Director Michael Schlesinger (standing) is working with (from left) Ryan DeGrave, Colin Commito, Florence Pittman-Hardy, James Wigoda and Nick Arhos in the newly organized Business Transactions Externship Program.
Law students will get real-world experience representing live clients on business and transactional matters by providing free legal services to some start-up and emerging businesses and not-for-profit organizations, under a new program kicking off this semester at The John Marshall Law School.
Professor Michael Schlesinger is an experienced business and transactional lawyer who has been an adjunct professor teaching Corporation Law since 2005, and has designed and developed John Marshall’s innovative course “Transactional Law and Representing the Business Client.” Schlesinger joined the law school in July 2011 as the full-time director of the Business Transactions Externship Program (BTEP), which may develop into a business transactions law clinic.
“Law firms are demanding that law school graduates arrive with ready-to-work skills that will make them productive lawyers from the start,” Schlesinger said. “As such, law schools have an obligation to equip their graduates with the skill set to become competent business and transactional lawyers. This program provides degree candidates practical, real-world training in business and transactional law by representing real clients.”
Students currently enrolled for the BTEP had previously studied with Schlesinger and were eager to continue their work with him in a program that provides real-world experiences. Some of the students got a head start and worked with clients during the summer, including 3L Jim Wigoda, who is certain the program will end up being one of the most beneficial learning experiences of his law school education.
“The skills that I am learning cannot be taught in a classroom setting,” said Wigoda, who worked with a non-profit daycare center on licensing issues, as well as a young entrepreneur just starting his business.
Florence Pittman, a second-year law student agrees: “I am working with a business that is having difficulties with regulatory authorities. It has been an eye-opening experience,” she said, “and has given me the opportunity to work on a case that actually affects people’s lives.”
Being the program director and a licensed attorney, Schlesinger is the attorney of record and closely supervises, reviews and approves all the work done by the law student-counselors.
Schlesinger started his work at the law school over the summer designing the BTEP, creating a syllabus and program manual and focusing on community outreach to create a referral source for program clients. Clients can be not-for-profit organizations or start-up or emerging businesses with limited financial resources for hiring a business attorney.
One such client is Project Hope, Inc., which operates a day care center in Dixmoor, Ill. Marlene Allen, Project Hope’s executive director, is enthusiastic in her praise for the assistance her organization has already received from Schlesinger and the John Marshall students, declaring their work a public service to the community.
“The students and Michael Schlesinger have been very responsive and kept us in the loop with what was going on,” she said, noting that the students were “driven and enthused, excited and engaged.”
Third-year student Colin Commito is pursuing a joint JD/LLM degree in International Business and Trade Law.
“I applaud John Marshall and Professor Schlesinger for expanding the law students’ educational experience to closely reflect the actual practice of law,” Commito said.
The law students, under Schlesinger’s direction, can deal with a broad range of issues that affect businesses. And, Schlesinger said, “The BTEP is intended to be a capstone to law students’ legal education and an inspiration for them as lawyers to engage in public service.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for our students to be mentored under a highly experienced and knowledgeable business transactions attorney,” said Associate Dean Ralph Ruebner. “This program is certainly consistent with our mission of preparing students to be ready for the practice of law and to enable them to compete in the market place.”
Student Ryne DeGrave said that after five semesters of law school he is ready for a final semester that is more than reading a casebook.
“Law firms today want to hire graduates whose résumés reflect what he or she can do for the law firm as soon as they are hired,” DeGrave said. “John Marshall Law School, by approving the Business Transactions Externship Program, has contributed to my success, and I am grateful for this opportunity.”