Student Spotlight: Thomas Winegar '08
Three years ago, I was certain of my interest in law, but I was far less certain about whether I wanted to attend law school. As a philosophy major, there were always a few students in my classes who were there because they heard it would help them get into law school, and their competitiveness and fixation on grade point averages had left a sour taste in my mouth. I had no interest in an atmosphere where students scrabbled with each other over class rank and jealously guarded information lest their competitor-classmates gain an advantage.
My first visit to Notre Dame put those concerns to rest. From the warm greeting from Margaret in the admissions office to the friendly—and candid—meal with a current student, it was clear that Notre Dame is a community as well as a law school. Before the end of my tour, my guide offered me his books and outlines from his first year and suggested that I share them if I found them useful. That collaborative approach to studying is the norm at Notre Dame. Though we each stand on our own come the exam, the absence of class rankings encourages studying as peers rather than competing as adversaries.
Moreover, the school’s emphasis on the philosophical underpinnings of law creates an education that is more than acquiring an admittedly important technical proficiency with the law. Questions about the role of the lawyer, the justifications for the legitimacy of law’s commands, or the significance of the structure of government for a free society pervade the courses rather than being briefly held up as interesting abstract concerns to be set aside after the first week of class.
I’ve enjoyed law school for the subject matter and the collegial atmosphere. Hours before I wrote this, several other students and I went for a casual lunch with one of our professors, the foremost authority on the RICO statute, who encouraged us to contact him if we ever had questions that touched on his area of expertise. I’ve made friends that I will know the rest of my life, and been offered an education that is just as lasting. This summer will be the end of my time at Notre Dame—I decided to study for the bar here so that I could continue working at the Legal Aid Clinic over the summer. I am looking forward to starting work at Jenner & Block and moving on to the next phase of my life, but I will always be glad I came by this route.
