Spotlight on Whitnae Hallbauer, 3L

Whitnae Hallbauer, 3L

Q. Where are you from?

A. I currently live in Pensacola, Florida, but I was born in El Paso, Texas.

Q. What does becoming a lawyer mean to you?

A. Becoming a lawyer to me means taking one more step in fulfilling God's calling on my life. My law degree is a tool that I can use to help and be a blessing to others.

Q. What do you wish you knew before you started law school?

A. I wish I had really understood how busy I was going to be studying and working on all of the extra-curricular activities in which I am involved. I knew that I was going to be busy, but I did not understand that my days were pretty much going to be 12-14 hour days and that I would not have a lot of extra time on my hands for social activities. Now, even though that sounds really depressing, I do have fun with my friends while I am working and studying, and maybe that is why it takes me so long to get my studying done!

Q. What surprised you most about Regent?

A. I think the friendliness of my fellow classmates and the willingness of the professors to help me surprised me the most. I had heard horror stories of other law schools where the students would do anything to see their fellow classmates fail and the professors would purposely try to humiliate the students. I never saw anything like that at Regent. In fact, I've seen the opposite. My classmates are always willing to share outlines, share notes, and study together, and the professors are always willing to help me in class and outside of class.

Q. How is law school different from your college experience?

A. Law school is definitely more intense than college. I have had to apply myself more in law school and be more diligent. There is also the difference in learning as well. In college, most of my classes were either writing classes or classes where I would memorize facts or processes. In law school, I have had to learn how to think more analytically and critically.

Q. What is your favorite class so far and why?

A. Oh, that is tough! I really enjoyed Constitutional Law. I came to Regent because of my interest in Constitutional Law. Professor Jacob was also an awesome professor because of his experience working in Constitutional law, and he made the class easy to understand. I also enjoyed Negotiations with Judge Padrick because even though I was terrified of my oral class requirement, the way Judge Padrick conducted the class made me feel at ease. Also, I felt that I grew the most in that class in being able to conduct myself as a lawyer orally because Judge Padrick required us to do our negotiations without a partner, which made me step out of my comfort zone.

Q. What kind of law do you hope to practice after graduation?

A. I would like to practice either Constitutional law or Family law/Juvenile law.

Q. How would you describe the group of your closest friends found here at Regent?

A. My closest friends here are very supportive and encouraging. When I am overwhelmed with the amount of work I need to do, they are the ones that tell me to keep going on. They are also the ones that I know I can be a little crazy around, and when I am a little too crazy or too stressed out, they are the ones that look out for me and tell me to go home and get some sleep. They are the ones that make me laugh and the ones that I can go to and cry on their shoulders. They are the ones that I know I can rely on to help me if I am having a problem or if I do not understand a concept in class. When I think of my good memories of law school, they will be the ones I think about.

Q. How do you prefer to study?

A. Since I probably have to do a little more studying than other law students, I had to really find a place where I could really focus to get all of my studying and work done. My 1L year, I either studied at my apartment or on the library balcony on third floor with one of my friends. My 2L year, I had a carrel in the law library where I would study. This year, I do all of my studying in the law review suite on second floor of Robertson Hall. I would usually start studying early in the morning around 8 and continue until I felt I was finished for the day. Sometimes it would be around 8 in the evening; other nights I would pull late nights and not be done until midnight or later. This routine would include studying as well as classes, work, and extra-curricular activities; so I never did straight studying for eight hours.

Q. What is your favorite book of all time and why?

A. Oh, another tough one! For fiction books, I would have to say I am a Randy Singer fan, and I love all of his books. One of my favorite books of his would be The Cross-Examination of Oliver Finney because Judge Finney was able to defend his faith and stand up for what is right even though he was being attacked in so many ways. For nonfiction books, I would have to say Original Intent by David Barton because it was one of the books that sparked my interest in law back when I was a high school student.

Q. What is your favorite Bible verse?

A. Philippians 1:6. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” This has been my life verse for a long time because it is a reminder to myself that no matter what happens, God has a plan for my life and even when I feel like nothing is happening in my life, it is a reminder that God has not forgotten about me.

Q. If you could meet with anyone alive or dead, who would it be and why?

A. Hands down, Tim Tebow! His ability to stand up for his faith even when being attacked on all sides and his ability to stay strong amidst media pressure, giving God all the glory even when it would be so easy to take all the credit for himself, is such an inspiration to me.

Q. If you could have lunch with any faculty member or administrator at Regent who would it be and why?

A. I would want to have lunch with Professor Lynne Kohm because she has been such an inspiration to me throughout my last two years of law school. I was able to take three classes and a practicum with her, and she has been the one that has encouraged me the most through her own walk with God.

Q. If you had an entire weekend available, what would you do in the Hampton Roads area?

A. First off, I would start out at the beach day. Next I would try my hand at frisbee golf, and end my evening with either a movie with my friends or a game night with my friends.

Q. Is there anything else you would like your peers or future law students to learn about you?

A. I'm usually quiet and reserved when I first meet someone, but the more I hang out with a person, the more open I become! If you have any further questions about life in law school, I would be happy to help! You can email me a w.hallbauer@gmail.com!

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