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David Clark bought his first house at 18 and founded a real estate development firm, Clark Realty, Inc., while he was still an undergraduate studying finance and real estate at The Ohio State University. As his firm grew, Clark realized that the behind-the-scenes staff attorney was the one driving all the business deals. That’s when Clark said, “I want to be that guy.” Indiana Law is making his goal possible at the same time he runs his business. The Office of Career and Professional Development’s alumni shadow program connected him with alumnus Robert Dubault (JD’95). A day on the job with Dubault led Clark to a summer associate position at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, the largest law firm in Grand Rapids, Mich.
While law school represents a whole new way of thinking for Clark, he is inspired by Professor Kevin Brown’s words: “My objective is not to teach you the basic black letter law. It’s to teach you to think like the lawyer you already are.”
New study habits: “I correctly predicted that law school would involve a healthy amount of studying, but it was the type of studying that really surprised me. My undergraduate experience was a lot of memorization and cramming for finals, but law school is much different. The tests are open book and open notes, so my understanding of the material has to be much deeper. I was used to equations, formulas, and multiple choice. I had to learn to work in an arena where there may not be just one right answer. Sometimes the ‘right’ answer is simply the most persuasive argument.”
Favorite study spot: “The Law Library. I like to sit at the tables in the reading area, and I have fellow students there as resources. I also spend a lot of time—maybe too much time—at my study carrel in the library, where I keep textbooks. Having my own space in the library is great because I don’t have to carry my books home with me every day.”
Why Indiana Law: “The reputation of Indiana Law throughout Indiana, the Midwest, and the nation speaks for itself. It was the career prospects and the personal touch of the admissions office that really tipped the scale toward Indiana. On a beautiful June weekend, I stayed at the Grant Street Inn in the heart of Bloomington. After that trip, I knew this was the place for me.”
The Big Three: “I went to Michigan State University before I transferred to The Ohio State University, so IU is the third Big Ten school I’ve attended. The advantage is that on any given football Saturday, one of my teams—the Spartans, the Buckeyes, or the Hoosiers—is bound to win.”
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