For months, Hawkins had studied cases in classrooms at the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law, reading opinions, analyzing arguments and learning the mechanics of legal procedure. At the courthouse, the work felt different. The complaints and motions she had spent so much time reading were no longer abstract documents inside a case file.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a person behind the complaint that comes across your desk,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e talking to them, you realize sometimes that it was just one misstep along the way that completely changed the trajectory of someone鈥檚 life.鈥�

The externship became one of the defining experiences of Hawkins鈥� time at Bowen Law, not because it pointed her toward a single career path, but because it showed her how differently the profession could look in practice than it did in classrooms and casebooks.

As Hawkins prepares to graduate this weekend, she leaves Bowen with a broader view of the legal profession than the one she carried into law school.

Law school was not always the plan.

Hawkins arrived at Central Baptist College intending to pursue physical therapy before realizing the coursework was pulling her in the wrong direction. An uncle working in government law encouraged her to take the LSAT, and the possibility of a legal career quickly clicked into place. She graduated from Central Baptist with a degree in business management before enrolling in law school.

Growing up in Stuttgart, Hawkins said her parents, both educators and administrators, made sure she understood where she came from and the barriers some people still faced around her. Her father became the first Black administrator in one of the school districts where he worked. Her mother also stepped into leadership roles where representation mattered.

鈥淚 felt like I was living in Black history in the making,鈥� Hawkins said.

The experiences shaped her early interest in civil rights and public-facing legal work, but Hawkins said she entered law school determined not to limit herself too quickly to one version of the profession.

Some of the courses Hawkins expected to enjoy never fully clicked. Others surprised her. Contracts and business associations quickly became some of her strongest areas academically, building on the business background she brought with her from college. Criminal law and criminal procedure also came naturally to her, even though she never envisioned herself working in those spaces professionally.

鈥淎 lot of things on paper didn鈥檛 sound appealing,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淏ut once I got to experience those areas of law, it changed the way I thought about them.鈥�

That growing interest in transactional and business-related work also reshaped the way Hawkins thought about impact. She said she had long seen talented people with strong business ideas struggle to access the resources and opportunities needed to move those ideas forward.

Hawkins said law school helped her recognize that work connected to contracts, licensing and access to funding can shape communities in quieter but equally meaningful ways. Through clerkships at firms of different sizes, Hawkins also saw how differently legal work could operate depending on the environment, the clients and the type of cases involved.

鈥淚 had to be intentional about not getting complacent in what I thought I knew,鈥� she said.

Hawkins said that same willingness to reevaluate herself became important during her externship at the federal courthouse, where a miscommunication challenged the way she believed she was coming across in the workplace.

鈥淚t would have been easy for me to just shut down,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淏ut I had to take a step back and ask myself, 鈥極K, what are you actually doing? How are people perceiving what you鈥檙e doing?鈥欌��

Hawkins said those experiences changed the way she approached both the work and the people helping her navigate it. Two faculty members became especially influential during Hawkins鈥� time at Bowen Law.

Dean Beiner provided the kind of steady support Hawkins said every student needs, offering guidance that extended beyond academics and coursework. 鈥淗er door was always open,鈥� Hawkins said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 important for every student to have, a member of faculty that you can go to and just talk to as a person.鈥�

Professor Cain challenged her differently. A former college athlete, Hawkins said she has always responded well to pressure and high expectations. During her second semester of 1L year, she remembered Cain telling her he had heard strong things about her and expected her to succeed.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to be good at this,鈥� he told her.

For Hawkins, hearing that from a professor with Cain鈥檚 reputation carried weight, not because she needed reassurance she belonged, but because she valued being pushed by people who expected her to rise to the occasion.

Now, as graduation approaches, Hawkins said she no longer feels pressure to define her future too narrowly. She still sees herself in the values that first drew her toward the law, but her time at Bowen showed her those goals can take shape through many different kinds of legal work.

Hawkins said she still does not know exactly where the profession will take her after graduation. But after three years of clerkships, coursework and courtroom experience, she feels more prepared for whatever comes next.

鈥淚鈥檓 a lot more capable of handling things than I was giving myself credit for,鈥� Hawkins said.

The post A Wider Lens: How Erica Hawkins Broadened Her View of Legal Work appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

In communities like her hometown of Newport, families often face legal issues long before they understand how to navigate the systems meant to resolve them.

Now preparing to graduate from the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law, Davis spent the past three years developing the legal knowledge and practical experience to serve communities like hers.

