Guiding students from day one
Christina Gilligan, Lindsey Johnson, and Philip Bryans make up the Academic Success and Bar Preparation team, supporting students throughout their legal education at Loyola Law.
Guiding students from day one
Meet the Academic Success and Bar Passage team
Earlier this year, as Lindsey Johnson (JD ’12) led a presentation during new student orientation, she experienced a moment of déjà vu. “I remembered sitting in that exact same room, and I could see myself in these students,” she says. But Johnson also recognized a key difference; as assistant dean of Academic Success and Bar Passage, she helms a department that didn’t exist at the School of Law back then.
“When I was a first-year law student, I had impostor syndrome and wasn’t sure how to transition my undergrad study habits to law school,” Johnson says. “I would have loved to have a resource like this team.”
The three-person department supports students throughout their legal education, helping them succeed academically and prepare to pass the bar. Guided by two objectives—to be a safe space for students to seek academic assistance and to achieve a 100 percent bar passage rate—Johnson and her team play a critical role during the law school journey.
“Law school can be a lot to tackle … but we believe every student is capable of success.”
Academic Success and Bar Passage offers a plethora of resources, including skill-building workshops on briefing cases, outlining, and exam strategies; one-on-one meetings for assistance with study habits, legal analysis skills, and time management; individualized academic plans for students needing ongoing support; opportunities to meet with bar prep providers and administrators; and timely reminders about bar deadlines, applications, and state-specific requirements.
Additionally, both Johnson and Assistant Director Christina Gilligan are academic advisors, and Assistant Director Philip Bryans oversees the doctrinal tutors as well as co-teaches an upper-level bar fundamentals course with a faculty member.
“Law school can be a lot to tackle, especially for incoming students,” says Bryans. “But we believe every student is capable of success in school and, eventually, as a lawyer, and we’re here to support them through the process.”
Assistant Dean Lindsey Johnson provides academic advising to students.
As licensed attorneys, Bryans and his colleagues can easily recall their own law school and bar passage experiences, including the anticipation and anxiety around coursework, exams, and bar prep. This background, as well as their collective years of teaching and tutoring (Bryans, for example, taught English in Japan and tutored in law school), makes the team members uniquely positioned to boost student achievement.
Gilligan, who previously taught English and gender studies at Brown University, came onboard in August, eager to work in another student-centered role. “I’ve loved getting to know the students and making sure they have what they need to succeed,” she says. Looking ahead, Gilligan plans to partner with student organizations to further enhance the department’s on-campus visibility.
“We’re not a new department, but we are a new team,” Johnson says. When Johnson stepped into the assistant dean role in January, she brought deep institutional knowledge to the position, having spent most of her career at Loyola (in addition to getting her BA and JD here). Johnson’s dedication to the law school and passion for its students help guide her positive and intentional approach. “With this expanded team, we can offer even more support,” she says. “It’s really rewarding helping students succeed.” –Kelsey Schagemann (October 2025)
Earlier this year, as Lindsey Johnson (JD ’12) led a presentation during new student orientation, she experienced a moment of déjà vu. “I remembered sitting in that exact same room, and I could see myself in these students,” she says. But Johnson also recognized a key difference; as assistant dean of Academic Success and Bar Passage, she helms a department that didn’t exist at the School of Law back then.
“When I was a first-year law student, I had impostor syndrome and wasn’t sure how to transition my undergrad study habits to law school,” Johnson says. “I would have loved to have a resource like this team.”
The three-person department supports students throughout their legal education, helping them succeed academically and prepare to pass the bar. Guided by two objectives—to be a safe space for students to seek academic assistance and to achieve a 100 percent bar passage rate—Johnson and her team play a critical role during the law school journey.
Academic Success and Bar Passage offers a plethora of resources, including skill-building workshops on briefing cases, outlining, and exam strategies; one-on-one meetings for assistance with study habits, legal analysis skills, and time management; individualized academic plans for students needing ongoing support; opportunities to meet with bar prep providers and administrators; and timely reminders about bar deadlines, applications, and state-specific requirements.
Additionally, both Johnson and Assistant Director Christina Gilligan are academic advisors, and Assistant Director Philip Bryans oversees the doctrinal tutors as well as co-teaches an upper-level bar fundamentals course with a faculty member.
“Law school can be a lot to tackle, especially for incoming students,” says Bryans. “But we believe every student is capable of success in school and, eventually, as a lawyer, and we’re here to support them through the process.”
As licensed attorneys, Bryans and his colleagues can easily recall their own law school and bar passage experiences, including the anticipation and anxiety around coursework, exams, and bar prep. This background, as well as their collective years of teaching and tutoring (Bryans, for example, taught English in Japan and tutored in law school), makes the team members uniquely positioned to boost student achievement.
Gilligan, who previously taught English and gender studies at Brown University, came onboard in August, eager to work in another student-centered role. “I’ve loved getting to know the students and making sure they have what they need to succeed,” she says. Looking ahead, Gilligan plans to partner with student organizations to further enhance the department’s on-campus visibility.
“We’re not a new department, but we are a new team,” Johnson says. When Johnson stepped into the assistant dean role in January, she brought deep institutional knowledge to the position, having spent most of her career at Loyola (in addition to getting her BA and JD here). Johnson’s dedication to the law school and passion for its students help guide her positive and intentional approach. “With this expanded team, we can offer even more support,” she says. “It’s really rewarding helping students succeed.” –Kelsey Schagemann (October 2025)