A New Beginning for The Legal Eye

One of the great things about MC Law is the wide range of students we have in attendance. This is seen through the student body that makes up The Legal Eye Staff. Our goal is to provide information, positivity, and exciting discussions to the MC Law community. Here is a snippet of what The Legal Eye Team offers.

Jordan Rogan: Sub-Editor

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

· Undergraduate School: Spring Hill College

· Current Year: 2L

Before COVID, I was an avid traveler lucky enough to go to various states and countries. One of my favorite places was Guatemala; the people there are so friendly! I am looking forward to hopefully participating in one of the study abroad programs coming back this year! I hope to write about traveling and fun things to do in the Jackson area, but honestly, who knows where my brain will take me. Like other students, I have no idea what I want to do after graduation, but I am currently thinking of something in the Health Law sphere.

Elizabeth Fleener: Editor-in-Chief

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Chipley, Florida

· Undergraduate School: Florida State University

· Current Year: 3L

When Elizabeth Fleener was selected as Editor-in-Chief of The Legal Eye, she knew she wanted to create something unique. With a background in studying English Literature, she had the opportunity to write creatively and was excited to utilize this knowledge. When asked why she was interested in joining the newspaper, Elizabeth explained, "I realized the MC Law newspaper hadn't been published since 2019. I thought it would be a great opportunity to create a forum for students." Elizabeth knew she wanted to bring the school newspaper into the 21st century and created the current website. Since "most students get their news and updates digitally," Elizabeth thought a "digital hub for MC Law" would be the best way to reach and engage students. The Legal Eye team is thankful for Elizabeth's" guidance!

Matthew Carbone: School Liaison

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Oviedo, Florida

· Undergraduate University: The University of West Florida

· Current Year: 2L

As a crucial MC Law Student Bar Association (LSBA) member, Matthew Carbone already has a packed schedule. When asked why he enjoys being a part of LSBA, Matthew explained that it allows him to help students. This is one of the many reasons he was selected as The Legal Eye's School Liaison. The members knew Matthew would be perfect for representing both the newspaper and the school's goals. When Matthew is not assisting LSBA, working on articles for The Legal Eye, and studying, you can find him golfing, working out, or cooking a delicious meal. Matthew suggests the Patrick Farms course and Bay Pointe courses if you're interested in golf. Who knows, maybe one day you will get to play a round of golf with him.

Casey Erwin: Social Media Chair

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Destrehan, Louisiana

· Undergraduate University:

Southeastern Louisiana University

· Current Year: 2L

Even though Casey is from out-of-state, she is the person to go to for hidden Jackson gems! When asked why she wanted to join the team, one of the things she wanted to write about was what Jackson had to offer. She explained, "as law students we feel like we have no life outside of law school…I hope my articles help students (especially 1Ls) have a life outside of school." One of her favorite spots in Jackson is Beagle Bagel. If you go, make sure you try Casey's" go-to bacon sandwich on a cheddar bagel. When reading a Casey Erwin article, students can look forward to reading about Jackson hotspots and upcoming events.

Cody Dinkelacker: Social Media Chair

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Madison, Mississippi

· Undergraduate University: Mississippi State University

· Current Year: 1L

Cody Dinkelacker is The Legal Eye's 1L member. As such, he is still exploring many other student organizations. The Health Law Society and the National Lawyer's Guild are two top organizations on his list. As such, he also is not entirely sure what area of law he wants to practice. When asked, Cody explained, "I came into law school with the approach that I wanted to keep my mind open to all areas of law and go from there." Our team can relate to this feeling of uncertainty and are excited to see Cody find his way!

Abbie Thomas: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Madison, Mississippi

· Undergraduate University: University of Mississippi

· Current Year: 2L

Even if you do not know who Abbie is, you will recognize her as one of MC Law's most fashionable students. In addition to always looking on-point, she also serves as the Secretary of WSBA. Her pride in serving in that role stems from her belief that "furthering women in the legal field is an important and necessary step to ensure equality." As WSBA is one of the most prominent student organizations on campus, they do a fantastic job achieving that goal! As a Jackson area native, Abbie also knows many of the best places to visit while attending MC Law. Her favorite spot is Cups in Fondren, but she also suggests Aladdin and the Manship. If you visit any of those locations, make sure to tell Abbie what you think!

