Charleston Law School graduates 136; Clyburn addresses students

The Charleston School of Law was the only law school Angele Douglas applied to, inspired by the "service to the people" mantra of Judge Alex Sanders. When she turned from the rostrum in her cap and gown after she spoke for her graduating class, he rose from the dais seat to shake her hand.

That wouldn't do. The Student Bar Association president grabbed the law school founder by his shoulders, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.

Douglas was one of 136 members of the law school's third graduating class on Saturday, who gave a cumulative 11,553 hours of free legal service as part of their education, going way beyond the 30 hours per student required by the school.

"It's one thing to be a lawyer, but it's something else to be good at it. It's good to be good, but it's much better to do good," U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn told the graduates. Winning isn't enough; to be victorious is to overcome the unexpected, to beat the odds. "Don't just be a winner. Be victorious. I would love for each and every one of you to live by the South Carolina motto, 'While I breathe, I hope.'"

Sanders was the College of Charleston president when Douglas graduated from there.

"I followed him here," she said with a light giggle. She chose a route he would approve and one that, as her former professor Constance Anastopoulo said, personifies the law school. Douglas, a Lancaster native, joined the Peace Corps, taught HIV/AIDS prevention in Tanzania and East Africa. She's not done. She's on her way to do law master's study in American Government at American University.

"Law is one of the only ways to make a sustainable difference," she said. "If you change law you change a life. I want to be part of that."

Sanders echoed the sentiment in his welcoming remarks. "Nobody, nobody, not generals, not admirals, not preachers, not journalists, not legislators, not governors, not even presidents have shaped this country as profoundly as lawyers."

The graduates are an unlikely assortment that includes veterans, a doctor, children and environmental advocates, a real estate professional and a meteorologist. Oh, and a stand-up comedian.

Timmy Finch of the Have Nots!, a comedy improvisational group, was nearly 15 years out of college when he turned up in the office of associate dean John Benfield to talk his way into law school, feeling way out of his league. How did he impress Benfield? "He improv'ed it," Benfield deadpanned on Saturday. "I couldn't figure out what he was saying."

Three years and one child later, Finch graduated with honors and won the Arthur G. Howe Trial Advocacy Award of excellence.

"Dumb as it sounds, I did it to be the best citizen I can be. Law school, it doesn't shut a door. Finally I get to be the citizen I need to be, the citizen I want to be, the citizen I should have been.

Reach Bo Petersen at

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