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Erin Sayes
Class of 2011
LSU Law Student
Background: Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from LSU; LSU University Medalist.
Why Law School: Personally, I’ve wanted to go to law school as long as I can remember. I think my skills and strengths are well suited for a legal education. In general, I think a law degree is a great asset in a world that is becoming more and more formally educated. Graduate degrees are almost necessary today to set oneself apart from the vast majority of people who have undergraduate degrees. Of the graduate degrees available, I think a law degree is one of the most respected and versatile and, thus, one of the most valuable.
Why LSU Law: Since I attended LSU as an undergraduate, I initially thought I wanted a new experience and looked at other law schools out of state. But the unique educational opportunity LSU offered with its common and civil law training, the affordable tuition, and the prestigious reputation LSU maintains both in Louisiana and other states, made it the obvious choice.
The Faculty: I remember calling home the first few weeks of school telling my parents how amazing my professors were. I literally sat in class mesmerized by their intelligence and ability to convey their expertise in such an effective manner—and that was before I even knew their impressive resumes. But what is most impressive is that the faculty truly work for the students. They are willing to meet one-on-one any time to make sure you understand the material. As much as they care about the students’ education, the professors also genuinely care about our well-being. I’ll never forget Professor Howard L’Enfant’s motivational speeches as we neared finals my first semester. He, like many of my other professors, made sure his students were well equipped with both knowledge and confidence.
The Curriculum: As a 1L, so far I’ve only taken the basic courses required of all law students. But I am looking forward to the many options I will have in the next two years in both the common and civil law. I am especially excited about the summer program in France!
Just for Fun: Balance is so important in law school—you have to study to succeed, but you have to have some semblance of a life to maintain your sanity! I work out, go to football games, attend the weekly TGIFs, spend time going out to eat or shopping with friends, and always enjoy downtime watching movies or catching up on sleep.