Finn Langley: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana

· Undergraduate University: Louisiana Tech University

· Current Year: 3L

As an experienced 3L, Finn Langley knows what it's like to balance school and everything else in life. When asked what he planned on writing about for The Legal Eye, he explained that his goal was to write about the importance of mental health. Make sure to join Finn and fellow students in caring for mental health during Mental Health Week! Finn's law school experience has also taught him the best coffee spots in the Jackson area. His two favorites are Native Coffee and The Bean. While increasing his caffeine intake, he spends time studying agricultural law in the hopes of helping the farming community, one of Mississippi's biggest economies.

Gabi Putnam-Lang: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Pensacola, Florida

· Undergraduate University: Florida State University

· Current Year: 3L

Gabi Putnam-Lang is known around MC Law for her positive attitude and giving back to students. She serves as the Problems Editor for Moot Court and the Events Coordinator for LSBA. In her free time, Gabi loves to bake (you may have seen her fantastic cookie skills at school events) and loves to decorate for holidays. She also loves all things food and coffee related and can look forward to reading articles from Gabi on those topics. Overall, Gabi wants to help bring fun and positive news to MC Law, which is a significant factor in why she wanted to join. You may find Gabi working on the next positive piece at Cultivation Food Hall one day.

Austin David: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: New Roads, Louisiana

· Undergraduate University: LSU

· Current Year: 3L

Many of our writers are interested in providing articles about students, Jackson, or society. When Austin David was asked what he was planning on writing, he explained, "I'm interested in helping faculty get recognition for all their hard work." It is no secret that MC Law has impressive Faculty and Staff, and it's Austin's goal to help highlight that through a student survey each semester. Austin loves spending time with his dog, Roose, at the Reservoir. If anyone is interested in learning more about insurance or administrative law, contact Austin, as that's his field of focus after graduation. These areas of law are just two of the many that MC students can look towards when planning for a career.

Rimaz Mustfa: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

· Undergraduate University: Penn State

· Current Year: 2L

LexisNexis, Dean's Ambassador, Family Law Society, WSBA, and Legal Eye are just a few of the many organizations Rimaz Mustfa is a member of. One could quickly wonder why she would add more to her busy schedule. When asked why she joined our organization, Rimaz explained that she wanted to share more about the students who make up MC Law. Specifically, she wants to learn where students come from and what brought them to Mississippi. Initially born in Sudan, Rimaz can easily understand the question, "how on earth did you get to MC Law?" For out-of-state students, Rimaz is a great resource, one of the few to obtain a summer internship outside Mississippi. If you're an out-of-state student, ask Rimaz for any advice.

Taylor Boatright: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

· Undergraduate University: University of Florida

· Current Year: 2L

Taylor Boatright might be the only student at MC Law who has survived property law and is set on practicing in that area upon graduation. Taylor got experience hearing about the practical application of property law from her father, a property law attorney in Florida. That experience taught her that property law encompasses much more than students might realize from class. To work off stress from classes, you can catch Taylor at one of the classes at Fondren Fitness or sipping Boba Tea from Soule. Alternatively, you might not find her because she might be wrapped up in a blanket on her couch, reading a book, or watching Netflix. Taylor is a prime example of living a well-balanced life as a law student.

Jake Mahaffey: Staff Writer

Fast Facts:

· Hometown: Puckett, Mississippi

· Undergraduate University: Mississippi College

· Current Year: 3L

Jake is a renaissance man who enjoys learning new things through reading, especially new languages. Jake wants to take that love for learning and apply it to his articles. Jake explained, "I would like to write about alternate perspectives on current legal or political issues, and breakdown of complicated legal subject." Like most of The Legal Eye staff, Jake loves writing and is excited to use creativity to enhance that love. Jake is also an excellent resource for students interested in learning about the wide range of areas for lawyers to practice in. Jake is interested in ERISA law (Employee Retirement Income Security Act), which focuses on protecting employee retirement benefits.

If you have made it this far, congratulations! We have such a fantastic group of students on the staff of the new and improved school newspaper; it was difficult for me to put it all down into words. I hope you have learned more about your peers, and we all look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.