Full Sail Stories
Published Nov 22, 2016
Student Club Spotlight: Pre-Law Society
If you’ve ever been curious about how to apply to law school or wanted to be part of a mock trial, the Full Sail Pre-Law Society might be right for you.
Any student is welcome to join this club, where you will learn how the law applies in everyday life as well as in your potential industry career.
Club advisor and Department Chair for the Entertainment Business bachelor’s program Victoria Hernandez said that ever since club President Scher Guzzo and Vice President Lacey Kennedy have taken over this year, club membership has tripled.
The pair have made a conscious effort to plan out events, field trips, and guest speakers as far as six months in advance to ensure that something is always on the docket. Both women are Entertainment Business bachelor’s students and are in the process of applying to law school.
The most recent field trip allowed students to sit in on a hearing with the honorable Judge Antoon II, and they were also able to spend some one-on-one time with him before and after the hearing. The judge very graciously introduced the students to various members of his staff and explained their different roles during the hearing process.
Victoria explained that the field trip was almost entirely orchestrated by Scher and Lacey, aside from her connection with the judge who she practiced law before in the beginning of her career.
“For the students to get a chance to observe a hearing before they attend law school puts everything into perspective,” said Victoria. “It coincides with our hands-on learning approach here at Full Sail. Witnessing what they’re going to learn about in action will help everything click once they get into law school.”
The club also has a close relationship with the law students at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. Course Director for the Sports Marketing & Media bachelor’s program Linda Rohrbaugh is in charge of running the FAMU law clinics, and was able to bring in a panel of FAMU students this November where they ran a clinic on how to create a business or nonprofit in the entertainment industry.
Looking toward the future, Victoria said that the club members are very interested in participating in a moot court competition, which is a mock trial or hearing hosted by local law students acting as the lawyers. “Our students have asked to be part of a jury which would be very beneficial. Serving as jurors will make them better lawyers because it allows them to experience a legal proceeding from a different perspective.