Author: Amber Bethune

The Temple Law Rome Program – An Unconventional Law School Experience

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“So, what are you doing this summer?” Every law school student hears this question regularly. Traditional answers include working as a research assistant, a judicial clerk, or a summer associate, and each of these experiences is unique and valuable. However, during my first year of law school, my answer to that question was an unconventional one. I studied abroad in Rome through the Temple Law Rome program. A number of factors contributed to my decision to go to Rome; I had always been interested in studying abroad and my closest friends were enrolled in the program. But in hindsight, this program delivered more benefits than I anticipated at the time of enrollment. For me, Temple Law Rome provided valuable insights that I used in job interviews and enabled me to really get to know my Temple Law professors. I spent my afternoons and evenings strolling through the city streets, periodically taking breaks to grab a cappuccino or a slice of pizza. The number of attractions to see in Rome is astonishing—the Forum, the Coliseum, the …

More Than Volunteering

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If you asked me five years ago if I ever saw myself completing a marathon, the answer would have been a stern no. Despite the fact that I loved team sports, I never considered myself a runner. However, this fall, when two students told me they wanted to complete the Philadelphia Full Marathon their senior year, I could not say no; I was their running mentor after all. Students Run Philly Style (SRPS) is a nonprofit organization that provides youth with mentorship, training, and opportunities to run nationally-recognized races without cost. SRPS encourages kids to “run” the streets instead of being consumed by the violence often found in their neighborhoods. I became involved with SRPS in the fall of 2016 while I was still a high school English teacher. Within three months, alongside four of my students, I was crossing the finish line of my first half marathon. Since then, we have completed the Philadelphia Half Marathon a second time, the Broad Street 10-miler twice, countless other informal races, and most recently, the 2018 Philadelphia …

The Lessons We Future Lawyers Should Learn From the Life of Nipsey Hussle

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During his 33 years of life, Ermias Joseph Asghedom (pronounced “Air-me-yaahs” and “Ahs-ged-om”), also known as “Nipsey Hussle,” was an ambitious and virtuous man who inspired millions to never give up, achieve their dreams and give back to their community. For those of you who have never heard of Asghedom, or only learned about him in the last week since his untimely death, please allow me to introduce him to you before I highlight some lessons we future lawyers should learn from Asghedom’s life. Asghedom was born in Los Angeles in 1985 to an Eritrean father (Dawit Asghedom) and an African-American mother (Angelique Smith) and raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South Los Angeles. As a youth growing up in the rough world of South LA, Asghedom joined the “Rollin 60’s” Neighborhood Crips gang. Despite his affiliation with the Rollin 60’s in his early years, Asghedom knew early on that he wanted to transition out of the gangster life and into one where he could become a musical artist and entrepreneur. Fortunately, Asghedom was able …