“The law school is very personal, in that it allows you to develop relationships with faculty.  Here, the professors want to see you succeed. They are personable, and willing to take the time to invest in you and your success. They want to ensure you understand the material they’re teaching at that high, coherent level.” 

—Jonas Herrell

When Jonas Herrell went home for Spring Break earlier this year, he happened across a copy of the deed to his parent’s house. While analyzing a legal document was not part of his vacation plans, he says: “It was fun to read it, to realize that I understood it, and to see what kind of language was missing that might be important.”

Jonas, a first-year student at Valparaiso University School of Law, considered law school during his senior year in college, but chose instead to pursue a position in computer science – his undergraduate field of study – and landed an opportunity with Thomson West (Westlaw) as a Senior Software Engineer. In retrospect, he says the decision to enter the working world between undergraduate and graduate studies was likely the best decision he’s ever made: it allowed him to mature both personally and professionally, and to embark on legal studies with greater perspective.

During his time with Westlaw, Jonas drove projects from conception to completion, lead development efforts, provided software support around-the-clock, and participated in a mentoring program that paired him with both the Principal Architect of Westlaw and the Vice President of West’s Code editorial department. The work provided him a solid foundation to begin law school; in his legal research class, professors often cover topics he previously learned on the job. Now, through Herrell Consulting, the company he created at age 25, he continues developing software for Thomson while attending school.

When it came time to select a program of study, two criteria were key: quality instruction, and a suitable location. He sought a school with faculty who would provide emphasis on fundamental legal education for his understanding of – and passion for – the law. He’s found that at Valparaiso: “They really emphasize research and writing skills. When you join a firm, you need to be able to write well, the first day. The first impression people get of you is through seeing what you write, and you’re only as good as the correct research you’re able to do. That fundamental foundation for being a good lawyer is key, and Valparaiso has a great focus on developing those skills.”

As Jonas embarks this summer on a clerkship for a federal judge in Hammond, Indiana, he’s looking forward to using the research, writing, and procedural skills he’s cultivated during his first year of study. He credits the law sdchool’s Honors Program induction ceremony with making him aware of the opportunity, and Professor Levinson with assisting him with the application. “I know the value this will provide in terms of seeing how the legal process works,” Jonas said.

After graduation, Jonas plans to practice law in a big city. His interest in “firm life” has him taking concrete steps to turn that dream to reality. That includes working as a research assistant studying the current mortgage and foreclosure crisis, participation in the Business Law Society, and careful consideration and selection of the upper level classes that will allow him to craft a specialization. Through combining his technical background with classes in Intellectual Property, Trademark and Business Law, he looks forward to creating a unique niche.

But for now, his focus remains on the task at hand: maintaining his high GPA, and learning all he can from the foundational classes that are teaching him to “think like a lawyer” and equipping him for future success.