Pre-Law News
Updates from Loyola's Pre-Law Society
Hi everyone,
I hope you’ve all had a great semester as we head toward the finish line. I know many of you have noticed that the Pre-Law Society has moved a bit slowly this fall, even so, we had an incredible highlight with our Fall Expungement Clinic this past October. It’s always one of the most meaningful experiences of the year. I had the chance to watch and listen as attorneys worked directly with members of the Baltimore community, and it reminded me why I chose the Pre-Law track here at Loyola in the first place. I strongly encourage everyone to sign up for the Spring Clinic if you can. It’s an amazing opportunity to see attorneys from a variety of specialties volunteer their time to help people in real, life-changing ways.
By the time you read this, the Pre-Law Executive Board will have already hosted our member Q&A event to hear what you want to see from the Society moving forward. For those who couldn’t attend, I’ve sent out a survey so your feedback is still included. The Executive Board and I care deeply about our members and are committed to supporting your success. As one of the largest organizations on campus, with about 300 members, it’s essential that we hear from you so we can continue offering valuable experiences like law school visits, law firm tours, courthouse trips, and more.
Here’s what to look forward to in the spring semester:
We have a guest speaker lined up in January, the head of an immigration law firm, who will share insights about the field. We’ll also continue our peer mentoring program, pairing first- and second-year students with juniors and seniors to talk about everything from the LSAT to course planning to exploring potential practice areas.
Additionally, we are planning two law school visits in Washington, D.C.: American University Washington College of Law and Georgetown Law. Be on the lookout for sign-up information. We are also organizing a visit to the Maryland Legal Aid office, which leads our Expungement Clinic each semester and is an excellent place for networking and learning.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and best of luck on all your final exams! I also want to highlight our incredible advisor, Dr. Beverlin. He is an outstanding resource throughout your Pre-Law journey here at Loyola, and I highly recommend meeting with him at least once if you haven’t already.
As always, feel free to reach out to me anytime at sgcapone@loyola.edu
Blessings,
Sophia
Loyola Pre-Law Community,
Two weeks ago, fellow Political Science professor Doug Harris and I attended the 2025 AccessLex LexCon conference in Savannah, Georgia. AccessLex is a major non-profit in the Pre-Law space, and LexCon is their annual gathering of law school faculty and staff. Why were Prof. Harris and I there? More on that shortly, but first, a major takeaway worth sharing.
Perhaps most critically for current students, what I learned at LexCon is that changes to federal student loan programs are going to have a major impact on law student borrowers (not to mention law schools themselves). The conference featured hours of presentations from experienced financial aid professionals who were attempting to explain the maze of changes to borrowing. I am not a financial aid professional, but this did impress upon me the importance of scheduling an expert on law school borrowing to talk with us all in the spring. Stay tuned for an announcement on that once I get it booked. For new JD students, there are changes being made to repayment plans, and importantly, the imposition of new borrowing caps that apply to professional school students.
But the reason why Professor Harris and I were at LexCon was to present the results of our PALS pilot program study. From what I observed, Loyola was the only institution without an attached law school represented at LexCon. This makes sense given Loyola is the first undergraduate institution to receive an AccessLex Pledge grant in the history of that program.
PALS (Preparation for Admission to Law School) is a recently concluded 15-month pilot program that supported 26 Loyola students in their journey to law school. Some of you might have been in it, and some of you likely have never even heard of it. The program centered on the success of students from communities historically underrepresented in law school and the legal profession.
“The law school application process can be daunting. And so being able to go slowly and hit each marker has proven to remove some of the stress that comes with the territory,” said a recent Loyola undergraduate (’25, Political Science).
The goal of the PALS pilot program was to support the whole person, in alignment with our Loyola Jesuit mission of cura personalis. A primary focus of PALS was on student writing – specifically the law school application personal statement and the new argumentative writing prompt on the LSAT. The Pre-Law program partnered with our Writing Center to offer participants grammar and writing-focused online learning modules in addition to tailored in-person tutoring.
