Bringing the law to life: PHC's forensics program and Federalist Society event

Patrick Henry College (PHC) students attended a talk by Institute for Justice attorney Kirby West about civil forfeiture in September. At PHC, all students receive a thorough primer on constitutional law, supplemented by events like these, which consistently draw sizable crowds (The ever-present pizza provided by the campus Federalist Society is just a plus!). PHC students love to discuss ideas and legal concepts outside of class, which makes their already strong forensics education much more impactful.

"Mrs. West was a great speaker for the PHC Federalist Society chapter," said senior Nik Frey. "She was engaging and brought the law to life for us." 

If there's anything PHC students enjoy, it's bringing the law to life through public speaking. PHC has won 13 national Moot Court championships—only one other institution has more than one. PHC students and graduates rank in the 94^th percentile on the LSAT, and a significant number go to top-tier law schools. Five PHC alumni have clerked for Supreme Court Justices. This success is attributable to both PHC’s refined pre-law program and its liberal arts curriculum, which helps future law students study law with a multifaceted approach.

PHC’s forensics program (wherein students learn the art of legal argumentation—how to think, communicate, and persuade) earns renown at the collegiate level as well. Students like Calvin Huh have led PHC to repeated Moot Court championships, while PHC’s Mock Trial teams, who face more established competition, come closer and closer to a banner each year. PHC's success in other forms of debate, such as Civic Debate, has been just as spectacular in recent years, with PHC freshmen Ben Spivey and Aiden Forbes competing against each other in the final round of the IPDA Christian championship in Idaho last year.

Alumna Holly Slon (’09) said, “I entered law school already knowing how to read legal opinions and think like a lawyer.” Law is a difficult field to wade through; legal precedent is dense, and legal reasoning is often convoluted. However, constitutional law is about more than memorizing case decisions and understanding complex legal theories. It’s about learning how to think and argue coherently, applying principles of logic and philosophy to political and social controversies.

But PHC’s forensics program and its Constitutional Law class are not intended only for students aspiring to law school. Moot Court trains students to think analytically, extract data precisely, and construct arguments concisely, skills useful for any college undergrad.

"Forensics and Con-Law help teach you how to think and analyze a situation, then how to communicate your analysis to others," Frey said. "PHC Forensics isn't just for future lawyers. It is for anyone who wants to learn how to become a better thinker and communicator."

As our society continues to fight its battles in the courtroom, it remains important for PHC graduates to be able to understand and discuss current legal cases, many of which apply to things like religious education, civil liberties, and social reform. 

And for the PHC students who are called to “witness before kings," a background in forensics will bolster their rhetorical skill and stage presence, things that assist in the proclamation of the gospel. While Jesus did reassure His followers that believers need not worry about what they should speak in such times, a healthy amount of preparation creates coherence and reduces the fear of hostile examiners and crowds. Guest speakers like Kirby West provide a model for students learning these skills. 

Federalist Society's well-attended event demonstrates the continued hunger for law and public speaking at PHC. In the New Testament, Peter instructs believers to “be ready to give an answer” to skeptical and critical observers—and PHC’s forensics programs equip students to do just that! 

 Patrick Henry College exists to glorify God by challenging the status quo in higher education, lifting high both faith and reason within a rigorous academic environment; thereby preserving for posterity the ideals behind the "noble experiment in ordered liberty" that is the foundation of America.