Last month, Notre Dame Law School’s Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic and Career Development Office hosted a “Careers in Religious Liberty” discussion featuring four attorneys whose diverse legal practices include religious liberty work and representation of religious organizations.
The panelists included Susan Bishai, senior policy analyst for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom; Dan Dalton, co-founder and partner at Dalton & Tomich, PLC; Alisa Murphy ‘15 J.D., assistant general counsel at the University of Notre Dame; and David Raimer ‘08 J.D., partner at Jones Day. Meredith Holland Kessler, staff attorney for the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic, moderated the discussion.
The panelists described their career paths and current work, highlighting their experiences representing religious organizations in a variety of contexts and addressing religious liberty issues.
“Often one of the challenges for students interested in religious liberty work is that it can be difficult to see a clear path to follow,” said Vincent Versagli, director of career development at Notre Dame Law School. “The panelists’ stories offered insight into how students might incorporate religious liberty work into their careers. As the panelists demonstrated, there are many different ways that lawyers can serve the cause of religious liberty and religious organizations, even if it is not the sole focus of their practice.”
Dalton, a leading expert in land use and zoning litigation, kicked off the event by sharing how he cultivated his practice representing religious institutions nationwide.
“It wasn’t a straight path, but it has been incredibly rewarding to help churches and schools secure their place in the community,” said Dalton. Over his more than 30 years of experience, he has helped nearly one thousand religious entities facing property disputes after denominational splits. He has also authored several books on litigating land-use disputes involving religious entities.
Bishai then described her work promoting religious freedom worldwide. At USCIRF, Bishai explained, “we advocate for all religious groups, including those persecuted within Muslim-majority countries.” She highlighted the Commission’s work in the Middle East and North Africa. Bishai also encouraged students interested in international religious freedom to pursue opportunities in the field, in which, she explained, the United States plays a critical role.
Bishai also shared how her legal education and experience have been invaluable to her career, which has included both legal and nonlegal roles. “You’re never going to leave behind your legal education or your perspective having been shaped by study of the law,” said Bishai.
Next, Raimer offered insight into his somewhat unexpected journey into religious liberty work as an appellate attorney at a big law firm in Washington, D.C.
“I didn’t expect religious liberty to become such a significant part of my practice, but it’s a niche that’s grown organically over time,” Raimer reflected. He noted that religious liberty isn’t his sole practice, but is an area of expertise that has continued to flourish. Among other work, Raimer was part of the team that obtained relief for more than sixty religious nonprofit organizations in a challenge to federal regulations that had made it impossible for those entities to offer health coverage in a manner consistent with their beliefs.
Finally, Murphy detailed her journey to the Office of General Counsel at the University of Notre Dame. After serving as a law clerk to two federal judges, Murphy spent time in private practice at a big law firm in Chicago, where she had a robust pro bono practice. She initially pursued litigation and contemplated becoming a federal prosecutor. Then she landed in her current role as in-house counsel at Notre Dame. “It’s not a career path I imagined for myself, but it’s truly my dream job,” Murphy explained.
“Each day, I look at what is the right thing to do in light of Notre Dame’s mission and Catholic character,” said Murphy. “I advise the institution based on what is in-line with Notre Dame’s values. This role gives me a unique opportunity to personally impact the decisions the University makes.”
The panelists encouraged students to explore and consider a variety of opportunities, especially early in their careers. “You don’t have to have everything figured out right away,” said Raimer. “Sometimes, the best opportunities come when you least expect them.”
After the panel, first-year law student Stephanie Athanas reflected on the panelists’ work and insights. “My perspective on the scope of what religious freedom work can entail was broadened upon hearing the variety of experiences and career paths of each panelist. I was encouraged to learn through this panel that litigation and academia are not the only pathways available to lawyers aspiring to aid in protecting this freedom.”
“The panelists’ discussion offered students the chance to hear from lawyers who have found different opportunities to promote religious freedom or support the good work of religious organizations in their careers, even if their practice is focused on other areas of the law,” said Kessler. “We seek to prepare our students to do the same, and our hope is that they too find ways to serve the needs of their communities through their legal practice.”
To learn more about the work of the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic, please visit religiousliberty.nd.edu.
Originally published by at religiousliberty.nd.edu on November 18, 2024.