Austin Laroche, JD

Undergraduate institutions attended and degrees earned
Bethel University – Bachelor of Science: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Hometown – City, State, and Country (if not the U.S.)
Bradford, Pennsylvania

Extracurricular and co-curricular activities
Alternative Dispute Resolution Team;
Notes and Comments Editor for the Journal of Business and Technology;
Writing Fellow

Post-graduation plans
Corporate Associate with Ropes & Gray (D.C. office)

What was your most memorable moment?
Not one moment particularly, but I loved being a part of the ADR team and doing mock negotiations. These moots were so much fun, and by far were my favorite part of law school. Not to mention, I made great friends on the team!

Honorable mention goes to the Halloween class in Torts 1L year. Prof. Gifford said he wouldn’t cold call on anyone who wore a costume, so every single student (over 60 of us) wore one.

Finish this sentence: I could not have gotten through this experience without …
The support of my wife, Nancy. Seriously, she has been a rock star these last three years, and I am incredibly grateful for all the sacrifices she has made to help me achieve my dream. I love you!

Who are your mentors? How have they impacted your journey?
Not mentors per se, but my study group has had a huge impact on my law school career. Over countless hours in the library (and soooo many practice problems), they challenged and motivated me to persevere even when I was running on fumes. They made all the difference, and actually made law school fun. Thanks Ryan, Dan, and Jamie! I couldn’t have done this without you!

What did you learn about yourself while earning this degree?
How many all-nighters I can pull in a single week before I start sleeping through my backup alarm….

On a more serious note, I have discovered several passions that I didn’t know I had. I came into law school having a few vague ideas about what my career could look like. Now, I can confidently say that I know which career path I want to pursue, and I’m excited to do it!

Who was your favorite professor and why?
Prof. Moon and Prof. Blair-Stanek. I went to their office hours quite a few times, and their doors were always open. Each of them was incredibly kind, and I always felt they genuinely wanted to help me develop professionally, in addition to academically.

What was your favorite class and why?
Business Associations (with Income Tax as a close second). I loved these classes because they are both practical topics and are genuinely beneficial to know regardless of one’s career. In my case, I found each class so interesting that it helped me decide I want to pursue a career in corporate law.

Write a message.
I’d like to thank my wife, Nancy, my family, and each of my friends for all the support during law school. I have grown so much over these last three years, and now I am one step closer to achieving my dream career. From the bottom of my heart, I am sincerely grateful. I couldn’t have done it without you!