KU Law welcomes Class of 2027
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas School of Law welcomed the Class of 2027 to Green Hall in August. This year’s incoming class is made up of 128 J.D. students from 24 states and 66 undergraduate institutions.
The class of 2027 sets another KU Law record for the highest combined median LSAT score. This is the fourth year in a row the incoming class has topped this mark. View a full class profile.
Meet 10 students who shared their reasons for choosing KU Law, their backgrounds and what they hope to accomplish with their legal education.
Meet the students:
Kathy Carter received her bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology and global and international studies from KU. She was a member of the honors society, helped form the student group “Living in Color” and participates in the LEAD Program.
A prior class, HNRS 492: Intro to the American Legal System with former Professor Mulligan, led her to choose KU Law.
“Getting to come to Green every Monday and practice participating in the legal system was exhilarating! We read cases, wrote briefs and then gave oral arguments with questions; it let us dip our toes into law school — the only thing I was missing was the insanely heavy backpack,” she said.
Carter is incredibly passionate about vacatur law, specifically helping survivors of trafficking and removing wrongful convictions from permanent records. She hopes to work in this field after graduating.
Damon Crutcher served in the U.S. Army with the 4th Infantry Division, where he deployed twice to Iraq and Afghanistan. Following his military service, he pursued a degree in project management at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC). His commitment to service extended beyond his military years, as he was involved in Operation Pineapple Express, a movement dedicated to helping local national partners evacuate Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul. This experience deepened his dedication to supporting those facing needless governmental incompetence and bureaucracy.
“I chose KU Law not only for its storied history but also for its impactful work with the Innocence Project. The school’s commitment to justice and reform aligns perfectly with my values, providing a platform where I can engage in work that safeguards fairness and integrity within the legal system,” he said. “KU Law’s supportive environment and mission are exactly what I was looking for in a law school. I am motivated by the idea that history will judge our civilization by how we treat the most vulnerable. How, and why, we throw people into cages will likely stand as one of the worst stains on our record. My goal—lofty as it may be—is to correct this error.”
With his law degree, Crutcher aims to serve his community by addressing the injustices that people face daily. He is driven by the desire to create a meaningful impact on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, advocating for a fairer, more just society. His goal is to right wrongs and to be a voice for the voiceless, building on his experiences and passion for helping others as he steps into the legal field.
Meaghan Emmi received a bachelor’s in history and philosophy with a minor in Mandarin from Loyola University Chicago. While attending Loyola, she was a manager of their club football team. Before attending KU Law, she took a gap year and traveled throughout Asia, living in Hong Kong for most of the year.
“Half of my family attended KU for undergrad, and the school spirit they had was undeniable. I have always wanted to be a Jayhawk, so when I took a tour of campus and learned about all the amazing opportunities that KU Law offers, I instantly knew it was the right fit for me,” Emmi said.
While she is unsure as to where her law degree will take her, she has always been fascinated by international trade law. She looks forward to learning and developing a better understanding of all areas of law during her time at KU.
Mariah Guerrero was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She completed her undergraduate degree at KU last spring where she majored in business management and leadership on the pre-law track. She also participated in KU’s cheerleading team, where she was a member of the University’s first-ever all-girls squad.
“Going into college, I knew that law school was a big contention upon graduation. Choosing an undergraduate university that also had a law school, especially one that is part of the university's main campus, was very important to me,” she said. “Over the past four years, Lawrence has come to feel like my home, and I could not justify leaving it just quite yet.”
After graduation, Guerrero hopes to pursue a career in sports and entertainment management. She believes that a legal education will help her achieve this goal due to the skills and knowledge she has gained since coming to KU Law.
Anna Hoy received her bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in Spanish from Wichita State University. During her time at Wichita State, she was a Cohen Honors College student studying on the Law and Public Policy track and graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction. She was involved in Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society and the Model United Nations team on campus.
