Rothman Scholar Finds his ‘Perfect Fit’ at USC

Colton Cray '17 receives prestigious award

By Andrew Clark

He was on spring break in Mexico when the news came in. A senior at the University of Arizona, Colton Cray was still making up his mind about where to go to law school in the fall. After being notified that he was selected as the winner of the Frank Rothman Scholarship — providing him with three years of full tuition and a priceless summer fellowship — Cray said the decision was simple.

Rothman Scholar Colton Cray '17

“I was absolutely excited and I immediately called my parents,” Cray said. “I knew that going to USC Gould would be the best fit for me.”

Becoming a Rothman Scholar seems like an ideal opportunity for Cray. During his time at the University of Arizona, Cray earned four majors (Management Information Systems, Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Operations Management). As a senior in college, Cray was named one of the university’s Robie Gold medal winners, a prestigious award given each year to a senior who has succeeded both inside and outside the classroom. In addition to his academic achievements, Cray found time to volunteer as an undergraduate and intern with a private equity firm.

The Frank Rothman Scholars Program was established in 2002. Each year, an incoming 1L student is given a full, three-year scholarship. Additionally, the Rothman Scholars Program provides a guaranteed summer fellowship, in which the selected student gets to work for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom following his or her 1L year. A number of factors are considered for the merit-based award, including LSAT scores, undergraduate grades, and personal accomplishments.

Currently, Cray is midway through his 1L year. In addition to his work in the classroom, the Tucson, Arizona, native has embraced USC by being involved with intramural basketball and football, as well as the Business Law Society and the Federalist Society.

For Cray, having the chance to spend this summer with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is a career-changing opportunity.

“The internship provides me with the ability to work in corporate law right away,” Cray said. “I am able to focus on school work and don’t have the stress of finding a summer position. This is a huge advantage for any student.”

Cray notes that he wants to work in the corporate law world once he graduates from USC Gould. Ultimately, he says that he’d love to work as a general counsel one day. And, as Cray says, getting the opportunity to cut his teeth in corporate law early on in his legal education will be a life-altering experience.

Having finished his first semester as a law student, Cray remains as busy and curious as ever, thanks in part to finding that the culture at USC is as stimulating and accepting as he hoped it would be.

"USC stood out immediately from other law schools because of the sheer friendliness and happiness of the students and faculty," Cray said. "Now that I'm here I've seen that positivity continue in the way USC engages me personally and professionally. I didn't see any of the cut-throat competitiveness you see in other schools and I knew right away I had found the perfect fit."

The Rothman Scholars Program is named for the late Frank Rothman, a member of the class of 1951. Rothman--who was once a partner in the Los Angeles office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom--was a nationally renowned sports and entertainment lawyer who worked with a number of high profile clients throughout his decorated career including Walt Disney Co. and the NFL, among others.