April 25, 2024 — Connor Schlacks, a second-year student at the University of Houston Law Center, has used a variety of different educational experiences to assist in his pursuit of a law degree.
Schlacks currently works on the Houston Law Review. He is an Eagle Scout and has tutored students with learning disabilities at Texas Tech, where he completed his undergraduate degree.
Schlacks is a Houston native and plans to use his law degree to make a positive impact on the local community.
What led to your interest in working for the Houston Law Review?
UHLC students can either write or grade on the Law Review. Before coming into law school at the UHLC, I did a lot of research about extracurricular activities, and I learned that the Law Review is a marker of excellence on your resume. From that point on, I knew I wanted to join the Houston Law Review.
How will working for the Law Review help your legal career
Working on the Law Review is incredibly helpful for practicing legal writing because you can write an article and check the citations of other article authors using the Bluebook (a system of legal citation). Because you must work with the Bluebook so frequently, its information becomes engrained into your knowledge, which will benefit anyone interested in pursuing litigation work after graduation.
What led you to pursue your legal education at the UHLC?
Houston is where I grew up, it’s my home. I have always wanted to return home for my career, and UHLC is very well situated in the legal market in Houston. UHLC hosts career events and open houses with law firms, businesses that offer in-housework, and public interest positions. In addition, there are plenty of opportunities for part-time legal work.
What are some of your favorite aspects of the Law Center’s faculty?
One of my favorite professors is Professor Ragazzo. One of the things I really enjoyed about him is that he makes you engage in the class. Many professors here pull students into their courses with their teaching styles. They’re charismatic, and you truly learn.
How has your past as an Eagle Scout bolstered your resume?
Eagle Scouts have a certain reputation. They are steadfast, loyal, and dedicated people who serve their community. I learned a lot of valuable life skills and lessons from my time as a Boy Scout. It is helpful in my resume, and I get to share some funny stories with people. I was in an interview with an attorney at a law firm who was also an Eagle Scout, so we bonded over that.
What led you to tutor students with disabilities at Texas Tech?
I’ve always been interested in teaching, so I decided to try tutoring. I was in the Boy Scouts with people who had learning disabilities where I learned how to effectively support and communicate with them. I thought that was a natural segway to explore my interest of teaching while being able to give back to the community. As a tutor, we helped people who were struggling academically because of their learning disabilities, like dyslexia and ADHD. We tutored them in the actual coursework while helping them build communication and time management skills.
What did that experience teach you?
It taught me that one of the most important things in life is to have empathy for others, because you don’t know their struggles. People with learning disabilities face obstacles most people don’t have to face. I found that most of the students benefited from the program and excelled at college.
What’s one valuable lesson you’ve learned at the Law Center?
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned here is to immerse yourself in all aspects of law school. You should attend events, talk to professors and study hard. Law school is basically a job. Not only because of the number of hours you put into it, but also because the end goal is to get into a professional career. It’s a professional career where people put their trust in you, and sometimes, their lives.
What advice would you give to a student considering attending the Law Center?
Do your research before coming to law school and prepare to work hard during your 1L year to maximize your potential career opportunities. Explore all the opportunities you can because you never know what you might find interesting or where you will end up. Law school is a challenging endeavor but provides exciting professional opportunities, especially at UHLC.