Davis鈥� long-term goals began taking shape in third grade after she read 鈥淭he Kid Who Became President,鈥� a book about a child determined to make a difference in his community despite being underestimated by those around him. She said the story resonated with her desire to help others. By the end of the book, Davis had decided she wanted to become president someday, too. When she told her parents about that goal, they didn鈥檛 dismiss it or tell her it was impossible. Instead, they encouraged her to pursue it, and her dad suggested law as a practical starting point to help her get there.

Even at that age, she was already familiar with some of what that path could look like. During her parents鈥� lengthy divorce and custody proceedings, Davis and her siblings spent years moving in and out of courtrooms. 鈥淚 remembered lawyers who sat down with me and talked to me without being on an adult level,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚t was scary being in there, but there were people who made it less scary.鈥�

Davis learned early how much work her goals would require. After missing kindergarten, she entered first grade at 8 years old, older than her classmates and still unable to read. By the end of the year, she was reading at a fifth-grade level and had advanced enough academically to skip second grade and enter the school鈥檚 gifted and talented program.

After deciding she wanted to pursue law, Davis and her father began shaping many of her academic decisions around that goal. 鈥淢y dad was like, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e going to have to bridge the gaps other students don鈥檛 have,鈥欌�� Davis said. 鈥淣ot only was I catching up to the other students, but I had to stay ahead of them.鈥� By eighth grade, Davis had started concurrent college coursework, eventually taking full college schedules while still in high school.

The path Davis built for herself required years of sacrifice and discipline. That level of focus meant she opted out of sports and social activities that usually dominate high school life, because she knew they wouldn鈥檛 help her meet her goals.

鈥淚 spent 10 years forming a path leading to where I was going,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 strayed from it.鈥�

Davis credits much of her progress to the adults who invested time in her early education. Among them was Jennifer Keedy, who worked closely with her in her first-grade classroom and later wrote a reference letter for Davis鈥� bar application. Her grandfather created stacks of handwritten index cards from which he quizzed her to help improve her vocabulary and reading comprehension. Her father often stayed up late after work helping her study. Later, as she began taking concurrent college classes in high school, he drove her an hour each way, often waiting in the truck while she attended class.

After graduating high school in 2020, Davis earned an associate degree and technical certificate from the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville in 2021 before completing her bachelor鈥檚 degree in English with a concentration in creative writing at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2022. For Davis, the degree carried particular meaning.

鈥淭o go from not being able to read to getting a degree focused on reading and writing, that was really special to me,鈥� Davis said.

When she arrived at Bowen in 2023, the experience felt more surreal than triumphant. After spending years building her life around the goal of becoming a lawyer, she suddenly found herself entering a profession no one in her family had firsthand experience navigating. During Bowen鈥檚 first-week program, Davis realized many of her classmates came from backgrounds that made law school feel more familiar.

鈥淚t was like a sick feeling,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚鈥檓 finally here, and at this point I know my family can no longer prepare me further.鈥�

But at Bowen, Davis began finding new forms of guidance. She said many professors taught from their own experiences in practice, helping students understand not only legal theory, but also how attorneys navigate difficult conversations, building trust and managing professional relationships.

In courses such as Property Law, Decedents鈥� Estates and Business Associations, Davis said she began connecting the legal systems she was studying with the realities she had already seen growing up in rural Arkansas, an approach she said made the coursework feel more practical and grounded.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I really appreciated,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚t can be hard when you haven鈥檛 experienced things. Otherwise, it鈥檚 just regurgitating law.鈥�

Outside the classroom, Davis sought out opportunities to work directly with rural communities across Arkansas, work she said felt closely connected to the same motivations that first drew her toward law as a child. As a Bowen Public Service Fellow, she completed more than 1,600 public service hours during law school and recently received the law school鈥檚 Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of that work.

Her internships, externships and pro bono service included work with Legal Aid of Arkansas, the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission, the Arkansas Public Defender Commission and the Office of General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The work gave Davis a broader understanding of what practicing law in rural Arkansas often requires. Attorneys, she said, frequently become not only legal advocates, but also connectors to services, relationships and resources that clients may not know exist.

One project that stayed with her most involved compiling legal and community resources across 15 Arkansas counties for Legal Aid of Arkansas. Davis worked to identify attorneys, housing resources, veterans services, food banks, shelters and other programs that could help connect residents with support beyond immediate legal representation.

鈥淚鈥檓 not even out of law school yet, and I already know that work is helping people,鈥� Davis said.

She also brought those interests into her academic leadership at Bowen. As this year鈥檚 symposium editor for the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service, Davis organized a symposium examining agriculture and legal issues affecting Arkansas farming communities.

