Mizzou Law Students

a photo of brandon bethel

Making a Difference One Can of Paint at a Time

Painting walls, refinishing furniture, building bookshelves: activities not commonly associated with earning a legal education. For Mizzou Law 2L Brandon Bethel however, working to improve his environment is something that comes second nature to him. “It really serves as a creative outlet for me,” Bethel said. “Much of law school doesn’t tap that creative vein, so redesigning spaces to improve our learning and living environment helps serve that purpose for me.” In his less than two years at Mizzou Law, Bethel has been a driving force in improving the physical environment throughout Hulston Hall. Reimagining the space in in the…

a photo of the wellness room with a sofa and a table with a puzzle on it

A Calm Space Amidst the Storm

A soft hum fades into the background as a slightly sweet, calming scent fills the air. One student distracts herself with a puzzle, another enjoys the rocking and squeezing of an oversized massage chair, while a third sinks deep into a plush couch, headphones exuding relaxing music. Despite final exams rushing on in earnest just outside the door, this scene hardly is illustrative of the clichéd stressful life of a law student. However, the Mizzou Law Wellness Room is designed to be that way: to break the cycle of pressure and provide a place of at least temporary respite for…

Mizzou Law Receives $1 Million Gift to Honor Former Professor

Stephen F Hanlon, ’66, has pledged a $1 million gift to the University of Missouri School of Law to create the Professor William P. Murphy Scholarship. The scholarship, honoring former Mizzou Law professor William Murphy, will support students seeking to become constitutional lawyers. Stephen F Hanlon speaks about Professor Murphy at the gift announcement in Jesse Hall. Professor William Murphy taught constitutional law at Mizzou from 1962-71 and was a key figure in supporting the right to peaceful protest by students on campus. Throughout his academic career he was known for his staunch support for civil rights, including…

tim heinsz race logo

17th Annual TH5K set for April 17

The 17th annual Tim Heinsz 5K, 10K & Jim Devine Dog Walk & Bob Bailey Bike Ride is set for Saturday, April 17 at Twin Lakes Recreation Area in Columbia. This event celebrates the extraordinary impact these three men have had on students at Mizzou Law and across campus. It will be held rain or shine. The event includes a variety of categories for participants: a competitive 5K/10K run, a “just for fun” 5K/10K run or walk, a 15K bike ride, a leisurely dog walk, and a kids fun run. There is even a “t-shirt only” option for those…

Three Mizzou Law students honored among the Mizzou 18

On March 2 the University of Missouri Alumni Association announced the student recipients of its Mizzou 18 award. These awards honor Mizzou graduate students in the last year of their degree eligibility and represent students from a variety of disciplines across campus. They are chosen for their world-class research, collaboration with faculty and staff, and their demonstrated leadership with undergraduate students. This year Mizzou Law is proud to announce that three of its students were chosen. Brionna Pratt (Houston, Tex.), Tori Schafer (Sylvania, Oh.), and Phelan Simpkins (Chicago, Ill.) are all third-year students. Each inductee identifies a mentor who helped…

Featured LLM Student: Michael Russell

After graduation from the University of Memphis School of Law in 1999, Michael Russell went on to practice labor and employment law for almost 20 years. Now, with a busy mediation and arbitration practice, Russell is pursuing his Master of Laws degree through Mizzou’s online LLM program. “I had been interested in an LLM for some time,” Russell said. “When Mizzou made the decision to offer their LLM through an online learning platform, that gave me the opportunity to do something I had wanted to do for a while.” Russell said he never had the chance to look at alternative…

Two Mizzou Law students compete as finalists in MU’s Idea Quest

Two Mizzou Law students placed in the top 9 of Mizzou’s new student competition, Idea Quest, last November. Georgi Gnibus, 1L, and Matthew Pathiyil, 3L, developed an elevator pitch and presented their ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs to compete for $10,000 in seed funding.  Idea Quest (IQ) is sponsored by Veterans United Home Loans and is one of the several programs now offered through the Innovators Nexus at the MU Student Center. IQ participants could come from any campus within the University of Missouri System and could submit ideas in any stage development from…