IndyBar: Building the Bridge: Why One Conversation Can Change a Law Student’s Trajectory

By Scott Oliver, Lewis Kappes PC

Picture this: You’re a 1L deep in the trenches of Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Torts. You’ve finally figured out where the library’s quietest corners are, your outlines are slowly starting to make sense, and you’re just beginning to breathe again after surviving your first round of law school exams. Then it hits you. Summer is coming.

And with it comes the need to take everything you’ve been learning in the classroom and apply it to the real world. That’s when you realize something important. Legal knowledge alone isn’t enough.

There’s a whole other dimension to this profession that doesn’t always show up in textbooks or exams. It is critical to building a meaningful, sustainable career. Let’s call it what it is: networking.

I know. For some, the word sounds uncomfortable or inauthentic. But here’s the truth. Networking, when done right, is not about working a room or handing out business cards like coupons. It’s about connection. It’s about mentorship, community, and curiosity. It’s about building relationships that help you grow professionally and personally.

As a proud graduate of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, I can say that some of the most formative moments in my legal education didn’t happen in the classroom. They happened through conversations with professors, alumni, judges, and practicing attorneys. Many of them were just steps away from the school itself and willing to help if I simply asked.

This fall, IU McKinney is partnering with the Indianapolis Bar Association to create one of those moments for every first-year law student. Through a required 1L course, each student will participate in a one-on-one mock interview with a practicing attorney.

This is more than an academic requirement. It is a rare opportunity to meet with someone in the legal field and receive candid, supportive feedback on how they present themselves in an interview. The stakes are low, the conversation is real, and the potential is high. For many students, it may be the first meaningful professional interaction they have as a future attorney.

To make this possible, the Indianapolis Bar Association is currently recruiting attorney volunteers. We are looking for members of the legal community to participate in these one-on-one interviews, either in person or via Zoom. The time commitment is short (approximately 60-90 minutes) but the value of that time is enormous.

We’ve already seen incredible support from many attorneys, but there is still a need for more volunteers between now and August 1. Your participation can make a significant difference in a student’s path.

The truth is, law school can feel overwhelming, and the legal profession can feel distant or difficult to access from a student’s point of view. One thoughtful conversation with someone who remembers what it was like to be new to the field can change that. It can provide encouragement, open a door, or even spark a long-term professional relationship.

I have seen students walk away from mock interviews with a renewed sense of confidence. I have seen attorneys leave with a quiet reminder of why they joined this profession in the first place. These are not throwaway conversations. They are small but powerful steps in building a legal community that supports its future members.

So, if you are an attorney, and someone once helped you along the way, this is a chance to return the favor.

Mock interviews will take place during the Fall 2025 semester. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please fill out the brief volunteer form at www.indybar.org/mock or contact the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law directly.

One hour. One student. One conversation that could shape a career.

Are you in?•

Scott Oliver is a partner at Lewis Kappes where he focuses his practice representing banks and non-bank lenders closing SBA transactions nationwide. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of law where he teaches Legal Communication & Analysis. Oliver is an active member of IndyBar, serving on the IndyBar Board of Directors as the Vice President of Law Student & Young Lawyer Engagement. He is a graduate of IndyBar’s Bar Leader Series (Class 17).