January 2026 – Pre-Law Advising Services Blog

Alumni Attorney Talk | Jeff Gaster

Alumni Attorney Talks is a virtual series that aims to provide prospective law students with helpful insights about attending law school and pursuing a legal career. This series features interviews with University of Illinois alumni working in a variety of diverse settings within the legal profession.

Legal Traditions: Part II

As we discussed in Legal Traditions: Part I, many legal traditions can be mysteries to those outside of the legal profession. The American legal system is rooted in common law, which thrives on tradition, utilizing concepts created hundreds of years ago that continue to serve as foundations for the modern system today. While many of these legal traditions are long-standing, they are also often unfamiliar, and there is only so much that courtroom dramas can teach about the actual law! In two parts, we have chosen four legal “traditions” to highlight because of their frequent use in courtrooms and common reference in our news and media. Continue reading below to learn more about the final two in this series: habeas corpus and stare decisis.