Wilmington University School of Law Launching

Wilmington University is launching an on-campus law school and going for ABA accreditation.

Delaware Business Times reports that the school plans a uniquely open third-year curriculum that will build in the state's five-month clerkship requirement for new lawyers, and allow students to take nearly the entire year in experiential learning (Wilmington University aims for ‘unique’ law school, Jacob Owens, October 27, 2022).

WilmU being one of the more omnichannel, bricks-and-clicks universities around in its other programs, it will be interesting to watch what its law school does in distance learning especially after achieving ABA.

 

There are so many on-campus ABA law schools. I think it is time to get into online for it. It surprises me that Liberty University has not jump into the trend of online ABA JD.

 

They already indicated that the part-time evening option will be hybrid. Students will take one online course each semester for the first three years and up to 10 credits online in their final year.

In the four-year, part-time evening program, students take 9 to 12 credits per semester through a combination of in-person and online instruction.

 

It looks like that part-time evening format requires 2 or 3 different days on campus each week during semesters. For example, in the projected fall first-year schedule, required on-campus classes occur each Monday and Wednesday from 6:15 to 9:30 pm.

 

Liberty Online has been throwing everything at the wall adjacent to but not a JD: paralegal degrees, Juris Masters (JM), an LLM for internationally-trained lawyers, a Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP).

If they need to ask someone about the value of an online law degree, they could ask their own chancellor Jonathan Falwell, who completed a non-ABA CalBar-registered distance JD from Taft, a DEAC school.

 

They also just created an Executive Certificate in Law and Policy, which is different than the one in public policy.

 

If there's one good thing that came out of the pandemic, it's that a lot of law schools have had to evolve and offer online courses, the ABA had to set aside archaic regulations and allow them to do it, and let the study of law come into the 21st century. I believe that Liberty will get on the train as soon as they see how their other offerings perform and if there's demand from students interested in pursuing a JD from them.

 

CalBar "registered" but not accredited.

California law schools are ABA-accredited, CalBar-accredited, or unaccredited. Being registered means students can qualify for the "Baby Bar" and, later, the Bar exam.

California also distinguishes between "distance" and "correspondence" law schools, but it's not clear to me there is a material difference between the two. Perhaps others with more knowledge in these matters could chime in.

Also, does anyone know if the CalBar will accredit distance and/or correspondence law schools now that the ABA has moved in that direction?

 

They do now! CalBar-accredited law schools now "may teach in fixed-facility classrooms or online or in a combination of these methods." Several formerly registered distance learning and/or correspondence law schools are now CalBar-accredited.

 

I would love Liberty's JD tuition as their Doctorate for Veterans and First Responders.

 

In the context of law schools, I think distance would involve more Zoom classes, etc. Butt-in-seat, except you don't have to be on campus. You still get "the same" kind of interactions you'd get in person, just over the internet.

Correspondence, meanwhile, would mean to me that you have little to no interaction with your fellow students or your professor. You might be able to get through law school without ever being able to make a convincing spur-of-the-moment argument as you might be called on to do in-person or via distance learning.

Not an expert, but it sounds like that's where they're going with this.

 

At Northwestern California University of Law, where I attended and graduated from, they are now CalBar examiner accredited and the baby bar is no longer required of students that started upon receiving this accreditation (unless they are what is called a "special student"). Also, as far as classes are conducted now (from the NWCU Law website):

• 5) Question:
  
  How are the professors available to the students?
  
  Answer:
  
  The school's professors are available to students in online classes and discussion boards, via the school’s eJuris™ online teaching and learning platform, as well as by email.

Back when I attended (2004-2008) they used another online platform and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of it. But I do remember being able to hear the instructor in real time giving the lecture and the ability to type into a running "chat" box to ask questions and gain clarification. Since I've worked with attorneys much of my career it worked for me at the time. Certainly the ejuris platform and the new technology that is available now can only add to the student experience for those attending presently.

 

The distinction is between synchronous ("distance") and asynchronous ("correspondence"). Not mine, but the State Bar's.

My question is whether or not there is a material difference between these two as it relates to whether CalBar will accredited the school.

 

Oh lord. Just what the country needed. Another law school,

 

As of last February, FIFTEEN ABA approved law schools or distinct law school campuses have closed according to Outside the Law School Scam. Even free tuition did not save some of them.

 

Well, a couple didn’t close. They opted for CalBar accreditation and gave up their ABA approval.

 

I will say that their initial tuition of $838 for each of 86 hours comprising their J.D. is merely heart stopping not altogether indecent. It's close to what some CalBar schools charge.

 

There is already a law school, Widener, in Delaware, a state of about 1 million people. Yep, them Delawarians sure do need 'nuther law school...

 

This is a stupid, stupid, stupid idea.

 

Perhaps they're serving a specific, yet unidentified, constituency.