This week Public Interest Legal Advocates of Regent (PILAR) held its sixth annual auction to promote law-related interest in the public sector and provide grants for students who will intern in unpaid public interest positions.
In the past PILAR has been able to provide up to $1000 in summer stipends per applicant through its assistance programs. The proceeds of the auction make up the majority of these substantial grants.
PILAR’s desire to foster support for those desiring to serve the “least of these,” at what is often a personal financial cost, is a trademark of the Regent Law community. “Encouraging one another in the mindset of service and building a network to support Christian lawyers who truly want to get “dirty” but don’t usually get paid much for it is what this [auction] is really all about,” said Amy Gibbs, this year’s Auction Coordinator.
Every PILAR member that applies for a grant was expected to solicit ten items from the community for auction. This year, hot items were Bar Preparatory courses, a portable personal dry cleaner, beautiful Amish quilts, and private surfing lessons.
Michael Hernandez and Jeffrey Brauch. Bar passage rates were a lackluster 40 percent when Jeffrey A. Brauch was appointed interim dean of the Regent University School of Law in 1999. Brauch knew a curriculum overhaul was needed to better prepare students, and he turned to trusted law school colleagues to lead the curriculum reforms, including Michael Hernandez, who played a central role. Fast forward 16 years, and Regent’s bar passage rates have improved significantly, exceeding the Virginia average in four of the past five years. Also, the school, the students and the faculty have earned numerous accolades under Brauch’s leadership. Now, Brauch is returning to the classroom, and Hernandez, a seasoned legal professor and faculty adviser of the nation’s 8th ranked Moot Court program, has been appointed dean of the Regent University School of Law, with the transition beginning immediately. “We’ve had a great run with Jeff as our leader. He has done an excellent job ...