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After teaching high school for six years, Patrick's fascination for history and economics led him to pursue a J.D. degree. With many ties to the state of Virginia, Baker decided on the Appalachian School of Law (ASL) due to the offer of a full scholarship and the small school's sense of community. With only 350 students, the community is very tight-knit and the faculty remains accessible. Additionally, the school's strong internship program allowing students to intern at government offices throughout the country was a strong selling point.
After completing his first year at Appalachian, Baker interned for The Honorable Elizabeth A. McClanahan, Court of Appeals of Virginia, developing a valuable relationship with McClanahan as his mentor.
"I had an unbelievable experience," Baker said of the internship. "I would highly recommend that every law student spend a summer while in law school interning."
Currently serving as President of the Student Bar Association (SBA), Baker believes involvement in student associations is an additional component of the education process.
"Being a part of the SBA has been a very educational as well as a humbling experience here at ASL. I have really enjoyed serving the students and the institution as a senator and as a president," Baker said.
"The benefits are huge," he added. "The practice of law is premised on our ability to solve problems. As a student organization leader, you encounter problems on a regular basis. Thus, it forces you to put to work the skills you have learned in law school and better prepares you for the practice of law."
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Baker is also fond of football, having been the youngest head football coach in Kentucky High School Football History. When he was hired as head coach in 1998, he was 22 years and three months of age.
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Planning a future as a litigator, Baker will work in the fields of employment law, worker's compensation, and property law issues after graduation. A member of the Energy and Mineral Association in Kentucky, he is also interested in the field of energy law.
"Energy law transcends every type of law, whatever you're doing," Baker said. "It's pretty exciting."
Citing his father as his role model, Baker said his father taught him the value of integrity, honesty, fairness, and hard work.
"He instilled those qualities in me, and they have served me well," Baker said. "In a world of hypocrites, he is a breath of fresh air."
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