3L Seth LaPray hails from the small southeast Texas town Vidor where, prior to law school, he decided to run for mayor. At the time, LaPray was teaching high school after receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas. He realized he wanted to do more for his community.
“As a teacher, you see students in tough situations, but you can only do so much. Because of this, I decided to run for mayor my second semester of teaching. I was beaten handily, but I was proud of the effort I put towards helping my community,” LaPray said in his Humans of the U article. “After the election and I concluded my first year of teaching, I decided I wanted to go to law school because it would give me more skills and resources to make a difference for others.”
For LaPray, it was impressive that the scholarships offered at the S.J. Quinney College of Law are not conditional. In addition, he liked the high bar passage rate and the promising 509 employment numbers. One encounter he had with a professor before matriculating spoke to the culture he’s found here at the College of Law.
“I saw two law students and Professor Cliff Rosky playing chess in the second floor café area and asked them if they had a second to answer some of my questions. Professor Rosky asked to finish the game, quickly put his opponent in checkmate, and then introduced himself to me,” LaPray recalls. “He walked me up to the sixth floor, and we looked out to the mountains while we talked about my goals and how SJQ could fit into them. I knew he was only one professor, but his willingness to take the time to show me around seemed like a great indicator of the culture at the school. Plus, for a guy from very flat southeast Texas, those mountains are persuasive.”
And the community is what LaPray has come to like best at the College of Law.
“I feel quite grateful. Everyone is friendly, supportive, and genuinely rooting for you. Plus, we’ve got quite the group of ping pong players. A break from classes and studying with some ping pong are some of my favorite memories in the building,” LaPray says.
During his 1L year, LaPray was influential in bringing back the law school’s ping pong tournament, now known as The Quinney Open, for the students, faculty and staff. He has also been involved with the Student Bar Association (SBA), serving as vice president during his 2L year and now as president for the upcoming academic year.
“I am most proud of utilizing the student organization funding systems to purchase two new ping pong tables for the law school. There are many hoops to jump through (including fronting the money yourself), so doing so successfully while balancing my other responsibilities is something I’m proud to have accomplished,” LaPray says.
LaPray enjoyed this past summer working at the firm Dentons Durham Jones Pinegar in Salt Lake City. He plans to join their litigation group upon graduation.
“My favorite parts were the people I worked with and the skills I started learning. Everyone was helpful and wanted to teach. Being in an environment where questions were wanted and welcomed was a great experience,” LaPray says.
As LaPray still considers the direction of his career, for now, he’s committed to being an advocate for students at the S.J. Quinney College of Law.
“I think where I specialize and the specific goals for my career will become more clear as I begin to practice,” he says. “I still have an interest in politics long-term, but this year I am just focused on being the best Student Bar Association president I can be.”