Our mission in Student Services is to humanize the law school experience. We seek to create an inclusive community that fosters a sense of wellness and belonging for law students through student-centered programs and services. We believe that wellness and belonging is the foundation of law student success. The Student Services Team is:
- Leilani Marshall, Associate Dean of Student Services
- Pegah Z. McDonald, Director of Student Services
Dean's Open Forums and Gatherings
Maintaining the lines of communication between students and our administration, faculty and staff is just one of the goals of our office. We host and co-sponsor community service events, informal gatherings and ice cream socials—with Cleveland’s own Mitchell’s Ice Cream—throughout the year. These events provide an occasion for faculty, staff, administrators and students to get to know one another in a casual, relaxed atmosphere.
The deans host open forums and informal gatherings while also being involved in the Deans’ Advisory Committee, a joint SBA and Student Services committee, as another way for students and the administration to share ideas and discuss what’s happening at the law school.
Service Events and Social Activities
We work with local cultural institutions and other graduate and professional programs to organize events so you can meet others in the CWRU community and enjoy the incredible cultural offerings available right here in University Circle. We also coordinate volunteer projects where students, faculty, administration and staff engage in service to the Greater Cleveland community.
The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association helps our students connect with members of the local bar and we regularly invite speakers to talk with students about the bar exam as well as important issues such as mental health and wellness.
Advising, Networking and Mentoring Programs
The Student Services and Career Development Office, in conjunction with our Alumni Relations office, hosts a number of networking and mentoring programs throughout the year, including the Take a Law Student to Lunch Program and speed networking events. These programs give students the opportunity to meet with alumni who can share their perspectives and experiences and also answer questions about the legal profession, career paths, strategies for success, the job market and more.
We also provide a peer mentoring program for first-year students.
Academic Support Programs
Liam Dunn (Director of Academic Support) and the Academic Support team provide services aimed at helping all students navigate law school and achieve their personal best. The Academic Support Program includes a series of fall workshops for 1Ls that focus on strategies for success in law school, including how to: effectively read and brief cases; properly create course summaries (outlines) to help students attain mastery over the material; and prepare for and take final exams. Dunn is also available to work individually with students who want to continue fine-tuning their legal analysis, writing and study skills.
The Academic Support Program also has a team of tutors dedicated to each of the 1L courses. These tutors are available to work with students one-on-one and in group sessions. The program staffs upper-level tutors as well, including writing tutors who can work with students on any writing course or writing assignment, and doctrinal tutors for Evidence and Constitutional Law. In addition, all tutors hold office hours in the Peer Tutoring Center (Room 165), during which students can drop by without an appointment.
The Academic Support Program also offers bar-preparation support for alumni. This includes one-on-one tutoring and several workshops throughout the summer.
Tutoring Center
The tutoring center houses two peer tutor programs: the writing center and the AEP program. Tutors in both programs are second- and third-year students who have excelled in law school, who demonstrate the ability to facilitate the learning of core tasks associated with legal education and who can communicate an understanding of the legal writing process and legal doctrine.
Writing Center
The writing center tutors will offer help to students at any stage of a project, including writing projects for LLEAP, papers for upper-level courses and notes—provided that your professor has authorized you to seek help from the writing center for that project. The goal of the writing center is to help students become better writers and not just to improve the written product. Writing enter tutors will not, therefore, simply edit or proofread a paper or advise students on the content of their work.
You are encouraged to use the writing center to get help with brainstorming, drafting or revising a paper, as well as discussing methods and techniques to improve your writing.
Academic Enrichment Program
The Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) can help you develop the skills necessary to succeed in your first-year courses. A tutor leads a group study session each week for each course, going over the material covered in the past week, answering questions about the material and discussing study skills that include briefing and synthesizing case law, outlining legal principles, exam preparation and exam taking. AEP tutors are also available to meet individually with students for one-on-one tutoring in any first-year subject. AEP is open to all first-year students.
Student Complaints Policy and Procedure
If you have a concern or question, don’t hesitate to contact us. Procedures for submitting complaints are found on the intranet (login required).