After graduation this weekend, Davis plans to continue preparing for rural practice through the University of Arkansas School of Law鈥檚 LL.M. program in agricultural and food law while studying for the bar exam this summer. While completing the program in Fayetteville, Davis plans to work alongside Newport attorney Jim McLarty, a longtime family friend she has known since childhood. McLarty, who is approaching retirement, will help mentor Davis as she begins preparing to build her own rural practice focused on agriculture law, estate planning and family law.

For Davis, every stage of preparation has pointed back toward Newport.

鈥淏eing able to go back is keeping my promise,鈥� she said.

The post A Promise Kept: How Sarah Davis Prepared for a Law Career in Rural Arkansas appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

He had worked construction and carpentry through college. He taught percussion in public school. He earned a real estate license. He worked retail in Nashville during the height of COVID-19 while trying to build a career in music. Through it all, he kept playing drums and singing with his band, Blackstrap, booking gigs and managing the business side of the work himself.

What connected those experiences was not a straight path toward law school, but a pattern.

鈥淚 would pick things up really quickly,鈥� Gathright said. 鈥淭hen I鈥檇 hit a ceiling.鈥�

One of the clearest examples came during his time working at a JD Sports store in Franklin, Tennessee. Hired first as a sales associate, Gathright quickly moved into leadership roles, becoming a supervisor within weeks and an assistant manager shortly afterward. Before long, the company offered him his own store.

On paper, it looked like success. But the offer forced him to confront a question that had followed him through several jobs already: Was he building a career he wanted, or simply succeeding at the next thing put in front of him?

鈥淚 only really liked selling,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 liked working with people. The further up you got, the less you actually get to do that.鈥�

At the same time, the music career that had brought him to Nashville had begun to stall as the live entertainment industry struggled to recover from the pandemic. When his lease ended, he packed up and moved home to El Dorado.

Looking back, Gathright now sees those years less as false starts and more as a process of elimination. Each job taught him something about the kind of work that energized him and the kind that did not. He liked solving problems. He liked working directly with people. He wanted autonomy. What wore him down was micromanagement, routine administration and work that felt static once he mastered it.

鈥淚 learned early on that I鈥檓 going to swim regardless,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 may not know what I鈥檓 doing when I start, but I鈥檓 going to figure it out.鈥�

For most of his life, Gathright had never imagined becoming an attorney 鈥� he had earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in music. Then he took a job working for a lawyer in El Dorado. The opportunity came through a connection he made while working in real estate, and at first, the position was practical. The firm needed help, and Gathright needed work. What surprised him was how much he enjoyed it.

鈥淚 enjoyed finding the missing pieces,鈥� he said.

The work felt different from anything he had done before. Instead of reaching a point where everything became routine, the legal field seemed to expand the deeper he got into it. There was always another angle to consider, another layer of analysis beneath the surface.

At one point, Gathright mentioned pursuing a paralegal certification to increase his earning potential. The attorney he worked for had another suggestion.

鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you just go to law school?鈥� he remembered him saying.

The idea had never seriously crossed his mind before.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even know that I could go back to law school after the degrees that I got,鈥� Gathright said.

Still, Bowen offered something important: proximity to the life he had already built. The law school allowed him to remain connected to his family, his music network and the people who had supported him through years of uncertainty and career changes.

So he took the LSAT, applied to Bowen before receiving his score and committed fully to the opportunity in front of him.

鈥淚f I didn鈥檛 get into Bowen,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 going to law school.鈥�

Like many of the decisions that brought him there, Gathright approached law school without having everything perfectly figured out. During his first semester at Bowen, he was commuting daily from El Dorado to 糖心视频logo while planning a wedding and trying to avoid taking on significant student debt. To make morning classes, he often left home around 6 a.m. and did not return until late in the evening.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have time to read,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have time to do anything.鈥�

Eventually, after conversations with attorneys and mentors, he realized the arrangement was not sustainable. He moved to 糖心视频logo during his first semester, and later, his wife, Emilia, joined him.

That support system, combined with Bowen鈥檚 hands-on approach to legal education, helped steady the transition into law school.

Outside the classroom, Gathright continued performing with his band while building legal experience through clerkships and externships at places including the Arkansas Municipal League, Simmons Bank, Nash Law Firm, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

The experiences exposed him to a wide range of legal work, from estate planning and secured transactions to bankruptcy proceedings and business-related matters. Along the way, he also learned what did not fit.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 really want to litigate at all,鈥� he said with a laugh.

Instead, he found himself increasingly drawn toward transactional and tax-related work, particularly the strategic problem-solving involved in business and finance.

Then he took Federal Income Tax.

