Campbell law graduate bitten by travel bug

     Over the past several months, Campbell law graduate, Melissa Walker, has been settling into her studies in England at the University of London, Queen Mary, where she is pursing a Master of Law (LLM) degree, but her interest in travel began long before that. As a Campbell law student, she had a wonderful experience participating in the international Moot Arbitration held annually in Vienna, Austria, and Walker met future husband Wes Walker on a study abroad trip to London as an undergraduate. So when she decided to work on a master’s degree in international commercial law, it seemed only natural to go abroad again.
     “Besides my love of travel and my interest in international law, the decision to study abroad was primarily to gain experience in other legal systems,” said Walker. “In addition to general life experience, studying abroad provides the exposure to another country’s legal practices and provides an invaluable comparative structure from which to view our own legal system. This allows an analysis of the aspects of our legal system which could be improved and an understanding of those areas which work particularly well and why.”
     Walker’s ideal legal career would progress in two stages: first, she would like to practice in the area of international commercial law, focusing primarily upon arbitration and other dispute resolutions areas, then eventually teach or become a judge or arbitrator.
     “My experience as a Campbell law student competing in Vienna truly gave me a direction for my studies,” Walker said. “It opened my eyes to an area of law which I had not yet been exposed, international arbitration, and one that I truly love.”
     As a Campbell law student, Walker was active in Women in Law and the publications, the “Campbell Law Review” and the “Campbell Law Observer.” Apart from her experiences in Vienna, Walker especially values her participation in the pilot Juvenile Justice Project, a collaborative effort of the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission, Campbell’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law and Harnett, Johnston and Lee counties, in which Campbell law students gain clinical experience in the juvenile offender mediation process.
     “Campbell truly prepares you to be a lawyer,” Walker said. “They provide you with an opportunity to find, explore and develop your niche in the law while training you in all areas. I can’t thank Dean Willis Whichard enough for encouraging Wes and I to pursue this amazing opportunity in England. He has been a wonderful mentor and friend throughout my law school career.”
     Walker received her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies and Management and Society in 2001 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She graduated from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in 2005.


Photo Copy: Campbell University law graduate, Melissa Walker, is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of London, Queen Mary.