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John L. Costello
Virginia Lawyers Weekly//October 13, 2009//
Name
John L. Costello
Honor
An instrumental role in development of George Mason’s law school through teaching and through mentoring students who seek internships and placement assistance
Business/Employer
George Mason University School of Law
3301 Fairfax Drive
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 360-5586
E-mail
[email protected]
Education
AB, Dickenson College
JD, Pennsylvania State University
MA, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
LL.M, University of Virginia
Who was your most important mentor and how did he/she impact your career?
Ralph Norvell, who was dean of the International School of Law/George Mason University School of Law, taught me how to be a law professor.
What do you consider your biggest personal accomplishment and why?
Two law books: Virginia Criminal Law and Procedure (4th Edition) and Virginia Remedies (3rd Edition)
What is the best bit of advice you ever received?
The choice was either drive a taxi cab or go to law school. I went to law school.
How do you achieve a balance between your professional life and your personal life?
It’s not a problem for me anymore – I’m 80 years old and semi-retired.
If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what field would you have entered?
Accounting
What is your favorite book or movie and why?
James Clavell’s Shogun. It took lots more than a day to read and it led to two other fine works: Tai-Pan and Gai-Jin.
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