The Hon. John Morris L’10, the law school’s first graduate to become a Superior Court judge, urged Elon Law’s largest-ever class to commit themselves to diligence, service and perseverance during ceremonies held Aug. 5, 2025, in Elon University's Alumni Gym.
Character — not coursework or case law — set the tone for Elon University School of Law’s newest and largest-ever class.
Superior Court Judge John Morris L’10 encouraged members of the Class of 2027 to nurture their integrity, serve others with kindness, and hold space for life’s enjoyment.
“As you prepare yourselves for the academic rigors of law school and as you plan for your legal career ahead, I want you to consider something this morning even more valuable than academia and your professional career goals: That is your character,” Morris said in a Call to Honor address Tuesday, Aug. 5, as part of New Student Convocation for full-time students at Elon University School of Law.
“Yes, it is important to earn the grade, to work diligently for that prize internship, but what is most important is how you get there,” he said to 182 incoming students, the largest class in the Elon Law’s history.
Morris is Elon Law’s first graduate to serve as a Superior Court judge, overseeing felony trials, high-value civil cases and appeals in North Carolina’s 22nd Judicial District in Rockingham and Caswell Counties. Among the advice he shared with new students and families gathered in Alumni Gym on Elon University’s main campus:
- “Dig in and get tougher” when “adversity seems unbearable. Surround yourself with positive individuals who will build you up and not tear you down and focus on improving those aspects in your life of which have control.”
- Find satisfaction in service: “When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. We become more significant individuals as we serve others.
- Make time to enjoy the journey: “The study of law and life in general is a serious business, but … let me encourage you to set some time apart to relax, enjoy this season in your life, laugh and face your future with optimism.”
After graduating from Elon Law in 2010, Morris worked for accounting firm KPMG before entering private practice. In 2018, he was appointed as Rockingham County attorney. He was elected as a resident Superior Court judge for Rockingham and Caswell Counties in 2022.
The new student convocation also included remarks from university and law school academic and student leaders, including Elon University Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Rebecca Kohn and Rebecca Bailey L’25, president of the Student Bar Association.
- “Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to the law faculty. As teachers, faculty members will help you learn to examine information critically, think analytically, ask questions insightfully and reflect thoughtfully on what you’re learning. They will stretch you and challenge you more than you thought possible, and I hope you will embrace this opportunity to work with these outstanding thinkers.” – Provost Rebecca Kohn
- “I will not be the first nor the last person to tell you that you are entering a noble profession. We are advocates. Counselors. Enforcers of justice. You have entered a profession where people look to you for your wisdom and guidance. You will be a pioneer and a leader in your community. I charge you now with being worthy of such a call.” – Rebecca Bailey L’25
During the ceremony, each student’s name and undergraduate alma mater were read aloud as they signed a poster with the four tenets of the Honor Code: honesty, integrity, responsibility and respect. The poster will be displayed inside the law school commons. Kohn then gifted an acorn to each member of the class. At Elon, which is the Hebrew word for “oak,” all new students receive an acorn as they begin their studies, a symbol of their potential for growth.
Graduates later receive an oak sapling at Commencement ceremonies, a tradition that began more than three decades ago.
Elon Law Dean Zak Kramer concluded the ceremony by urging members of the Class of 2027 to support each other and make the most of their law school experience.
“In keeping with Judge Morris’ wonderful call to honor, I encourage you to think about all of those choices and do the best you can to make good choices, to invest in not only your career, but your classmates’ careers,” Kramer said. “Lawyers serve a noble profession, but most importantly, we serve clients and work for people who work on behalf of the community.
“Make choices and decisions while you’re here with us that look towards your future, the kind of lawyer you’re going to be and how you’re going to serve the community,” said Kramer.
About Elon University School of Law
Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required, full-time residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive curriculum offers a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which provides exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.
Elon Law has graduated more than 1,700 alumni since opening its doors in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students, and the law school is regularly featured in the top tier of PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study for place-bound students at Elon University’s Charlotte campus, welcomes its second cohort in Fall 2025.