鈥淚t was my favorite class I鈥檝e taken in law school,鈥� Gathright said. 鈥淚t just made sense.鈥�

For Gathright, the appeal of tax law was not simply the subject matter. It was the realization that he had finally found a field that could continue challenging him long term.

鈥淭his is a field that keeps evolving,鈥� he said.

The more he studied business and tax law, the more Gathright recognized connections to experiences he had already accumulated outside the classroom. Years of managing bookings, contracts, payments and logistics for his band had given him an unexpected introduction to the business side of professional life. His work in retail, real estate and sales had also shaped the way he thought about systems, negotiation and client relationships.

As his interest in tax law grew, Gathright began talking with faculty mentors and practicing attorneys about what it would take to build a career in the field. Following graduation from Bowen this weekend and the bar exam this summer, he plans to begin the Tax LL.M. program at the University of Florida Levin College of Law while working with RMP in 糖心视频logo.

In some ways, the direction surprised him. Tax law had never been part of the original plan because there had never really been an original plan. Instead, his path to law school was built piece by piece through experience, trial and error, and a willingness to keep moving toward opportunities that felt meaningful.

鈥淚 think something I鈥檝e noticed,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s that it really is never too late to start over or find a different path.鈥� That perspective has become one of the clearest lessons he carries from his journey to Bowen. 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to pivot into something,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you think you鈥檇 like it, go try it.鈥�

For Gathright, the willingness to step into unfamiliar territory repeatedly led him somewhere unexpected: a legal career that finally felt expansive enough to grow alongside him.

The post No Ceiling: How James Gathright Found Room to Grow in Law appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

It is the kind of moment that does not show up on a r茅sum茅, but over time, it became a familiar one. Schoeppel Wilcox, who is nearly a decade older than many of her classmates, took on a big sister role for many during her time at the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law. They turned to her, not just for help with coursework, but for guidance on the practical decisions that shape daily life and professional confidence. She has talked peers through mock interviews, how to get a car loan, and how to choose a primary care provider.

In a place where students spend long hours together, often learning how to navigate unfamiliar environments alongside one another, those moments of trust can carry real weight. For Schoeppel Wilcox, they became some of the most meaningful parts of her experience at law school.

Schoeppel Wilcox was recently awarded the Bogle-Sharp Award, which goes to the graduate who is voted 鈥渕ost likely to succeed in the practice of law鈥� by their peers. 鈥淚 can’t think of any honor greater than one from those that have endured the trenches of law school with you,鈥� she said.

Long before classmates began turning to her for advice, Schoeppel Wilcox was learning from the people who quietly showed up for others in her own life.

She grew up in Fairview, Oklahoma, a rural town where her graduating class numbered just 36 students. Her mother taught middle school and often found understated ways to help families around them. If a student came to school without a winter coat, one might quietly appear a few days later in exactly the right size.

鈥淣o one needed to know that she did it,鈥� Schoeppel Wilcox said. 鈥淵ou just meet people鈥檚 needs where you can.鈥�

She saw the opposite side of that reality, too. Her father, a lawyer, died when she was seven after what she describes as a difficult and often painful marriage for her mother. Even with a college degree, a stable job and support from family, her mother was left trying to navigate financial systems and responsibilities she had never been allowed to manage on her own.

Over time, Schoeppel Wilcox began to recognize how many forms uncertainty can take, especially for people trying to enter unfamiliar professional spaces. She said she was fortunate to grow up surrounded by friends whose parents stepped in to help fill gaps when they saw them. 鈥淥ne of my friends鈥� dads taught me how to get a car loan,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hose aren鈥檛 things everyone gets taught.鈥�

Before law school, she worked in public service roles in Oklahoma and Arkansas, spent time working for a nonprofit in South Africa and helped run internship programs in multiple settings. Again and again, she found herself working with people who often already knew what they wanted for themselves and their families, but lacked access to resources, information or professional networks that could help them get there.

鈥淚 think people usually know what they need,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ometimes they just need someone to help guide them through it.鈥�

During law school, life outside the classroom rarely slowed down for Schoeppel Wilcox.

She and her wife Amie married just weeks before classes began at Bowen. During her first year, they renovated a 100-year-old home in Hillcrest while she adjusted to the demands of legal education. Throughout law school, she balanced classes with clerkships, externships and research work at the school.

Then, during her second year, just weeks after she was named editor-in-chief of the UALR Law Review, her mother died unexpectedly.

During that same period, Schoeppel Wilcox and her wife navigated fertility treatments, a miscarriage, the responsibility of settling her mother鈥檚 estate and helping care for her aunt in hospice in Oklahoma, all while continuing through law school.

