A charter class of about 110 students will begin studies at the Elon University School of Law in downtown Greensboro on Aug. 10. The school’s opening caps a three-year period of planning and preparation by Elon and its community partners in the Triad area. The law school is located in the H. Michael Weaver building, formerly the Greensboro Central Public Library building, on North Greene Street at West Friendly Avenue.
About 35 percent of the 535 applicants for the charter class were accepted. The enrolling students have a median LSAT score of 152 and a grade point average of about 3.3. The median age of the students is 24, and the class is 52% male/48% female. About eight percent represent ethnic minorities.
Enrolling students come from 48 colleges and universities, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Elon University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, Furman University, Harvard University, Yale University, Duke University, the University of Virginia and Davidson College.
The law school received more than 300 applications for the six charter faculty positions. Those who were chosen have practiced law and taught at top-tier law schools around the world. “They identified with our mission and were attracted to the leadership model,” says Leary Davis, founding dean of the school.
At the foundation of the curriculum are courses to develop legal knowledge and skills. Woven throughout the courses are opportunities for students to gain constant, constructive feedback from more than 60 North Carolina lawyers and judges, who volunteer in the school as “preceptors” – experienced legal practitioners who observe and give feedback to students. In addition to preceptors, about 70 other volunteer attorneys will judge moot court competitions, act as senior partners for students’ simulated law firms and invite students to observe them in action at their law offices and in the courtroom.
After their first year, students will choose from concentrations in litigation, business, public interest and general practice. As they progress through the program, students will put their knowledge to work through internships in law firms, government agencies and non-profit organizations. They will also experience the global legal environment during Winter Term study abroad experiences.
Two unique partnerships are providing special learning experiences for students. The North Carolina Business Court is located in the law school, using the school’s courtroom and giving students daily opportunities to observe and interact with a working court. These opportunities are particularly valuable for students who select the business and litigation concentrations. Across the street from the school is the American Judicature Society’s new Institute of Forensic Science and Public Policy. Students and faculty will collaborate closely with the institute’s staff on research about the role of DNA evidence and other scientific advances in the judicial system.
The three-year program emphasizes opportunities for leadership development – the signature distinction of the school. Through courses, seminars and hands-on experiences, students will gain a deep understanding of their obligations to become leaders in their profession and in their communities and acquire the skills to do so.
“We want to create a new paradigm for American legal education,” Davis says. “Our graduates will be confident, resilient and optimistic. They will have good self-knowledge, and they will be internationally aware and future-oriented.”
The program begins with a series of seminars and exercises that orient students to the field of law and begin the process of leadership development. Thursday, Aug. 10, is “Welcome to the Profession Day,” when students will be formally greeted by Elon University President Leo M. Lambert and leaders of the North Carolina State Bar; the American, North Carolina, and Greensboro Bar Associations; the American Judicature Society; and the North Carolina Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism.
Friday, Aug. 11 is “Health and Professionalism Day,” when students will learn about professional conduct by lawyers as well as the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles as they progress in their careers.
On Monday, Aug. 14, students will begin five days of workshops and seminars on “Law and Leadership.” They will take several assessment instruments to help determine their learning styles and interpersonal strengths, interests and skills. They will also learn about the economy of the Triad and meet on the Elon University home campus to learn about Elon’s history and the role of the law school in the larger university.
Formal dedication ceremonies for the school are scheduled for Sept. 19, when former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will visit the school and hold a question-and-answer session with students and faculty. O’Connor will also deliver Elon’s Fall Convocation address and receive an honorary doctorate on the home campus that day.
President Lambert says the opening of the school is “historic” and will greatly enhance the university’s national stature as well as benefit undergraduate students.
“The law school adds another important dimension to how we think about Elon,” Lambert says. “We are beginning to realize the substantive intersections between the law school and our other fields of study. In every area of the university, students and faculty will find exciting ways to take advantage of these new resources.”
Lambert says work continues on a five-year plan to establish the Elon law school as an innovative model that is recognized across the nation.
“Ten years from now, we will say that the Elon School of Law set us forth on a bold path. What we are creating is another historic achievement in the life of this remarkable university.”