Counseller’s Corner

What do opera and oral advocacy have in common? For Baylor Law School student Joey Goodale, the connection is stronger than one might expect. After studying music at Dallas Baptist University and earning a master’s degree in voice from Southern Methodist University, Goodale performed with Opera Colorado and the Glimmerglass Festival before reconsidering a career that would require years of extensive travel. His longstanding interest in the legal profession eventually brought him to Baylor Law School, where his experience as a performer has proven unexpectedly beneficial.

In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller speaks with Goodale about his transition from professional music to legal education, managing performance anxiety, and exploring the similarities between preparing for a stage performance and presenting an argument in court.

Goodale also discusses the challenges he faced as a first-generation law student and the importance of connecting with practicing attorneys through Baylor Law’s professional development programs. He reflects on reaching the semifinals of Baylor Law School’s Durham Pittard Spalding Kaufman & Hollingsworth Fall Moot Court Competition, earning a Top 10 Speaker award, and his growing interest in civil litigation and appellate advocacy. Outside the classroom, Goodale continues to share his musical background through a student vocal quartet, Voices of Baylor Law. From the discipline of classical performance to the demands of legal advocacy, his conversation with Dean Counseller offers an engaging perspective on the diverse experiences and interests that students bring to Baylor Law School.

When third-year Baylor Law School student Labrina Ware was just six years old, an unexpected encounter in a courtroom had a profound impact on her life. During a difficult chapter of her childhood, a judge’s simple act of kindness helped shape her perception of the law. That moment sparked a dream of becoming a lawyer, one that remained with her as she served in the military and pursued her education.

At 17, Labrina enlisted in the United States Air Force, where she served as an intelligence analyst. She later earned degrees from Borough of Manhattan Community College and Rutgers University. Now, as a law student and mother, she is preparing for a career focused on juvenile justice and advocating for children and families.

In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller speaks with Labrina about the childhood experience that inspired her career and the lessons she learned during her military service. She reflects on finding her place at Baylor Law School and the community that has supported her throughout her legal education. Their conversation also explores her commitment to recognizing the people affected by legal decisions, her hopes for the future, and the role motherhood has played in her law school experience.

Nafis Muhammad, a first-year student at Baylor Law School, has always been drawn to work that protects others. His journey began as a teenager when he became an EMT, followed by his service as a firefighter and paramedic. Inspired by his mother, an emergency room nurse who always helped those in need, Nafis developed a deep appreciation for the various systems and institutions essential for maintaining safety and well-being. This passion led him from the fire department to the campaign trail, where he ran for city council in his hometown of Carson, California, at just 18 years old. Now, at Baylor Law School, Nafis continues to explore his interests, with a specific focus on securities enforcement and regulation. In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller interviews Nafis about his transition from first responder to law student. They discuss the lessons he has learned about performing under pressure in law school, as well as their shared interests in music, intramural football, life in Waco, and their mutual appreciation for the word puzzle game, Connections.

From collegiate soccer fields and music stages to Baylor Law School, Sami Brown’s path to law school has been anything but straightforward. A Waco native and second-year Baylor Law School student, Sami’s collegiate soccer career took her more than 1,300 miles from home to Northern Michigan University. There, she helped make school history on the soccer field, discovered a new sense of independence, and completed degrees in accounting and business, all while pursuing her longtime passion for music. In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller sits down with Sami to talk about the unexpected twists that brought her back to Waco and ultimately to Baylor Law School. Sami shares what transferring across the country taught her about herself, why she changed her college major three times, and how she discovered that the discipline required by law school doesn’t mean sacrificing parts of life she loves. Now, Sami serves her classmates through the Student Bar Association and introduces prospective students to Baylor Law as a Student Ambassador. She also reflects on her summer judicial experience, her growing interest in civil practice, and the Baylor Law School community she has found in the same city where her story began. And, because being a law student is only one part of Sami’s story, the conversation naturally returns to music. A singer-songwriter and guitarist with an album of her own, Sami turns the tables on Dean Counseller for a spirited debate over music rankings, Spotify Wrapped, and the songs that reveal our true selves. Join us for a conversation about taking the unexpected route, embracing the interests that define who we are, and realizing that sometimes a roundabout journey can lead us right back home.