We also offered participants the option of engaging in a disability and accessibility services review. This allowed PALS students to reflect upon and assess their learning needs as undergraduates and build a record for accommodations that might be essential for law school success. We worked to form a learning community that supported each other and engaged in early professional development through speakers and trips. A number of wraparound supports were offered, including LSAT test practice sessions and specialized coursework.
The Pledge grant allowed for a thorough program assessment that provided insight into what worked in PALS and what could have been improved. We shared our results with the greater law school community, doing a fair amount of bragging about Loyola along the way. I’m proud of our results and glad to have shared what we did with that particular audience of law school deans and admissions staff. In my mind, it never hurts to get the Loyola name out there, as many of you work toward law school acceptance.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I want to express my appreciation for all the campus partners and lawyer alumni who made this work possible. This list includes, but is not limited to, the Pre-Law Advisory Board; the Political Science Department; the LCAS Dean's Office; Loyola Clinical Centers; the Writing Center; the Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education; and the Disability and Accessibility Services Office. A huge thanks to you all!
Best wishes to you, the students, as we sit in peak application season. To those of you who have submitted all of your materials, good luck as you wait with fingers crossed. I’m sure you’ll do very well. To those yet to finish applying, good luck wrapping things up. I encourage you to recognize that you have done all you can, so hit that proverbial "submit "button. And on behalf of the applying students, thanks to all who support them on their journey.
Finally, congratulations, to Loyola Senior Helena Marquina who just received news of a full ride scholarship offer to St. John's! She received this news while studying abroad in Paris. We're not jealous at all, Helena. Congrats.
Matt Beverlin
Pre-Law Advisor
Political Science Department
By: Ifeoma Ezeani
Abbie Flanagan is an Assistant Public Defender in Maryland, where she advocates for the educational rights of young people in the youth legal system. Her work includes representing students in special education and school discipline matters, ensuring that youth in out-of-home placements have access to appropriate education, and training attorneys and social workers to recognize and address educational barriers. Abbie graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in 1997, and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2004. She has represented young people in jurisdictions across Maryland throughout her career and also spent time at Loyola’s Center for Community, Service, and Justice, where she worked as the Assistant Director of Outreach and Advocacy. She is especially committed to challenging systemic barriers in education and enjoys encouraging future advocates, like Loyola’s pre-law students, to pursue this important work.
1. What initially drew you to public defense work, and how did you discover your passion for advocating for youth and educational rights?
My first job out of college was teaching science on a boat in Baltimore. That was really fun. I loved it, and I got to meet and interact with students. I enjoyed mentoring. After that job, I did a two-year AmeriCorps program with the Choice Program. I worked with young people in the legal system, and I realized kids really need a strong advocate. I was really involved in their education, and I don't think they were in a system that was supposed to help them. I saw the system that they had was not helping them, and the kids really needed strong academics. So, I stopped working for choice, and I went to law school.
2. How did your law school experience prepare you (or not prepare you) for the realities of working with young clients and navigating educational law?
When I was in law school, I focused on youth justice, education rights, discipline, and disability. I started to see an intersection of all those topics. I was interning at the public defender's office, representing kids in their schools, particularly in special education. I developed an idea for a fellowship to be an educational advocate within the public education system and got funding for 18 months to try it out. It had tremendous success, and then it became a full-time position at the public health office to have an education attorney, and so I stayed in that position there for a few years.
3. What are some of the most common educational barriers faced by young people in the legal system?
There are significant challenges. First, our schools are being asked to do too much by society. We have a scarcity mindset that's negatively impacting students. I see an over-reliance on punitive measures, especially in how we handle disciplinary issues. There are important supports for families and kids that are missing. The goal is to help them feel valued and understood in society, and to provide the support they need to succeed, and I think our scarcity mindset is negatively impacting all of our students. Another barrier is that services create stress for families, and providing the real protection that kids need can require a lot of resources.