鈥淵ou want to show up for everybody and do a good job and do it right,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 hard to balance it sometimes.鈥�

At home, she and her wife relied on a simple framework for making decisions during overwhelming seasons: knowing which responsibilities were 鈥済lass balls鈥� and which were 鈥渞ubber balls.鈥�

鈥淭he rubber balls bounce back,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he glass balls break.鈥�

Sometimes that meant missing a class to handle a family emergency and catching up later. Other times, it meant accepting support from the same community she had spent years supporting herself.

When her mother died, several classmates drove from 糖心视频logo to Oklahoma for the funeral, a 14-hour round trip. Friends brought freezer meals, shared class notes and helped however they could. Faculty members, including Dean Gustafson and Professor Laura Bates, became steady sources of support and guidance throughout law school.

For Schoeppel Wilcox, those experiences reinforced the kind of community she had found at Bowen 鈥� one built not only through academic rigor, but through people continuing to show up for one another when life became difficult.

As editor-in-chief of the Law Review, Schoeppel Wilcox found herself responsible for keeping one of the law school鈥檚 most demanding student organizations moving forward.

鈥淭he role of the editor-in-chief is keeping the train on the tracks,鈥� she said.

The position required her to manage the publication process, coordinate with students and faculty and review every article that moved through the Law Review, all while balancing coursework, externships and responsibilities outside the classroom.

For Schoeppel Wilcox, leadership was less about authority than consistency. Early on, she worked to make sure everyone understood their responsibilities and trusted one another to carry them out. 鈥淭he clearest communication and assuming best intent of somebody,鈥� she said, 鈥渢hose are the two things I always try to take into a role like that.鈥�

The experience reinforced what had already become central to her time at Bowen: leadership often meant helping other people do their best work.

This weekend, Schoeppel Wilcox will graduate from Bowen Law after years defined as much by service and resilience as academic achievement. Following graduation, Schoeppel Wilcox will begin a two-year judicial clerkship with Chief U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker before joining the Rose Law Firm as a litigation associate. She said her externship with Judge Baker reaffirmed her belief in the legal system at its best: one grounded in preparation, fairness and respect for the people moving through it.

鈥淭here really is no substitute for being in the courtroom and watching it happen,鈥� she said.

For Schoeppel Wilcox, the path to this point has rarely been linear or uncomplicated. But as she prepares to graduate, she is thinking less about achievement than about the opportunities people create for those who come after them.

She recently learned that her grandfather once started law school himself before leaving to support his family, a decision that shaped the choices available to those around him. Her father eventually became a lawyer, while her mother, the first in her family to attend college, became a teacher because, as Schoeppel Wilcox recalls, she 鈥渄idn鈥檛 really know what else you could be other than that or a secretary.鈥�

Now, as she and her wife prepare to welcome their first child later this summer, Schoeppel Wilcox hopes the life they are building will offer their child more freedom and possibility than earlier generations had themselves.

The post A Community Built: How Chacey Schoeppel Wilcox Became the Person Classmates Turned To appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

It鈥檚 a place defined by structure鈥攂y process, order, and systems built to hold everything in place.

Nearly a decade ago, Linch was sleeping in his car.

Growing up in 糖心视频logo with a loving family and a diploma from Catholic High, Linch鈥檚 path initially looked like that of many Arkansans: he headed to Fayetteville to attend the University of Arkansas.

But after a year of battling an undiagnosed anxiety disorder and a growing dependence on substances, he flunked out. That setback spiraled into years of addiction, homelessness, and brushes with the law. 鈥淚 really thought life was over,鈥� he said.

It wasn鈥檛.

Through the grace of a compassionate prosecutor and a passionate defense attorney, Linch was offered a second chance instead of a criminal record. He took it.

That second chance led him to Renewal Ranch, a faith-based recovery program in Perryville. For the first time in years, he saw what he describes as 鈥渁 glimmer of hope.鈥�

He stayed, completed the program, and later joined the organization in fundraising and marketing. From there, he returned to school and earned his psychology degree from Central Baptist College. With that progress came a new goal. Linch began to see law school as the path forward, a way to help others the same way he had been helped.

鈥淚 knew I wasn鈥檛 done,鈥� Linch said. 鈥淚 wanted to keep going, but my grades from Fayetteville followed me. On paper, law school just didn鈥檛 seem possible.鈥�

Part-Time Law Program for Working Professionals

At Bowen, that path became possible. When Linch learned about the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law鈥檚 LEAP Program, a six-week pathway for students whose transcripts might not reflect their true potential, he saw an opening. He applied, got in, and found the momentum he鈥檇 been missing.

