How UNT-Dallas' grand law school experiment could be overruled

[Harry]

DALLAS — In August 2014, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht stood before the incoming students of the state’s newest law school and made a proclamation: “The legal profession needs you.”

Yes, there were 95,000 licensed lawyers in Texas — more twice the number of doctors in the state, he said. And yes, many firms were cutting back on hiring, making job prospects dim. But millions of poor and middle class Texans needed legal help, and not enough lawyers were working to provide it, he said. The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law could change that.

“We have every hope that what happens here can begin to narrow the justice gap and change our profession for the better,” Hecht said at the school’s inaugural convocation.

The school was built with those goals in mind, and it has flouted many of the conventions of traditional law schools. It has targeted diverse, working-class students, who seem serious about lives in public service. And it has avoided worrying about building up its national ranking.

But two years after Hecht’s speech — and before the 150 students who heard it have even graduated — the goal is at risk. Citing the school’s admissions policies and worries over financial stability, the American Bar Association has recommended that the law school not be accredited. If that happens, the law school's hundreds of students may not be able to practice as lawyers in Texas when they graduate.

The decision has created an existential crisis for the school. UNT-Dallas’ backers had been optimistic that it was on its way toward building something special. But now it has been caught in a regulatory process designed to prevent schools from preying on unqualified students. In a painful twist, the system that it hoped to change may bring the school down before it gets fully up and running.

“I feel like we are being judged by a different template,” said Royal Furgeson, the school’s inaugural dean. “I kind of feel like we are being pigeonholed into a category where we don’t belong. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

read more:  http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas-county/how-unt-dallas-grand-law-school-experiment-could-be-overruled/305837905

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

10 hours ago, Harry said:

DALLAS — In August 2014, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht stood before the incoming students of the state’s newest law school and made a proclamation: “The legal profession needs you.”

Yes, there were 95,000 licensed lawyers in Texas — more twice the number of doctors in the state, he said. And yes, many firms were cutting back on hiring, making job prospects dim. But millions of poor and middle class Texans needed legal help, and not enough lawyers were working to provide it, he said. The University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law could change that.

“We have every hope that what happens here can begin to narrow the justice gap and change our profession for the better,” Hecht said at the school’s inaugural convocation.

The school was built with those goals in mind, and it has flouted many of the conventions of traditional law schools. It has targeted diverse, working-class students, who seem serious about lives in public service. And it has avoided worrying about building up its national ranking.

But two years after Hecht’s speech — and before the 150 students who heard it have even graduated — the goal is at risk. Citing the school’s admissions policies and worries over financial stability, the American Bar Association has recommended that the law school not be accredited. If that happens, the law school's hundreds of students may not be able to practice as lawyers in Texas when they graduate.

The decision has created an existential crisis for the school. UNT-Dallas’ backers had been optimistic that it was on its way toward building something special. But now it has been caught in a regulatory process designed to prevent schools from preying on unqualified students. In a painful twist, the system that it hoped to change may bring the school down before it gets fully up and running.

“I feel like we are being judged by a different template,” said Royal Furgeson, the school’s inaugural dean. “I kind of feel like we are being pigeonholed into a category where we don’t belong. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

read more:  http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/dallas-county/how-unt-dallas-grand-law-school-experiment-could-be-overruled/305837905

Wow.  That's a sad, candid statement right there.

[FirefightnRick]

Dallas Lee'd!!!!!!

 

Rick

[UNTFan23]

So, it seems the one thing halting the accreditation is LSAT scores. You could go higher with score requirements but then risk the diversification the school has sought out from the start.

[UNT90]

On August 26, 2016 at 10:11 AM, MeanGreenMailbox said:

Wow.  That's a sad, candid statement right there.

I mean, you are the Dean of the law school and you openly admit you have no idea how to reach accreditation by the state bar? The most important issue facing your law school? Something necessary for your graduates to be able to use their degrees? 

??

 

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

On 8/26/2016 at 4:36 PM, UNTFan23 said:

So, it seems the one thing halting the accreditation is LSAT scores. You could go higher with score requirements but then risk the diversification the school has sought out from the start.

Sad isn't it?  You would admittedly have to lower the bar on the LSAT to keep "diversification."

But, the truth/problem about law schools is that there are already dozens/too many of these low LSAT law schools, several in Texas.  They spit out lowball attorney to work in DA office for $30-40k per year, then become criminal defense attorneys, divorce attorneys, traffic ticket attorneys.

The bottom of the regular law school classes already fulfills that role.  These type of glom-on law schools simply flood the market with more attorneys for crappy, low-level DA office work.

It's wholly unnecessary.  I'd have rather seen any money put towards at UNT law school go to the health science outfit in Fort Worth towards a goal of switching it to a medical school. 

10 hours ago, UNT90 said:

I mean, you are the Dean of the law school and you openly admit you have no idea how to reach accreditation by the state bar? The most important issue facing your law school? Something necessary for your graduates to be able to use their degrees? 

??

 

It so much the, "They've got one, we need one" mentality of the modern university.  Complete waste of money. 

There were already more than enough state and regional law school to fill the legal labor market before UNT Law opened its doors.

Stupid.   

[Coffee and TV]

Bummer. My ex wife just started classes this fall at UNT Law. I only have the best interests in mind for our kids, so I hope she can be accredited when she's done.