The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law) offers an expansive curriculum replete with programs and practica that let students develop legal competencies in their desired areas of expertise. On Tuesday, October 3, the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) hosted a panel of faculty representatives from Catholic Law’s clinics and certificate programs, as part of its 1L Becoming a Legal Professional series.

Tuesday’s panel event examined the various legal areas of focus, settings, and opportunities available to Catholic Law’s students to develop practical skills that are desired by legal employers. OCPD also livestreamed the panel via Zoom for first- and second-year students of the evening division, who could not be in attendance.

The first hour’s panel included professor Robert A. Destro, who heads Catholic Law’s human rights practicum; professor Sarah H. Duggin, director of the Compliance, Investigations and Corporate Responsibility Program; professor Susanna H. Fischer, director of both the Comparative and International Law Institute and the International Human Rights Summer Law School Program in Rome, Italy; professor Mary Graw Leary, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Jack Murphy, director of the Securities Law Program; Chris Ross, managing director of Columbus Community Legal Services; Brian Svoboda, director of the Law and Public Policy Program; and Professor Emerita Leah Wortham, director of the International Business and Trade Summer Law Program in Krakow, Poland.

Following the panel discussion students were invited into the law school’s Louise H. Keelty and James Keelty, Jr. Atrium to continue the discussion. The panelists, as well as students currently involved with each of the groups were available to answer the questions of interested students.