Spotlight on Ethan Stowell, 2L

Ethan Stowell, 2L

Q. Where are you from?

A.  I come from a small town in Western New York called Bemus Point.

Q. What does becoming a lawyer mean to you?

A.  Becoming a lawyer for me means to realize the gifts that God has given to me and to utilize them in a way that demonstrates Him to the world. I have a deep passion for justice and serving those whose voices have been silenced.

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

A.  I wish I had known the importance of staying on top of long term assignments. As finals provide the only grades for most classes it is tempting to just do the class reading on a day to day basis and avoid outlining until right before finals. The same can be said for research assignments and papers. One week you are sitting pretty with nothing due "soon" and the next week every free minute is going towards researching and writing for that paper which snuck up on you.

Q. What surprised you most about Regent?

A.  I was honestly surprised by how many people genuinely care about and support each other. The students here are truly a community. This past year, as a 1L, there were some pretty difficult times and assignments and people always rallied around each other. There was no sense of competitiveness or backbiting. One of my favorite experiences came after our last final first semester. Though many people had planes to catch and were anxious to get home the entire class ended up waiting in the hall for the rest of the class to finish. Every student exiting the room was met with hugs, encouragement, and congratulations.

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

A.  Law classes are approached in a very different fashion than undergrad classes. There are fewer opportunities for students to get a sense of how they are doing as the only grades come at the end of the semester. Further, it is very important to have read and thought through the material. In undergrad many people, myself included, got through by skimming assignments and filling in the blanks with facts provided by the professor. In law school the thought process demonstrated through the facts of a case is often the most important aspect of the reading and this cannot be imparted through a quick glance at the facts.

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

A.  Honestly, I would have to say that my favorite class is a toss-up between Property and Christian Foundations of Law. I love the way that Property clicks together, especially regarding personalty. I'm also someone who really likes to understand the "why" behind things, so examining why the philosophical underpinnings of the law is fascinating to me.

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

A.  I don't know exactly what type of law I will be practicing after I graduate. While I'm leaning toward Criminal law, I'm also interested in human rights issues. Ultimately it is in God's hands and I am willing to enter whatever field He puts before me.

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

A.  My closest friends here at Regent are intelligent, Godly, and driven individuals. It is very important to have a support system in order to get through the hard times of law school and the occasional "burger break" or game night can really help get you through.

Q. How do you prefer to study?

A.  I took several years off from school after undergrad and ended up working in an office setting for a while. I like to schedule my day as if it were a "work day" and I do most of my work and reading between classes and before I go home. That way I can be pretty much done by the time I go home at five and have the evening off. All bets are off when papers are due though!

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

A.  I LOVE reading, so asking me for my favorite book is a bit like asking someone which one of their children they like the most. One of my favorite books is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I love the aspect of the fall and redemption in the character of Sidney Carton and his ultimate sacrifice at the end of the book. The fact that he was willing to lay down his life, not to save the woman he loved, but to save the man loved by her is incredible. It speaks to a profound expression of selfless love found within the character of a broken man.

Q. What is your favorite Bible verse?

A. Luke 10:27. He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' When Jesus was asked about the most important law he distilled the essence of life into two relational phrases. We are to be in deep relationship with God and also deep relationships with each other. And this short and relatively simple command reaches into all aspects of life without room to be ignored or circumvented.

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

A.  I would definitely meet with C.S. Lewis. I love his books and the manner in which he approaches the world. He truly had a gift for taking complex thoughts and feelings and clarifying them with just a few perfectly written sentences. It would be interesting to speak with him and get his perspective on the world today.

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

A.  I would probably have lunch with Dean Brauch. He is a wonderful, down to earth person and it would be interesting to get to know him on a more personal level.

Q. If you had an entire weekend available, what would you do in the Hampton Roads area? 
A. If I had a completely free weekend and a sunny day I think that I would head to First Landing State Park. I understand that the park has miles of hiking trails and I would love to explore it.

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