Meet Your Inn Advisors
SBA Mentors
Starting law school can feel overwhelming. But don’t worry; your Student Bar Association or, "SBA," mentors are here to support you during your first year. These upper-level law students lead your weekly meetings and social events. As you will discover, there will be many opportunities to get to know classmates, your mentors and faculty advisors through various informal and formal events led by your SBA mentors.
Your SBA mentors also help familiarize you with the law school and student organizations, services, and programs available to you. They can also point you in the right direction if you feel like you need assistance.
Some of the questions you may want to ask your SBA mentors include:
- Can you have a normal life on the weekends or are you studying all the time?
- What kinds of student organizations does SMU law have? How can I join one?
- Are there any law school-wide events for all law students?
- What was the hardest part about first semester?
These law school veterans have first-hand experience and they want to share their knowledge with you.
Faculty Mentors
Our highly accomplished faculty is here to support you. The Faculty Mentors in your Inn can counsel you on important academic issues, like course selection, relevant internship opportunities and law-related organizations you may be interested in joining. They can also give you tips on study skills and introduce you to other faculty members who teach in areas of particular interest to you. Relationships you form with your Faculty Mentors can greatly enrich your educational experience at SMU Dedman School of Law.
INN |
Faculty Mentors |
Bromberg
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Callejo |
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Jones |
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Noel |
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Raggio |
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Storey |
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Academic Success Mentors
SMU Dedman Law is dedicated to cultivating a supportive academic environment and to helping all law students reach their full academic potential. To this end, each Inn is assigned a team of three Academic Success Program or, "ASP,"Mentors, second and third-year law students who have achieved academic excellence in law school. They conduct wrap-up sessions at the end of each week starting in the second week of school. In these sessions, you discuss issues like class preparation, note-taking skills, case-briefing, outlining, learning styles, and study habits. You also take practice tests and work to improve your exam-taking skills.The ASP Mentors are there to answer your academic questions, provide support, model successful study skills, and guide you during the weekly wrap-ups. Typically, there is a pre-designated topic to discuss during the session, but each Inn is encouraged to reach out to its ASP Mentors to propose alternative issues of concern to review during the sessions.
Career Services Counselor
The Career Counselor assigned to you will be your individual career counselor throughout law school to help you identify and achieve your professional goals. She or he will provide you with guidance and feedback on every step of the legal hiring process, from reviewing resumes and cover letters to acquiring legal experience during law school to developing job search strategies and will work closely with you in your search for post-graduate employment.
In addition to providing personalized career counseling advice, the Office of Career Services has specifically designed for your class a series of seminars designated “Career Foundations & Professional Development” (CFPD), which have been integrated into the Inn program. CFPD seminars provide information regarding professionalism, various practice areas and legal markets, networking opportunities with private and public sector employers and workshops to develop interviewing and networking skills. These seminars are complemented with interactive events, all designed to help you develop as a professional and enhance your future employability.
Community Fellows
Students will also receive the support of some of the law school’s most highly regarded alumni. Community Fellows will attend certain Inn events, where they will build relationships with students and model ways to build a satisfying career. The Community Fellows for this year are:
INN |
Community Fellows |
Bromberg |
Judge Tonya Parker '98, 116th Civil District Court |
Callejo |
Robert Hart '87, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Mark Cuban Companies |
Jones |
Judge Jane Boyle '81, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas |
Noel |
Mike Boone '67, Co-Founder & Partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP |
Raggio |
Councilman Salman Bhojani '13, Councilman, Euless City Council |
Storey |
Van Beckwith '90, General Counsel, Halliburton |