Fifteen start law school through dynamic new program
January 21, 2016
Fifteen new first-year students started classes this week at the Charleston School of Law through an innovative new admission program that reflects the entrepreneurship sparked since a change of leadership in the fall.
“Admitting students just once a year is old-school thinking,” said Dean Andy Abrams. “Being one of the few schools to have a January admission program distinguishes our school as an innovator in legal education that focuses on engaging and improving student experiences.”
The spring start date for incoming students allows them to complete their J.D. (juris doctor degree) in 2.5 years, half a year less than the typical law school track. Those who enrolled this month will follow a curriculum that allows them to be on pace to graduate with the current first-year class in May 2018.
Charleston School of Law President J. Edward “Ed” Bell III, who invested in the school in the fall and became its president, said the size of the new January class more than met his expectations and was proof that the school, mired in ownership controversy over the last two years, is moving in a bold, new direction at a fast pace.
“These new students are excited to be starting law school early, maximizing their time and investment, and joining a school that’s on the move,” Bell said. “We’re just as excited that they’re here, bringing new talents and skills to diversify our student body.”
Abrams added, “This is part of how the school continues to build on the incredibly strong relationship between our students and faculty, which has always been our hallmark. We’re continuing to move forward with plans to expand significantly our hands-on learning experiences that are designed to put our graduates in the most competitive position possible as they enter the profession.”
In addition to adding the new enrollment term, Bell said his future plans include the establishment of a new state-of-the-art permanent campus in downtown Charleston, offering clinical programs to students and creating a Court of General Jurisdiction for students to receive hands-on training.
About the Charleston School of Law
The Charleston School of Law, a fully-accredited law school with the American Bar Association, offers students the unique opportunity to study the time-honored practice of law amid the beauty and grace of one of the South’s most historic cities, Charleston, South Carolina. Students at the Charleston School of Law study law as a profession and find a faculty focused on using the law as a calling in the public interest. Faculty members devote their full attention to excellent teaching and scholarship, both in and out of the classroom. Where traditions meet opportunity — that is Charleston and the Charleston School of Law. More: CharlestonLaw.edu