鈥淟EAP demystified law school,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 walked into my first day with study partners, real experience, and six weeks of contracts under my belt. It changed everything.鈥�

From there, his path began to take shape.

Linch is now a second-year part-time student at Bowen, balancing coursework with a full-time role as Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs for Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge. He worked on Rutledge鈥檚 early campaign before addiction sidelined his future. She has remained a consistent supporter, something Linch says is rare in politics.

His experiences have shaped his focus.

鈥淚鈥檝e been to 11 funerals in five years,鈥� he said. 鈥淔riends who didn鈥檛 make it. I had access to a resource that changed my life. That was a good attorney. I want to be that for someone else.鈥�

At Bowen, Linch has found more than academic redemption. He鈥檚 found a community that meets students where they are and pushes them forward.

He points to professors like John Cook, who teaches legal writing and analysis, as a defining part of that experience. Cook is known for meeting with students after class ends at 9 p.m. or on weekends, doing whatever it takes to help them succeed.

That mentorship has already made a tangible impact. Linch is now a member of UA 糖心视频logo Law Review, and his note has been selected for publication, an opportunity he credits in part to Cook鈥檚 encouragement to join and strengthen his writing.

Even while undergoing cancer treatment, Cook adjusted his own schedule to ensure students were prepared for finals. That level of commitment left an impression. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the best educator I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� Linch said. 鈥淗e wants you to understand it, not just get through it.鈥�

For Linch, that kind of support isn鈥檛 the exception. It鈥檚 part of what makes Bowen different.

The part-time program at Bowen has made that path possible. It allows Linch to work full time at the Capitol while continuing his legal education, balancing coursework with the responsibilities that matter most at home.

He and his wife, Ellie, recently welcomed their first child, adding a new layer of purpose to an already demanding season of life. Grounded in his faith, Linch approaches that responsibility with a clear sense of direction and calling.

It is not easy.

But it is exactly the kind of path Bowen is designed to support, one where students can build a career that matters without putting their lives on hold.

Learn more about Bowen’s Part-Time Program.

The post A Future Reclaimed: Jon-Austen Linch鈥檚 Path from Addiction to the Law appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

For Madalyn Dowell, the Veterans Legal Services Clinic has provided a grounded, hands-on view of what legal practice looks like beyond the classroom.

Working directly with veterans navigating lengthy disability claims through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, she has seen firsthand how complex and time-consuming the process can be. Many clients face delays that stretch for months or longer, often becoming discouraged as their cases move slowly through federal systems.

Through regular client interviews and status updates, Madalyn has learned that effective advocacy begins with clear communication and steady support. While the work often involves detailed paperwork and procedural navigation, she says the most meaningful moments come from the relationships built along the way.

鈥淚t is easy to get lost in the paperwork,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut the difference you make is not always on the page. Clients are grateful to have someone walking alongside them through the process.鈥�

The experience has sharpened her professional skills while reinforcing her sense of purpose. By fostering trust and maintaining open dialogue, she has strengthened a core competency that will serve her across every area of practice.

Her time in the clinic has also clarified the kind of lawyer she hopes to become: one committed to creating positive change in the lives of others.

At Bowen Law, clinics, externships and practicums are the capstone of how we prepare practice-ready lawyers. For Madalyn, that preparation has meant stepping into real advocacy, real responsibility and real impact before graduation.

The post Student Spotlight: Madalyn Dowell appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

Fouz Abu-Obeid is a third-year student at the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law and a two-year teaching assistant in Research, Writing, and Analysis. Known for her thoughtful communication and steady encouragement, she has supported fellow students through challenging assignments by offering practical feedback and building their confidence one step at a time.

During her 1L year, Fouz Abu-Obeid found herself drawn to the challenge of legal writing. She enjoyed breaking down complex research tasks and developing her skills in structure and clarity. But it wasn鈥檛 just the content that resonated 鈥� it was the chance to help others succeed. After regularly walking through assignments with her peers, she realized she loved the teaching side too.

As a two-year RWA teaching assistant, Fouz has met regularly with students navigating everything from predictive memos to appellate briefs. One student, facing difficulty with a major writing assignment, asked for help 鈥� and Fouz responded with a series of weekly meetings that turned writing into a manageable, confidence-building process. 鈥淢eeting once isn鈥檛 always enough,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or some students, consistent and individualized support makes a bigger difference.鈥�

Teaching has also deepened her own skills. 鈥淲hen I help someone work through an argument or organize a brief, I have to explain why something works, and that鈥檚 made me more intentional about my own writing.鈥�

After graduation, Fouz plans to continue building her legal writing skills in a career focused on contract drafting, rulemaking, legislative editing, or compliance. She also hopes to mentor law students and, one day, return to the classroom to teach RWA.

