At High Point University School of Law, our faculty do more than teach future lawyers about the law. They also step into courtrooms to argue the legal principles our students study, bringing the practice of law directly into the classroom. That commitment was recently on display when Interim Associate Dean and Professor Kip Nelson appeared before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana. Engagement at this level reflects exceptional skill, credibility, and respect within the legal community. It also ensures that students learn from faculty whose teaching is grounded in the realities of modern legal practice—not theory alone.
Professor Nelson’s case centered on the Seventh Amendment’s guarantee of jury trials in civil cases. He argued that the right to a civil jury trial should apply not only when the Securities and Exchange Commission seeks civil penalties for securities fraud (as the Supreme Court held), but also when other government agencies, such as the IRS, seek civil penalties against citizens.
“As teachers and scholars, we should look for opportunities to remain engaged in legal work,” said Professor Nelson. “Arguing a case at the federal appellate level—especially one of such importance—reinforces the connection between what we teach and how the law actually evolves.”
For students, that connection is transformative. They learn from professors who are actively shaping arguments, influencing judicial reasoning, and contributing to the development of the law. It is an educational experience defined by immediacy, rigor, and relevance.
Mark Martin, founding dean and former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, commented:
“Our students deserve to learn from faculty operating at the highest levels of the profession. When our professors step into a federal appeals court, they bring that experience directly back to the classroom, raising the standard of legal education and preparing our graduates to lead.”