Charlotte School of Law
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| Charlotte School of Law | |
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| Established: | 2006, ABA Provisional Accreditation 2008 |
| Type: | Private |
| Dean: | Eugene Clark |
| Staff: | 25~ |
| Students: | 200~ |
| Location: | Charlotte, North Carolina, USA |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Website: | http://www.charlottelaw.org |
Charlotte School of Law (CharlotteLaw) is a private, independent law school in Charlotte, North Carolina. The law school opened its doors to its first entering class in Fall Semester of 2006 as the newest of the three schools operated nationwide by the InfiLaw Corporation.[1] The Charlotte School of Law is provisionally accredited by the American Bar Association as of June 2008.
The law school's new, state-of-the-art building will be completed and ready for use by August 1, 2008, on the western edge of Uptown Charlotte, just a few minutes from major courthouses, law firms, banking centers, corporate headquarters, and other important legal, governmental, and business attractions.
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[edit] Mission Pillars
The entire academic mission of Charlotte School of Law is structured around three core concepts that make its law school experience a unique and powerful one. These three ideals drive decision making as well as the academic approach; together they form a keen vision for the school.
Practice readiness. Practical preparation for all law students is critical. A rigorous curriculum has been created to ensure that CharlotteLaw students are equipped with practical skills that will allow them to thrive in a professional setting. Students are taught not only the traditions and theory of law, but also how to apply this learning through critical thinking and analytical skill sets. The faculty addresses what using a law degree in “real life” can mean to an individual both personally and professionally.
Student centeredness. Students are the main focus. The faculty is driven by a desire to motivate and energize the student community in every aspect of the Charlotte School of Law experience. Professors are accessible mentors who take an active role in the development of students and help them to embrace their legal education and capitalize on the opportunities within the school’s and community’s network of resources. Student success is of the utmost importance to everyone at the institution, on every level.
Serving the underserved. Community service is essential. The Charlotte School of Law team believes strongly that tomorrow’s leaders must reflect and interact effectively with an eclectic collection of people and cultures. Consequently, the inclusive environment fosters a demanding yet supportive educational setting for a richly diverse community.
Consistent with these mission pillars, the school places strong emphasis on community service and pro bono work, student diversity, creative and experience-based teaching, and inculcation of practical skills at all levels of the curriculum. The faculty and students work in close cooperation with the Mecklenburg County and North Carolina state bar associations to coordinate learning, experience, and service efforts.
[edit] Admissions
Charlotte School of Law offers a full-time program and a part-time program.[2]In order to accommodate the varied needs of its students, the part-time program can be completed during the day or in the evening. The law school also offers the convenience and flexibility of both a Fall and Spring start date for incoming first-year students. Both programs require the completion of 90 credit hours for graduation.
The Charlotte School of Law attracts applicants from not only North and South Carolina, but also from all over the United States. The process to gain admission is competitive; those who have scored well on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and have an excellent undergraduate grade point average are generally viable candidates to study law within the Charlotte School of Law student-centered program. The Fall 2007 Class had a median LSAT score of 152 and a median GPA of 3.13.
[edit] Faculty
The outstanding faculty is highly experienced in both the actual practice of law and in legal academia. Faculty members have won multiple teaching awards from other law schools, reflecting excellence in teaching and their devotion to creativity and variety in the educational experience. Professors meet regularly in "Best Practices" sessions to discuss options, methods, and tools for further enhancing the learning experience for all students at Charlotte School of Law, taking into account individual differences in learning styles.
The professors and deans have compiled an extensive record of scholarship, publishing numerous books and law review articles on a wide variety of legal topics, as well as leadership and management. To date, members of the faculty have authored or co-authored more than 20 scholarly books and 50 law review articles, plus dozens of book chapters, professional journal articles, and other forms of scholarship. These writings have been published by some of the most prestigious academic presses and legal periodicals in the world and have been widely cited as influential in the various subject matter fields represented.
[edit] InfiLaw System
Charlotte School of Law is a member of The InfiLaw System[3], a consortium of independent law schools committed to making legal education more responsive to the realities of new career dynamics. Its mission is to establish student-centered, American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools in underserved markets that graduate students with practice-ready skills, and achieve true diversity programs aimed at student academic and career success.
The consortium's organizers have histories of success in law school development and in growing or guiding some of the world's most recognizable business organizations. Also part of the InfiLaw system are Florida Coastal School of Law (a law school in Jacksonville, Florida, which is fully accredited by the American Bar Association) and the recently provisionally accredited Phoenix School of Law in Phoenix, Arizona.
[edit] Law Library
The mission of the Charlotte School of Law library is to meet the legal information needs of Charlotte School of Law students and faculty. The library’s collection supports the practice-ready curriculum of Charlotte School of Law and meets or exceeds the accreditation standards of the American Bar Association. Attorneys, judges, and other legal professionals may use the library through its membership program. The library is also open to the general public.
Charlotte School of Law has the largest and most comprehensive law collection in the Charlotte metropolitan area. That collection includes United States statutes, regulations and case law (decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit courts of appeal, and U.S. district courts); case law and statutes of all 50 states; an extensive collection of North Carolina and South Carolina digests, encyclopedias, practice guides, and continuing legal education materials; major treatises in banking and finance, commercial law, constitutional law, environmental and natural resources law, education law, intellectual property, corporate and securities, civil and criminal procedure, administrative law, e-commerce, and international law; U.S. congressional materials dating back to the 1700s; over 800 full text law journals online; Westlaw, LexisNexis, and other major online legal research services; U.S., N.C., and S.C. historical collections on microfiche; and resources for LSAT and bar exam preparation, as well as academic and professional success.
[edit] Public Service and Experiential Learning
Charlotte School of Law is committed to public service and has incorporated this commitment into its legal education program. The Center for Experiential Learning and the Center for Professional Development work cooperatively to administer the Pro Bono and Community Service Programs. These initiatives enable law students to give back to the community, particularly the historically underserved members.
As a part of this commitment, Charlotte School of Law has adopted mandatory pro bono and community service requirements. All students must complete 20 hours of pro bono service and 10 hours of community service prior to graduation. Pro bono service includes legal-related assistance to persons of limited means in the community. Community service includes volunteer services to the underserved members or interests of the community.
Through participation in these programs, students receive valuable practical skills and exposure to the need for a lifelong commitment to public service. Students who exemplify a commitment to pro bono service or community service may be eligible to receive recognition or an award at graduation.
[edit] Publications
The Charlotte Law Review, a student-edited scholarly legal journal, is scheduled to publish its inaugural issue in the Fall of 2008. The Law Review accepts manuscripts for consideration from sources both within and outside the Charlotte Law School community, consistent with the highest standards of legal scholarship.
