The Law School welcomed new students earlier this month with a variety of orientation activities.

Students had fun posing for "back to school" pictures in a photo booth on the first day of JD orientation.

Law School students know how to be serious—but they also know how to laugh.

Ken Thomas and Grace Goodblatt, both '16, joined the fun.

Incoming 1L students posed for their Class of 2018 photo in front of the Levin Reflecting Pool.

The class of 2018 kicked off the second year of the Law School's mandatory—and highly praised—Kapnick Leadership Development Initiative on a ropes course in Chicago's western suburbs.

The ropes course represents only a small part of Kapnick. During classroom modules back on campus, students have been receiving feedback on first impressions, exploring how their own personality traits influence leadership style, honing public speaking skills, and developing strategies for building effective and influential relationships.

Strong communication was an important part of succeeding during many of the challenges.

Nearly 95 percent of the students who participated in Kapnick last year said they gained insights about working in teams, 94 percent said they received valuable feedback that would help their careers, and 82 percent said they learned how their own personalities might influence their work strategies. Nearly 98 percent said they bonded with their Bigelow sections and other classmates.

Students faced a variety of challenges designed to help them develop interpersonal and leadership skills, as well as build self-awareness.

Many of the activities forced students to acknowledge, and even reevaluate, their natural tendencies.

During a session titled, "Becoming a Better Student and Lawyer: Moving Beyond Technical Skills," a panel of Law School alumni offered advice, much of which underscored the importance of interpersonal skills. In addition to Kapnick, students can hone these skills through the Keystone Professionalism and Leadership Program.

The Law School welcomed the Class of 2018 with a variety of orientation activities that included advice and information from faculty and alumni leaders, as well as the chance to engage with rising 2Ls and 3Ls. They also participated in the second year of the Kapnick Leadership Development Initiative, a highly praised program that focuses on critical leadership, interpersonal, and conflict-resolution skills. Kapnick kicked off with a two-day retreat that included team-building exercises on a ropes course, improv, and other activities. The program has continued on campus with classroom modules devoted to skills such as public speaking, leadership development, and relationship building.