“I am forever indebted to the hard work and generosity of Mr. J.L. Weigand. The Weigand Trust has opened the door to new opportunities that will allow me to make a difference in my community down the road. I am honored to be a part of his legacy.”
Courtney P. Klaus
University of Notre Dame
Weigand Scholar: 2021, 2022, 2023
Hometown:
Mulvane, KS
Education:
B.A. Communication, B.A. History, Journalism minor, Newman University, 2020
- Cardinal Newman Scholar
- Honors Program Graduate
- Summa Cum Laude
J.D., Notre Dame Law School, anticipated 2023
- Notre Dame Law Review
- Moot Court Board
- 1L Moot Court Tournament Champion
Courtney Klaus was born in Wichita and raised in Mulvane by a close-knit family that shares a passion for making the Kansas community a better place.
Courtney received her bachelor’s degree in communication and history from Newman University. At Newman, she served as the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, a resident assistant, and a student ambassador. For her senior honors thesis, Courtney wrote an educational role-playing game about Kansas History which was executed as the Honors Seminar class final.
With the help of the Weigand Trust, Courtney was able to attend her top choice law school, Notre Dame Law School, in 2020.
Courtney strived to make the most of her time at Notre Dame. During her first year, Courtney won Notre Dame’s 1L Moot Court Tournament. She was a teaching assistant for both Professor Sadie Blanchard’s contracts class and two sections of Professor Jay Tidmarsh’s torts class. She also assisted in teaching Professor Jim Seckinger’s advanced trial advocacy course. She served as Managing Symposium Editor for The Notre Dame Law Review and was elected President of Notre Dame’s Moot Court Board.
Courtney’s 2L Note, Put Mahanoy Where Your Mouth Is: A Closer Look at When Schools Can Regulate Online Student Speech, was published in Volume 98, Issue 2 of The Notre Dame Law Review.
Courtney was a summer associate with Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson, & Kitch in Wichita in 2021. In 2022, she was a summer associate at Polsinelli in Kansas City, where she will start work as an attorney in November.
“Growing up in Kansas, I learned about the power of hard work, the importance of integrity, and the strength that comes from community. I want to continue to build upon the foundation that started at home and use what I learn in law school to hopefully make a positive difference in the world.”