4. How do you work to address these barriers?
I focus on understanding the unique challenges, particularly for young people with disabilities. I work to create support systems that help students feel valued and understood. There's a need to provide comprehensive services and support that go beyond traditional educational approaches. My role is to empower people and make the information known to them about how the real system works and how everyone is affected. I was not a parent at the time of this work. Now I include parents in everything I do, and parents hold their child's education rights so they are in the decisions. So, I like to come alongside the parents and have them be my partner in this work.
5. With schools and students relying more on technology, do you think digital learning has helped or hurt students, especially those in difficult circumstances?
Kids are being funneled into their own homes alone, being asked to teach themselves the material using the same tools that they're using in school. I also think that it takes education away and I think connection is so often overlooked when we think about the same connection to adults, connection to classmates, peers, to communities. These issues also show how digital learning can worsen already-existing gaps, especially for kids who don't have reliable internet, quiet study areas, or supportive environments at home. Their difficulties are then viewed as disobedience, and students who lack reliable technology experience harsher discipline. They are punished for things beyond their control rather than given help. By giving children who already receive the least assistance more responsibilities, digital learning widens this gap. Losing that connection makes school seem more punitive and less accessible to many young people, especially those in difficult situations.
6. What kinds of internships, volunteer work, or campus opportunities would you recommend for Loyola students interested in youth advocacy or public defense?
I recommend interning with public defender's offices, community-based legal organizations, or advocacy groups. Getting involved in courtrooms and understanding how legal systems work is critical. I suggest externships in Washington D.C. that help you understand how federal policy impacts everyday people. The key is to be there to learn, absorb, and let your experiences shape your understanding. Whether it's volunteering or internships, push yourself to grow and gain real-world experience. The most important thing is to be there to learn and absorb. You should be prepared to push your personal growth, be open to new experiences, understand that you're there to learn, and let your experiences shape your professional development.
So, any time you get into a courtroom, I think working directly with young people, especially if the court system is involved, is critical. We want to begin to change the way our systems are working. We need to understand how they work and the real way that they're impacting the people that have to interact with them. I also think advocacy groups are great to work was well as some national groups, so you think of how federal policy impacts everyday people.
7. Law school and public interest work can both come with financial strain. How can students who want to go into public service law manage those realities while staying set on their goals?
Students should explore opportunities and understand the potential financial resources because there are programs and connections can provide significant financial support that students might not initially recognize. I advise students to look into the financial support offered by different legal and advocacy programs, because these resources can be more valuable than students typically assume. First, students should learn about financial opportunities available to them and recognize that getting their JD is often way more important than what school it is from.
By: Ifeoma Ezeani
Andrew D. Sunderhaft is a 1L student at Creighton University School of Law focused on business, finance, and ethics. He graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a B.S. in Finance and Business Economics in 2025. Sunderhaft is the founder of many businesses such as Soarean Enterprises, HeyFortune, and the creator of LawTrack — a data-driven law school admissions calculator.
1. How did your time at Loyola prepare you for law school, particularly in developing the analytical and ethical mindset needed for both business and legal success?
Loyola shaped me in ways I’ll always be grateful for. Courses in economics, information systems, and Fr. Brown’s business law class taught me to approach problems analytically — to break down complexity and think critically. Loyola also gave me the freedom to innovate, turning ideas into action and learning from real outcomes. That mindset carried into projects like LawTrack and my fintech platform, HeyFortune, both focused on using technology and data-driven strategy to solve practical challenges.
Coming from a Roman Catholic background, courses like Philosophy with Dr. McAllister and Catholic Social Teachings with Fr. Conley deepened my understanding of ethics in leadership. I learned how faith and business can coexist — that integrity and responsibility are nonnegotiable. That moral foundation continues to guide my approach to both law and entrepreneurship.
