A New Law School in Texas to Address Unmet Legal Needs

Abstract

Creating a culture of service in the legal profession should begin in law school. This chapter, authored by Judge Furgeson and several founding members of the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law (UNT) faculty, offers an example of how law schools can prepare law students for careers representing low- and moderate-income Americans. The University of North Texas Dallas College of Law has set ambitious goals. We are a new law school. Classes have just started, and the work is only just beginning. Even so, our approach to every facet of the College of Law experience is designed to help expand access to legal services for all, including un- or underserved working Americans, such as the middle class and small businesses. Our overall objective is to expand access to an excellent legal education while keeping costs – and student debt – low, and constructing a curriculum with an emphasis on practice skills and community service. Students will be sensitized to the needs of the underserved, while equipping them with the skills to deliver those services, unencumbered by the debt that makes delivering lower-cost legal services difficult. ADMISSIONS: EXPANDING ACCESS The College of Law admits and seeks to admit students who have the demonstrated potential to be excellent lawyers but may not otherwise have a realistic opportunity to access legal education, due to cost, geography, and the current dominance of the LSAT in both admissions decisions and awarding scholarships. We have low tuition and intend to keep it low. For our inaugural class, the College of Law charged just $14,040 per year for full-time tuition. The inaugural 2014 class also received a partial tuition waiver, bringing tuition to just $12,540. We just welcomed our second entering class and modestly raised tuition for full-time students to $15,267. The College of Law also offers a part-time evening program, allowing students to keep their day jobs, offsetting some of the total expense of attending law school. And the geographic location of the College of Law in downtown Dallas opens opportunities for those who do not want or could not afford to move a long distance to attend law school.