“I’m from Rexburg, Idaho, originally, and I am a very stereotypical Idaho boy—I grew up working in the potato fields and quickly realized that I did not want to be a potato farmer for the rest of my life. I knew education would be an important part of achieving that.

I attended BYU-Idaho for my undergraduate degree and then worked for a forensic accounting and litigation firm based out of San Diego. During that time, I came to respect and admire the many attorneys that we worked with. I found their work fascinating—particularly their ability to write and reason so effectively, and they inspired me to give law school a try.

As I wrestled with where to attend law school, it came down to Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. A good friend, who had already completed a year of law school at the U, walked me through what he loved about the law school and played a critical role in my final decision to come here. He helped me realize and appreciate the special community at the U. The school is very student-focused; it encourages students to connect with the community in Salt Lake and it focuses on local job opportunities. This is exactly what I was looking for and I am so thankful I made this decision.

As the first attorney in my immediate family, I didn’t know what to expect coming into law school. But I received a lot of support from the administration as I adjusted to the rigor. I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for the friendships I have made here and the connections I’ve gained in the legal community.

The people here in Utah who choose to be lawyers are good people. I was not expecting the legal profession to be so warm and welcoming, but that is exactly what it has been. From what I saw on TV and heard from other law students, I was expecting competitiveness, adversarial negotiation and burnout. But it has been the opposite.

Currently, I am the president of the S. J. Quinney Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. Our society is focused on affirming the strength brought to the law by a lawyer’s personal religious conviction. I’m a deeply religious person, and that has impacted every aspect of my life. In fact, it was part of the reason I decided to pursue a law degree. The society has allowed me to connect with other like-minded individuals who really want to focus on using our education and skills to help others in need.

I am very thankful for my time at the U. Community and friendship are the factors that helped me get here and why I chose to stay. I am thankful to everyone at the U who has made my experience possible.”

— Drake Walker, 3L at the University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law,

President of the S. J. Quinney Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society