2. How did your interests in business, finance, and ethics shape your decision to pursue law, and how do you see these fields intersecting in your future legal career?
I’ve always noticed that in every major deal or story of success, there’s a lawyer in the room — the one who understands how everything connects. For me, St. Thomas More embodied that ideal — the integration of business, law, and faith.
I began investing years before law school, learning through hands-on experience. Loyola allowed me to refine that self-taught curiosity into disciplined thinking. The Sellinger School was also where I met peers and mentors who challenged how I think about markets, ethics, and long-term value — shaping me into someone who sees finance not just as profit, but as a driver of innovation and impact.
To me, law is the bridge between business and ethics. It provides the structure to protect what I build and the framework to lead responsibly. My long-term goal is to practice in Venture Capital, Growth Equity, Private Equity, and M&A — where law safeguards innovation and ensures fairness in business.
3. You built a data-driven law school admissions calculator, what gap in the admissions process were you trying to address, and how do you think technology can make legal education more accessible or transparent?
The idea came from a gap my co-founder, Ethan Bennett, noticed — the lack of transparency for transfer applicants in law school admissions. We built the tool to make admissions more data-driven and inclusive, giving all applicants clearer insight beyond GPA and LSAT scores.
Our platform incorporates soft factors like leadership, initiative, and resilience — traits often weighted more heavily by Tier 3 and 4 schools — to help students make smarter, more strategic decisions. Working with my co-founder, Stelios Anastasiades, MBA, deepened my focus on using AI to improve access and efficiency. Technology can streamline research, reduce costs, and bring much-needed transparency to both legal education and practice. If I had to sum it up in one word: efficiency.
4. As the founder many businesses like Soarean Enterprises LLC, what inspired you to merge entrepreneurship with your legal journey, and what challenges have you faced balancing both?
Entrepreneurship has always been my passion — I love building from the ground up and finding creative ways to add value. But I realized early on that not understanding the law limited what I could do. The challenges I faced became the motivation to study law: I wanted to understand the rules so I could innovate freely and confidently.
I founded Soarean Enterprises to manage and operate my various projects. When Biden’s digital payment regulations took effect, I had to restructure my premium sneaker division to streamline operations. What first felt like a legal roadblock became a catalyst for innovation; it pushed me to rethink how to conduct business more efficiently.
Balancing law school and entrepreneurship isn’t easy, but they feed into each other. Law provides the framework; business gives me the creativity to apply it. Each side sharpens the other, and that balance keeps me driven.
5. What advice would you give Loyola students who are interested in combining law with finance or starting their own businesses while pursuing a legal career?
Find balance. Law school is a privilege fewer than half of one percent of Americans ever become lawyers and that perspective keeps me grounded. I’ve learned from professors to focus on the opportunity in front of me and not let small projects overshadow it.
Entrepreneurship should complement, not compete with, your legal education. For me, working on Heyfortune keeps me connected to finance and creativity while still honoring the rigor of law school.
Surround yourself with driven peers who share your vision. Being both a law student and an innovator is rare — but when your work aligns and starts creating real results, it’s an incredible feeling.
Check out LawTrack — a a data-driven law school admissions calculator created by Andrew for prospective law school applicants:
By: Sophia Capone
Timothy Lynch is the President of Offit Kurman and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, responsible for daily operations, strategic planning, and guiding the firm’s national growth. He previously served as Managing Principal and continues to maintain a national practice advising entrepreneurs, owner-managed businesses, financial institutions, and key employees on corporate, regulatory, and employment matters. He also serves as general counsel to the Washington Area New Auto Dealers Association (WANADA) and founded the Best Practices Roundtable for CEOs in Central Maryland.
Internationally, Timothy is the principal delegate to the Association of International Law Firm Affiliates (AILFN) and the global chair of a best-practices group within Geneva Group International (GGI). I had the opportunity to interview him about his path into law, the challenges of leading a major firm, and his advice for aspiring lawyers navigating an increasingly global legal profession.
