Max Oeler ’26

Widener Law Commonwealth Student Finds Purpose and Community Through Faith-Driven Leadership

When Max Oeler started thinking about law school, he wasn’t following a long-held childhood dream. He was searching for stability, purpose, and a way to serve others in a world that felt increasingly unpredictable. That search eventually led him to Widener University Commonwealth Law School, where he is now a third-year student and president of the Christian Legal Society, a national organization of law students and attorneys who support one another in integrating faith and the practice of law.

Oeler grew up in Pennsylvania and stayed close to home for his education. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Lycoming College in 2020, followed by an MBA from Commonwealth University, Bloomsburg in 2022. He started law school at Widener Law Commonwealth in 2023, rounding out what he calls a “very Pennsylvania-shaped” academic journey.

“I had always thought about being a lawyer, but I was too afraid of failing to pursue it,” he said. “Once I found the Orthodox Church, I started seeing the world and my place in it differently. I wanted a profession that offered stability and allowed me to develop a real skill that could help people.”

He originally planned to work in international business consulting, but the pandemic shifted his priorities and prompted a deeper look at how he wanted to spend his career. After what he describes as a period of prayer, reflection, and honest self-assessment, he took the GRE graduate school admission exam, applied to Widener Law Commonwealth, and began law school in 2023.

The GRE, or graduate record examination, is a widely used test for admission to many graduate programs and is accepted by a growing number of law schools as an alternative to the law school admission test.

Given the time he had to prepare, Oeler chose the GRE because it focused on reading, algebra, and geometry, and offered extensive free and affordable study materials. It also gave him flexibility.

“I knew that if law school didn’t work out, I could still use my GRE score to apply to another graduate program,” he said. “And if it did work out, great. It gave me options.”

“It felt like the right place,” he said. “Widener Law Commonwealth offered a practical legal education, a strong sense of community, and a path I believed I could walk with purpose.”

Not long into his first year, Oeler began exploring whether a Christian student organization existed on campus. When he realized it did not, he decided to create one.

“I believe Christians have the right to gather and exist on academic campuses,” he said. “I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, so I started researching national organizations. That’s when I found the Christian Legal Society. They had a strong history, a network of passionate members, and a real commitment to legal aid.”

Working with a small group of fellow students, Oeler gathered the 50 student signatures required to form a new campus organization. Because he initiated the effort, his peers encouraged him to step into the role of president. He agreed, even though he’s quick to point out that leadership was very much a shared effort.

“The role itself looks like any student leadership position,” he said. “I coordinate, plan, communicate and make sure we’re offering meaningful programming. But it also involves speaking to the more sensitive conversations about what it means to be Christian in law school and in the world.”

Under Oeler’s leadership, the Christian Legal Society has hosted biweekly meetings that include Bible study, community building, and conversations about how students can live out their faith while navigating the pressures of law school.

The group also created an anonymous prayer request form, which allows any student to submit concerns or ask for support confidentially.

“Law school can feel overwhelming,” Oeler said. “Our message is that you don’t have to carry that weight alone. We encourage students to deepen their faith, so they have a foundation to withstand the tougher moments.”

This fall, the organization held one of the largest student-led events in recent school history: a panel discussion titled “The Intersection of Christianity and the Law.” The event featured a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice, a judge from the United States Court of Federal Claims, a Villanova University scholar, and a local attorney who leads the St. Thomas More Society, an association of Catholic legal professionals. Students filled the room for a night of conversation about legal ethics, service and the role of personal belief in professional life.

The group has also hosted movie nights, a Lenten fish fry, holiday-themed events and even a spike ball tournament that raised money for a local nonprofit.

“We’re figuring out how best to serve this community,” Oeler said. “We want to be a positive force on campus.”
Oeler said his involvement in the organization has shaped both his law school experience and his understanding of the profession he hopes to enter.

“It has helped me learn how to lead others and hold myself accountable,” he said. “It has also shown me how deeply people want purpose. Not just in law school, but in the legal profession more broadly. People want to believe in something and work toward something meaningful.”

After graduation, Oeler said he’s interested in both civil and criminal defense and hopes to approach his work with service at the center.

“I hope to practice the good kind of law and to put others before myself,” he said. “Being an Orthodox Christian influences every part of my life. I trust that my career will unfold according to God’s providence.”

For prospective students who may be looking for a law school where they can bring their full selves, including their beliefs and values, Oeler said Widener Law Commonwealth offers that space.

“We’ve grown this community together,” he said. “It’s real, it’s supportive, and it gives you a place to find your footing while you grow into the person you’re called to be.”

Interview was conducted in Winter 2025.