The post Student Spotlight: Fouz Abu-Obeid appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

At the time, Muhammad was already enrolled in a Ph.D. program in business leadership 鈥� but the work felt hollow. The more she studied, the more she realized it wasn鈥檛 what she was meant to do. What pulled at her instead was a deeper need she couldn鈥檛 ignore: the persistent gap between people in crisis and the legal help they needed. She had grown up in a place where families struggled in silence, and now she saw how many others still faced those same barriers. If she was going to start over, she wanted it to matter.

Muhammad鈥檚 path to law school began with Bowen鈥檚 LEAP program, a selective summer initiative that gives high-potential students a chance to prove they are ready for the demands of legal education. She was one of just four students to matriculate that year. 鈥淟EAP was harder than any semester of law school,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was daily classwork, new material, and it came fast. You couldn鈥檛 slack, and I鈥檓 thankful for that because it prepared me for what was to come.鈥�

Muhammad made that commitment from Pine Bluff, driving nearly two hours each day to attend classes and study at Bowen. A mother of eight, she balanced coursework with caregiving and a full household, often spending eight to ten hours a day in her carrel on campus. Her youngest son, Ausar, a high school student in 糖心视频logo, spent countless hours with her at the law school, reading in the library or waiting outside classrooms. She began in the part-time program and later transitioned to full time, taking on heavy course loads without slowing down. She completed her degree in just three and a half years, a reflection of her focus, discipline and determination.

At Bowen, Muhammad found more than academic rigor. She found mentors who saw her potential and helped shape her into a practicing advocate. As a Rule XV certified student, she represented real clients in the Delta Divorce Clinic, arguing their cases in court under the supervision of Professor Suzanne Penn. 鈥淚 was so nervous, but when the judge said I did a good job, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be,鈥� she said. She also completed an externship with Chief Judge Phyllis Jones of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, gaining insight into how judges interpret complex legal issues. Faculty members like Danna Young and Dean Rejena Grotjohn were never far when Muhammad had questions or needed encouragement. Their couches, as she fondly described them, were places to learn and be heard.

While her professors helped shape her as a lawyer, Muhammad鈥檚 greatest champions were often behind the scenes. A few years ago, she remarried, and her husband, Bilal Muhammad, supported her every step of the way, from cooking and cleaning to giving her space to study. Her sisters, Carolyn and Lydia, were constant encouragers, sending shirts with messages like 鈥淛.D. Loading鈥� and reminding her that she could do anything she set her mind to. Muhammad also carried the quiet motivation of her mother, who spent her career cooking in a hospital cafeteria but once confided that she had always dreamed of being a nurse. That revelation stayed with Muhammad. 鈥淚 have one life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to do what I was born to do.鈥�

This weekend, Muhammad will graduate from the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law and begin a prestigious clerkship in the chambers of Chief Judge Jones of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, where she once served as a student extern. The courtroom is no longer a dream. It is where she belongs, where purpose meets preparation, and where she is ready to lead.

The post A Calling Reclaimed: April Muhammad鈥檚 Path from Grief to the Law appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

The Bowen team 鈥� composed of Jules Lemmon (3L), Lindsey Norman (3L), Nayeli Ortiz (2L), and Aubrey Matheson (2L) 鈥� was coached by Professor Pat Harris. Lemmon and Ortiz served as plaintiff鈥檚 counsel, while Norman and Matheson represented the defense. Together, they faced off against 14 law schools and 112 law students over the course of the three-day competition.

鈥淭his is a big deal for Bowen,鈥� said Harris. 鈥淲e鈥檝e reached the semifinals before, but this was our first time advancing to the final round. These students put in countless hours 鈥� early mornings, late nights, weekends 鈥� and it showed. Their strength is their honor, integrity, and work ethic.鈥�

The team opened the competition with a win over the University of Virginia, followed by back-to-back victories against Texas A&M and Brooklyn Law School. In the semifinals, they defeated California Western School of Law with a unanimous 3-0 judges鈥� decision before facing the University of Texas in the final round. Bowen ultimately earned runner-up, losing by just nine points in a 414-405 final score.

