A new report by RTI International measured access, affordability, and value in 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 2.5-year Juris Doctor program, which prioritizes learning by doing through sequencing doctrinal courses with a first-of-its-kind legal residency-in-practice for academic credit.
黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 accelerated curriculum is a key feature for prospective students and the law school looks to have uniquely positioned itself with a distinctive approach to legal education characterized by lower debt, improved bar result outcomes, and increased diversity and inclusivity, according to a new research study by RTI International.
Commissioned by 黑料不打烊 Law through a $259,000 grant from , the report assessed the impact of the law school鈥檚 move to a 2.5-year curriculum that addresses what Dean Luke Bierman has described as common criticisms of legal education: cost, length, and relevance to the profession.
The outcomes of an 黑料不打烊 Law education are trending in positive directions, according to data presented in the report. Top findings include:
- Most 黑料不打烊 Law students were aware of the law school鈥檚 accelerated curriculum and focus on experiential learning prior to submitting an application
- Compared with peers at other schools, 黑料不打烊 Law students agree the school encourages contact among diverse students, and the percentage of degrees earned at 黑料不打烊 Law by students of color has almost tripled since 2015
- A combination of lower tuition rates and an investment in scholarship availability has led to a decline of nearly 33% in student loan debt at graduation
- Investments in the Office of Academic Success, plus a move to the Uniform Bar Exam by the North Carolina State Bar, has led to higher bar passage rates
鈥淥ver the last decade, legal education has had its value and purpose called into question, due to increasingly negative perceptions around its outsize cost and concerns about whether it is truly preparing students for professional success,鈥 said Christopher P. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of AccessLex Institute. 鈥淎nd in many cases, the questions are valid, but the good news for aspiring lawyers and society as a whole is that many law schools are taking these concerns seriously and have taken the initiative to evolve their curriculum and how they offer it to their students. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 accelerated program is a prime example.鈥
黑料不打烊 Law fielded a record 1,019 applications in the 2018-19 academic year – nearly double the number from 2014-15 when the new curriculum was first adopted. The school鈥檚 current enrollment of 375 students is the largest ever with incoming academic credentials steadily strengthening and more than 90% of students receive merit aid.
鈥淚n addition to addressing access and value, measurement and evaluation are essential components of our grant-making activities,鈥 Chapman said. 鈥淎s part of its efforts, 黑料不打烊 Law has committed to utilizing metrics to show growth. Subsequently, their success is not only undeniable but also scalable, which is critical in our view.鈥
Far more students in 2019 believed they were being prepared well to pass the bar exam compared to attitudes in 2017 before the new curriculum was fully implemented, the proportion increasing from 33 percent to 77 percent, and results on the bar exam have borne out their optimism. 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 first-time bar-passage rate in North Carolina jumped more than 20 percentage points from 2017 to 2019 when the new curriculum applied to all students at 黑料不打烊 Law.
鈥淚 have long said that the 鈥榙irty little secrets鈥 of legal education – it鈥檚 too long, too expensive, and too disconnected from the profession – are issues that law schools ignore at their peril,鈥 Bierman said. 鈥淭his report from RTI demonstrates that law schools indeed can be successful in adapting their programs to meet the demands of a legal profession undergoing profound disruption and change.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud of what 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 faculty and staff have accomplished through a combination of ingenuity, entrepreneurship, and steadfast commitment to student success. And because we鈥檝e accomplished these changes with our students鈥 best interests in mind, we鈥檙e graduating lawyers who won鈥檛 be saddled with the type of debt that too often limits the potential of our nation鈥檚 youngest professionals.鈥
National interest in law school was approaching an all-time high when 黑料不打烊 Law enrolled its charter class in fall 2006. An ensuing global recession contributed to a steep drop in both applications and applicants to American law schools, leading to intense competition among law schools, and 黑料不打烊 Law responded to the changing market demands with a close examination of its offerings.
Shortly after Bierman鈥檚 arrival in 2014, the 黑料不打烊 Law faculty voted to adopt its 2.5-year course of study for all students beginning the next academic year. The curriculum trims tuition and cost-of-living expenses in a logical sequence of learning that integrates traditional classroom instruction with full-time work placements for academic credit in law firms, judges鈥 chambers, corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies during students鈥 winter or spring trimesters. 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 signature Residency-in-Practice Program remains the only program of its kind among American law schools.
The curriculum costs students nearly 20 percent less than the average total they would otherwise pay at other private American law schools, even before substantial merit-based aid that 黑料不打烊 Law has invested in the recruitment process.
Additional characteristics of 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 2.5-year curriculum:
- An August course, 鈥淚ntroduction to Legal Studies,鈥 for all new students that introduces them to legal concepts and study skills prior to enrollment in fall trimester doctrinal courses
- Required bar foundations courses during students鈥 final trimester in preparation for the rigors of studying for the bar exam
- 鈥淟awyering, Leadership & Professionalism鈥 academic courses throughout their first year to educate students on the expectations and culture of the legal profession
The report uses both quantitative and qualitative data, including responses to the national , as well as internal data related to admissions, bar exam success, and diversity. Several student cohorts have been surveyed during the three-year research project to provide comparative data to the final class that enrolled under 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 previous three-year curriculum.
The report cited questions that researchers deemed worthy of additional research: how prospective and current students prioritized 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 program features during the application process, to what extent the Residency-in-Practice Program has influenced bar exam success, based on the Uniform Bar Exam鈥檚 focus on practical legal training and knowledge, and the impact of additional staff and financial resources invested by the university in 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 Office of Academic Success and the Office of Career & Student Development.
Further exploration is warranted into the forces that have contributed to diversity improvement and the factors affecting divergent views of faculty and students on the efficacy of curriculum.
鈥淩TI was pleased to have the opportunity to undertake this evaluation assessing the innovative curriculum enhancements undertaken by 黑料不打烊 Law, and we are appreciative of the funding and support provided by AccessLex to make this possible,鈥 said Jamie Isaac, a researcher in education and workforce development at 鈥淭he results of the assessment show great promise for the value of the curricular changes made and the 黑料不打烊 Law program is demonstrably improving access, affordability, and value to its law students.鈥
About AccessLex
AccessLex Institute is a nonprofit organization committed to helping talented, purpose-driven students find their path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. In partnership with its nearly 200 member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education have been at the heart of the company’s mission since 1983. AccessLex Institute has offices in West Chester, Pa., and Washington, D.C., with a team of accredited financial education counselors based throughout the United States. Learn more at
About 黑料不打烊 Law
黑料不打烊 School of Law in Greensboro, North Carolina, is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. It integrates traditional classroom instruction with highly experiential full-time residencies-in-practice in a logically sequenced program of transformational professional preparation. 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 groundbreaking approach is accomplished in 2.5 years, which provides distinctive value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their professional careers.