David Layne - Temple Law

Hometown:
Flourtown, PA

Undergraduate School:
Wesleyan University; Middletown, CT

Temple Law Class:
2014

Post-Graduation Employment:
Navy JAG Corps

Experience Prior to Law School

I grew up in Flourtown, PA, just northwest of Philadelphia. I spent four years at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT prior to Temple Law.

Student Groups

I participated on the Student Bar Association Board of Governors as Treasurer and served as Secretary of the Environmental Law Society in 2012. I was also an executive board member of Temple’s Moot Court Honor Society. These experiences, especially Moot Court, allowed me to take many of the skills I developed in the classroom to out-of-classroom contexts. Perhaps more importantly, working with the student groups here at Temple helped me truly engage with personalities and minds that I wouldn’t have otherwise. Temple Law is full of students with incredible interests and ideas, and there is a group on campus for any student to further develop their own interests.

Clinical Experience

I had the pleasure of participating in two clinicals and a practicum while at Temple Law. I worked as an intern in the Philadelphia D.A.’s office in the fall of 2012, a certified legal intern with the Bucks County D.A.’s office in the fall of 2013, and as an intern with the Delaware Riverkeeper Network in the spring of 2014. Much like my moot court experience described above, these experiences were invaluable for their ability to force me to work independently and apply the skills I learned in the classroom to a real-world environment. I am proud and thrilled that Temple offers such a wide variety of such opportunities and that I was able to take advantage of them. During my clinicals, I conducted dozens of preliminary hearings in real criminal cases in the fall of my 3L year, and in the spring I drafted affidavits in support of Article III standing for an environmental non-profit. What better way to explore my interests and decide where I hope my career might take me?

Favorite Faculty Members

Professors Dave Hoffman, Craig Green, Meg deGuzman, Eddie Ohlbaum, David Sonenshein, Mark Rahdert, Bonny Tavares; the list goes on. These professors are brilliant and beyond skilled in their respective specialties, but what really makes them great is their ability to teach students not just how to study doctrine but how to think critically and independently, how to respect and counter different opinions, and how to understand what makes a winning (or losing) argument. The professors here at Temple Law teach students what it takes to bring value to the discussion of a legal issue.

How I Will Use My J.D.

I’ve been professionally accepted by the Navy JAG Corps. I always had the JAG Corps in the back of my mind as a way to launch a career in public service and the educational experience here at Temple Law has helped me realize that dream. From our 1L curriculum to our myriad clinical opportunities and integrated programs, our faculty knows what it takes to bring value to clients, superiors, and the broader legal community. Having this real-world focus to our education from day one makes us ready to hit the ground running as attorneys. The United States Navy demands that incoming officers be practice-ready. Thanks to Temple Law, I know I am well ahead of that curve.

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