Petition in Support of Professor Mary Nagel's Rehiring

Dear Selection & Appointments Committee,

We, the undersigned students, alumni, and staff of The John Marshall Law School (JMLS) support Professor Mary Therese Nagel’s rehiring at the end of her current employment contract. Professor Nagel has made extraordinary contributions in her capacity as professor, Externship Director, and Moot Court coach over the years. Professor Nagel is dedicated to supporting students in their academic and professional endeavors. Regardless of her busy schedule, she is always available to meet students outside of office hours to give career advice. Her openness and kindness reaches every student with whom she engages.

As a professor, she strives to help her students become better critical thinkers and legal writers. She is always available for her students, willing to meet with them to discuss class material and review multiple drafts of their writing assignments. She provides the right amount of structure while allowing students enough independence to reach their goals on their terms.

As Externship Director, Professor Nagel utilizes the strong personal and professional connections she has nurtured with judges, law clerks, and practitioners over the years to provide externship opportunities for JMLS students. But for Professor Nagel’s connections, many students would not have secured these highly coveted placements. When a student meets with her to discuss potential externship opportunities, Professor Nagel has insightful conversations with each student to determine the ideal externship match based on academic performance and career goals.

Her collaboration with the Moot Court Honors program throughout the years has been instrumental in its success. She developed and implemented the 1L Moot Court Competition, and every summer she supports rising 2Ls by leading the class component of the competition. In addition, she devotes countless hours to coaching moot court teams every semester, serving as a judge for the Herzog Competition, and providing support and mentorship to students throughout the process.

If Professor Nagel is not re-hired for her current role, the students at JMLS will suffer a tremendous loss. We would not just lose a brilliant legal mind, but we would be losing a professor who is passionate about helping students succeed. Also, the longstanding relationships she has cultivated with the legal community would be lost. JMLS should be proud to have Professor Nagel as part of its faculty, as she is a vital resource for the school and its students. Therefore, we ask the Selection & Appointments Committee to grant Professor Nagel the opportunity to interview for her current position so that she can continue making valuable contributions to the school.