What does it look like to find your place in law school when your path does not fit a template? Baylor Law School 2L and student ambassador Marley Rokas shares her journey from college basketball at Sul Ross State to Baylor Law and the lessons athletics taught her about pressure, preparation, and persistence.

Along the way, she brings the lighter moments too, from Law League basketball to Waco life with her grandmother and an online grocery order that did not go as planned. Come for the stories, stay for the reassurance that you can belong here.

From ranch work and cutting horses to national Strongman competitions and the classroom at Baylor Law School, second-year law student Niko Nemanic is taking an uncommon path to the legal profession. In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Niko shares how growing up on a ranch shaped his work ethic, why a conversation about eminent domain pushed him toward law school, and how he hopes to help farmers and ranchers protect their land and family legacy. Along the way, Dean Jeremy Counseller and Niko discuss balancing the demands of law school with elite-level fitness competition, including Niko’s recent appearance at the Red Bull Rancher Strong competition and his qualification for the United States Strongman National Championship. Equal parts thoughtful, funny, and flat-out impressive, this conversation gives listeners a look at a Baylor Law student who knows how to outwork a challenge, whether in the courtroom, the gym, or a field outside Brownwood, Texas.

In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller sits down with first-year law student Mari Sanchez, who began her journey at Baylor Law School as an undergraduate student worker in the Dean’s Office.

Mari shares how her early experiences shaped her understanding of the purpose and community that define Baylor Law School, influencing her decision to attend despite the program’s rigorous nature. Now well into her first year, she reflects on the fast-paced workload, first-quarter finals, and the Socratic Method, as well as how she secured her summer internship.

She also shares her Waco roots and the significance of remaining in Waco for both her undergraduate studies and law school. This episode provides an encouraging look at the first-year experience at Baylor and offers thoughtful advice for those considering Baylor Law School.

In this episode, Dean Jeremy Counseller sits down with 2L Roderick Wilson, who spent eight years building a career before choosing law school. He shares what pulled him back to the classroom, how coaching high school hockey in Texas helped him find meaning, and why real-world experience changes how you see the law. Roderick also breaks down his winning brief in Baylor Law’s Ultimate Writer competition, including the mindset and habits that set his writing apart. The conversation turns to civil rights history after a powerful trip to the Fred D. Gray Institute for Human & Civil Rights National Symposium, sponsored by Baylor Missions, Service & Public Life, and what it means for lawyers today who feel called to serve. Sharp insights. Honest reflections. A reminder that the path is not always straight, but it can still lead exactly where you need to go.

Christa Walton took an unconventional path to Baylor Law School. Before preparing for a career in the courtroom, she was busy developing her music career and scoring soundtracks for Netflix. But the most important part of the story isn’t the career pivot; it’s Christa’s commitment to public service. In this episode of the Counseller’s Corner, Christa shares how Baylor Law’s Career Development Fellowship made it possible for her to pursue a pivotal (and unpaid) internship with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office; an experience that launched her future as a prosecutor. It’s a candid look at how one opportunity, backed by the right support, can change everything, and why investing in students who want to serve matters more than ever.

What does it really take to make the most of law school? In this episode of Counseller’s Corner, Dean Jeremy Counseller has a candid, engaging conversation with Baylor Law student Sheldon Furqueron, navigating law school with perseverance and purpose. They unpack what it’s really like to live and study in Waco, reflect on time spent at Baylor Law School’s Academy of the Advocate in St Andrews, Scotland, and share the habits that quietly drive success. This episode will speak to anyone considering law school or currently navigating it, with honest insights and stories that show how to keep moving forward when opportunities feel just out of reach.