1. What initially inspired you to pursue a career in law, and how did your early experiences shape the direction your legal career ultimately took?
I was influenced by the fact that my father was a lawyer, though he had passed away by the time I was making my own decision. Around the middle of my junior year of college, I started seriously thinking about what I wanted to do next. I talked to lawyers I knew, looked into what law school required, and began putting together a plan. What really drew me to law was the range of opportunities it offered—you can work in a firm, in government, for a company or nonprofit, anywhere in the country, and for your whole career. I also liked the competitive aspect, especially coming from athletics, so litigation felt like a natural fit.
2. You’ve built an impressive career not only as an attorney but also as a leader within Offit Kurman. What is the most challenging part of practicing law and firm management and strategic leadership?
The hardest part of practicing law really depends on where you are in your career. When you first start, the learning curve is steep, law school gives you knowledge, but you learn how to be a lawyer on the job. As you grow, the challenges shift. In litigation especially, you’re trying to solve a client’s problem while an opponent is actively trying to undo everything you’re doing, and a judge or jury, who you can’t control, makes the final call. Clients themselves change their minds, needs, and expectations, so the whole environment is dynamic. Technology has also changed the profession. When I graduated, lawyers had a monopoly on legal knowledge; Google and now AI have changed how clients access information and how we work. On the management side, the biggest challenge is people, understanding their different goals, needs, and personalities, and making sure they align with what the firm is trying to accomplish. Leadership is really about people and adapting as the profession evolves.
3. Your work spans both national and international networks of law firms and business leaders. What do you think are the most important skills for young lawyers who want to succeed in an increasingly globalized legal field?
This is an apprenticeship business, so the most important skill is the willingness to learn—both the law itself and how to access and use information. There’s no shortcut; it takes a lot of time and effort. But that also means huge opportunity, because the field is always changing and clients always need us. Right now, is actually a great time to enter the profession. Demographically, there are fewer young lawyers and more senior lawyers slowing down or retiring, which creates a talent gap. Younger lawyers also tend to be more comfortable with technology, which is becoming essential as AI and legal tech expand. Older lawyers will rely more on younger attorneys to help navigate these tools. So being adaptable, technologically fluent, and ready to learn are key skills for succeeding in a modern, global practice.
4. Looking back, what was one of the biggest challenges you faced early in your career, and how did you overcome it?
Early on, the hardest part was simply figuring out what to do and where to start. Even in a good market, getting that first job is competitive, and while your first job doesn’t define your whole career, it does put you on a certain track, family law, corporate, tax, litigation, and so on. Some areas translate easily; others don’t, which makes switching difficult. Firms are usually looking for either relevant experience or top academic performance, ideally both. My advice, and what I told my own daughter, is that work experience before law school can help a lot, especially if it’s related to an area you might want to specialize in. Practical experience makes you more competitive and helps you narrow your interests. Ultimately, I overcame the early-career uncertainty by getting that first opportunity, learning as much as I could, and letting experience guide me.
5. Many of our members are aspiring law students. What advice would you give undergraduates who are considering law school or trying to find their place in the legal profession?
The advice I gave my daughter is the same I’d give any student: you can go straight through but taking a year or two to work can be really valuable. It helps you reset your mindset after college, gain maturity, and, if possible, get experience in an area you might want to pursue. Law schools also tend to favor applicants with some work experience. The timing is personal; there’s no real difference between starting law school at 24 versus 27. What matters is whether you’re ready. If you know you want to be a lawyer, great. If you’re unsure about what kind of law you want to practice, taking time off can help clarify that. And don’t stress about comparing yourself to classmates with jobs lined up; legal hiring, especially for government or Hill jobs, often happens late. Ultimately, assess your own circumstances, take the LSAT when you’re ready, and choose the path that best supports your long-term goals.