Norman, who served as defense counsel, called the experience 鈥渢ransformative.鈥�

鈥淎fter the competition, the presiding judge who wrote the case we tried visited with all of us. He asked about our plans. I told him I plan to work in the transactional world after getting an LLM in tax. He looked at me and said, 鈥楾hat sounds great, but please don鈥檛 waste the skill you have in the courtroom.鈥欌��

鈥淚 will always be so grateful to Pat for believing in my ability to compete on this team,鈥� Norman added. 鈥淚 am walking away from this experience feeling confident to step into the courtroom and try a case if given the opportunity.鈥�

Lemmon, who plans to serve as a Marine Corps judge advocate, said the experience reinforced her passion for litigation. 鈥淭he work isn鈥檛 easy but it鈥檚 absolutely worth it. We competed against both public and private schools with much higher tuition, and we proved that the legal training we receive at Bowen is every bit as strong.鈥�

The team鈥檚 success reflects Bowen鈥檚 commitment to preparing students for practice-ready legal careers with purpose, with support, and with momentum. Through personal mentorship, real-world advocacy, and direct experience in national competitions like this one, Bowen students graduate ready to lead in courtrooms, boardrooms, and communities across Arkansas and beyond.

The post Bowen Law Mock Trial Team Earns Runner-Up at National Civil Rights Competition appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.

It is a reality Dr. Rachel Fazio did not anticipate when she began conducting forensic evaluations across 11 counties. But once she saw the gaps between mental health care, legal knowledge, and the people caught in between, she could not ignore them.

Fazio is one of fewer than a dozen neuropsychologists in the United States who specialize in criminal forensic work. With a doctorate in clinical psychology and dual concentrations in neuropsychology and forensic psychology, she recently added a Juris Doctor to her credentials鈥攏ot to change careers, but to strengthen her work at the intersection of medicine and law.

Neuropsychology, Fazio explained, focuses on brain-behavior relationships, such as how conditions like ADHD, dementia or traumatic brain injuries affect memory, decision-making and behavior. Forensic psychology, on the other hand, applies clinical training to legal settings.

鈥淭echnically, it鈥檚 any evaluation you would do for a court or administrative body,鈥� she said. She read legal cases, participated in mock trials and was trained to testify, all before she ever set foot into law school.

Fazio moved to 糖心视频logo for a role at the VA and soon began working as a forensic evaluator across 11 Arkansas counties. In 2022, she enrolled full time at the UA 糖心视频logo William H. Bowen School of Law. Earning a JD was not a pivot. It was a professional investment. 鈥淚 was either going to do my forensic boards or get a law degree,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey both show that you care about what you do and require additional knowledge and certification.鈥�

In contrast to state and federal systems, Fazio found that county jails in Arkansas varied dramatically. 鈥淓ach county does things differently. Dramatically differently,鈥� she added. Some had nurses on site. Others did not. Some contracted with private medical providers, while others left medication decisions to corrections staff. 鈥淭here is not a uniform way to get mentally ill inmates in county jails the appropriate medications,鈥� she said. Inmates often went without treatment if their prescriptions were not on a facility鈥檚 formulary or if they could not afford co-pays. Telehealth services, common since the pandemic, were sometimes unusable when inmates were too ill to leave their cells. 鈥淚t can also cause a mental health crisis,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd that is just a glaring problem that is overlooked.鈥�

As a student in Bowen鈥檚 full-time JD program, Fazio brought a seasoned professional鈥檚 lens to the classroom and found faculty who recognized the unique perspective she offered. Dean Lindsey Gustafson encouraged her early on, and Professor Joshua Silverstein became a trusted advisor. She also gained practical experience through externships, including one with the Central Arkansas Legal Services clinic.

Bowen also became the place where doors opened for her to share what she was seeing in Arkansas county jails. Fazio served as a resource to classmates and other members of the bar, writing for the Arkansas Bar Journal and speaking to the Saline County Bar Association about recognizing key warning signs and knowing when to communicate with a forensic evaluator in cases involving mental illness.

Fazio walked in Bowen鈥檚 May commencement ceremony and completed her final course requirement through a study abroad program in Rome this summer. With her JD now conferred, she plans to sit for the Arkansas Bar鈥攏ot to practice law in a traditional sense, but to continue to practice criminal forensic evaluations and fitness to proceed.

Ultimately, Fazio hopes to improve communication between attorneys, evaluators, county jails, and hospitals. But she is quick to clarify her role. 鈥淎s a forensic evaluator, I am unbiased,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I have an ethical responsibility as a psychologist to advocate for someone when they can鈥檛 take care of themselves.鈥�

Fazio hopes to see a future where attorneys are better informed, families are more empowered, and collaboration improves across legal and clinical lines. 鈥淚f you have a seriously mentally ill family member in jail, keep an eye on them,鈥� she said. 鈥淧ut money on the books. Call the medical staff. Don鈥檛 let them slip through the cracks.鈥�

The post A Bowen Graduate鈥檚 Mission: Connecting Law, Mental Health and Justice in Arkansas appeared first on William H. Bowen School of Law.