S. Austin Dunn

Attorney at Troutman Sanders LLP

2017 | Virginia Beach, VA

East Carolina University | Business Management

"The contact that I had with current students and faculty at MSU was a huge asset to me throughout the process of choosing a law school.”

Sean Dunn admires the traditions of Michigan State College of Law and the pride students and alumni share. “I was contacted by several different MSU Law students and faculty members during my law school application process, and it really made me feel connected from the beginning,” he said. “After learning more about the school’s offerings, it was simply the place for me.  Everyone was genuine, and the university had the staff and resources that I needed to be successful.”   

Once Sean knew he wanted to attend law school, he made time to read and write more often. “I bought a couple of books like ‘Law School Confidential: A Complete Guide to the Law School Experience: By Students, for Students’ by Robert H. Miller and ‘M.K. Gandhi, Attorney at Law: The Man before the Mahatma’ by Charles R. DiSalvo.  These were things that helped me sort of switch into law school mode,” Sean said.

“I think that forcing myself to read at the end of the night is something that really conditioned my mind for law school,” Sean said. “The pre-law society at ECU was also very helpful because it exposed me to current law students and attorneys who were more than happy to share their experiences with law school.  Also, reading blogs like the Top Law School forums shed light on how law schools work.”

Sean researched law schools through the LSAC website and others. “Websites like Lawschoolnumbers.com and Toplawschools.com provided me with the statistical information that I needed,” he said. “Also, the contact that I had with current students and faculty at MSU was a huge asset to me throughout the process of choosing a law school. A couple of professors emailed me and told me about their curriculum and how it would benefit me, so far those things proved to be true as early as immersion week!”

The Admitted Candidate Visit Program was a big deal for Sean too. “It was my first time in an area like East Lansing,” he said. “At the time, I had already chosen MSU law so I knew coming into it that it would be my home for the next three years. The professors and staff were accommodating and insightful. I gained an understanding of how law professors teach and what they expect.”

“The program wasn’t about selling a product,” he said. “While it is obviously aimed at recruiting students, I never felt uncomfortable or like I was being pushed into a decision. The staff also were very honest about the curriculum and didn’t try to intimidate us. Overall, it was a very enlightening experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to any prospective student considering MSU law.”