Why Scott Sugarman Chose Capital Law

1/23/2018  - For Scott Sugarman, L'19, law school was not initially part of the plan. After graduating from Bexley High School in the Columbus area, Scott attended Drexel University in Philadelphia. He hoped eventually to relocate to the East coast and pursue a career in business.

At Drexel, Scott discovered the benefits of experiential learning. He participated in the school’s well-known co-op program, in which students earn academic credit after being placed for up to 18 months with various employers in the community. It was during his first co-op placement, with Drexel’s Office of Institutional Advancement, that Scott discovered how beneficial a law degree could be for a variety of career paths, ranging from business to higher education administration.

Upon graduation from Drexel with a degree in Business Administration, Scott moved back to Columbus in order to be closer to his family. As he explored his options to continue his education, he met with the Capital University Law School Admissions team and was immediately impressed by Capital’s opportunities for experiential learning. He realized that Capital afforded him a unique opportunity to live near his family, pursue his legal education, and obtain important practical experience working in Columbus’s vibrant legal community.

Since enrolling at Capital in 2016, Scott has taken advantage of a wealth of opportunities to gain experience and network in the Columbus area. He has clerked for a local firm specializing in worker’s compensation and will be working this summer for Huntington National Bank in their Consumer Resolution Management Department.

Scott has also taken advantage of a number of extracurricular experiences at Capital ranging from working as a Student Ambassador with the Admissions Office, to serving as the Secretary of the Capital Equality Alliance, and as the Chairman of Alumni Relations for the Student Bar Association. On the academic front, Scott plans to continue to pursue experiential learning by taking part in the Mediation and Litigation Clinics during the Summer and Fall semesters. He also hopes to work as an extern for a local judge in order to discover “how the law operates on all fronts, not just in business, but in the courthouse and on the defense side as well," he says.

As he reflects on his decision to attend Capital, Scott references a quote from the anthropologist Margaret Mead, who said that we should “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Capital has given Scott the skills that will allow him, in his words, to be “that thoughtful and committed citizen who strives to change the world, one small piece at a time.”

For additional "My Decision" articles, see Why I Chose Capital.