“I chose KU Law for many reasons, but a major incentive was the possibility of joining the Paul E. Wilson Project for Innocence. This clinic is not paralleled by another law school in our region,” she said. “Students get hands-on experience that seriously benefits and even frees wrongfully convicted Kansans. To have the opportunity to help real people as early as the second year of law school was something that I could not pass up, and I began working diligently to secure a spot at KU as soon as I learned about the project.”
After law school, Hoy hopes to work as a criminal defense attorney with a public defender’s office. It is her goal to use her education, privilege and experience to become a zealous advocate for those who need one most. She looks forward to the day three years from now when she can truly get started in the field.
Jack Hyde is from a cattle ranch in Beatty, Oregon. He majored in economics at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Hyde has worked in several industries, including but not limited to beef marketing, seventh-grade math and a governor’s campaign management for the Eastern Southern Oregon Counties.
“I chose KU Law because it is one of the best public law schools in the country and I am interested in the dual degree master’s in economics program,” he said.
Hyde would like to use his law degree to advocate for communities in need. Having grown up around Klamath Basin water issues, he could not escape an interest in the intersections of Water, Energy, Tribal and Environmental law. He also has an interest in working in education policy, antitrust work or zoning issues. He said he does not know where he’s going, but he’s been in a hurry his whole life.
Blake Millman is originally from Olathe, Kansas, and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kansas State University, with a focus on professional strategic selling and a minor in leadership. During his time at K-State, he was actively involved in the recruitment and philanthropy teams for the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He also participated in Hands-On K-State, a community service organization, and was a member of the Pre-Law Student Group, which solidified his interest in pursuing a legal career.
“I chose KU Law because of its strong academic reputation and its supportive community. The knowledgeable faculty and collaborative environment among students creates a place where everyone is invested in each other’s success,” he said. “The affordability of KU Law, combined with the high-quality education, made it an easy choice for me.”
After graduating, Millman hopes to focus on transactional law, advising clients on business deals and structuring transactions. His goal is to use the skills he learned at KU to provide strategic legal counsel to clients, helping them navigate complex business decisions in the mergers and acquisitions field.
Sam Mousa graduated from the University of Kansas in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in economics and a minor in business. Since his graduation, he has been working in the service industry from gourmet restaurants and dive bars to consulting jobs across North America.
Mousa said he chose KU Law because it has a strong sense of community and feels like home.
“Shortly after I moved to America, I joined the U. S. Marine Corps and that means I was moving around quite a bit. Lawrence was the first place I felt like I had built a community for myself in America. I feel at home in Lawrence and hope I can replicate that feeling once again,” he said.
While Mousa doesn’t know his exact plan after graduation, he hopes to help people in some way, shape or form. He lives by the quote, “I've left the restaurants, but I'm not out of the service industry.” He has a specific interest in civil litigation and intellectual property.
Rachel Pickett graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. After graduating, she worked as a programming manager at Dialog - an organization whose mission is to help leaders learn and become more effective.
“I chose KU Law because it was the best value law school for me. It was one of the few places I could get a T-50 education at a public, state school price,” she said. “Choosing KU also meant I could have close access to the KC metro, be near my family and friends in the area and officially confuse my alliances in the Mizzou/KU debate.”
Pickett is unsure what area of law she wants to practice following her graduation in 2027, but she wants to practice in the Kansas City metro area. She hopes to find a perfect fit through KU Law's opportunities in clinics, field placement programs and experiential programming.
Charles Stephens is from Olathe. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's in political science. Stephens participates in KU’s LEAD Program, which allows students to earn a bachelor’s and a J.D. in six years instead of seven. During his time in undergrad, he participated in KU’s Italian club and enjoyed attending events at the Dole Institute of Politics.
“I chose KU Law because I believed that their top priority is my educational and professional success,” he said.
After graduation, Stephens hopes to find a career in Washington, D.C., so he can become involved in our nation’s political processes.