from airmen who were experiencing hardship and difficulty.

“In those moments, I would say, ‘Do you mind if I tell you how God’s story has intercepted with my story? Do you mind if I explain to you how in the circumstances and the decisions of your own life, how maybe, just maybe, that your story and God’s story could intersect in miraculous ways?’”

He compared it to the work the students will do as future legal professionals, noting that they will hear and engage in the stories of others who need God.

“Even (as) you help walk them through this difficult season of their life, you get to be part of their story, and maybe the interaction that they have with you will be the difference maker.”

He said when people think about lawyers today, “what we want them to think about is you.”

“We want them to think about what you know about the Lawgiver and what you know about the law. You get to say, ‘God’s story is my story, and my story as a lawyer is to get to know the Lawgiver and help others do the same, so that justice and righteousness will reign on the earth.’”

Costin ended by encouraging the students that although this season of life may come with highs and lows, they must press forward.

“You’re going to be motivated, you’re going to be inspired, you’re going to be depressed, you’re going to be disappointed,” he said. “You’re going (to ask yourself), ‘Should I quit?’ The answer is no. You should keep going, so that you can do the thing that God has called you to do.”

Next week on Aug. 13 in the Carter Tower, 1Ls will start building their networks within the legal community from Lynchburg and surrounding areas during the annual Bench & Bar Reception. This event will serve as an opportunity for 1Ls and returning students to be mentored and equipped by seasoned professionals in the legal field.

Taylor Rose Puig, who received her undergraduate degree from George Washington University, said she is excited to be part of Liberty Law’s largest incoming class. She first heard about Liberty Law at a Washington, D.C. law fair, where she met Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid Susan Patrick. Puig said all other schools represented there “felt like they had something missing,” but Liberty was different; she was impressed by the emphasis on learning law through a Christian worldview. Listening to Costin’s Convocation, she said she loved getting an introduction to Liberty’s president and the university.

“I was unfamiliar with who (President Costin) was, though I’m sure previous (Liberty) undergrads knew more about him,” she said. “I love that he talked about himself and his history, and being able to put a personality to that face instead of him just being a figurehead of the university was super important to me.”

Puig, who has dreamed of becoming a lawyer since she was 12 years old, added that the Professionalism Ceremony the day before was a meaningful event.

“(Law school) has been a dream for me; it’s been an aspiration and something that I’ve worked toward, so having something ceremonial that says, ‘Now this journey has begun’ was very important to me,” she said. “I love the law, I love learning about the law and studying it, and being able to apply it to a career that I’ve dreamed of for so long is special.”

For over 20 years, Liberty University School of Law has Trained Champions for Christ to enter their careers as practice-ready attorneys and legal professionals. With an innovative Lawyering Skills Program, Liberty Law is modeling for the academic world how to equip students to pursue excellence in their field while maintaining a commitment to biblical values. Liberty Law offers a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) with 12 areas of study; Juris Master (J.M.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs are offered online.

*In accordance with ABA instructions, the official first-year class size for reporting purposes will be established as of Oct. 5, 2025.