|
||||||||||||
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions What is the Wilkes Law School Planning (proposed)?
Wilkes University commenced the Law School Initiative for the purpose of considering the idea of establishing a law school at Wilkes University.
What is the history of the Wilkes Law School Initiative?
The Wilkes Law School Planning Initiative (proposed) began in 2004 as an idea conceived by leaders of Wilkes University to establish a law school at Wilkes that would serve all of Northeast Pennsylvania. The idea was developed initially by a committee that, with the assistance of legal education and demographic consultants, developed a preliminary feasibility study report in 2005. Following further work on the preliminary feasibility study performed by a second university committee in 2006, a decision was made by the University to complete the feasibility study process by hiring a legal educator to serve as dean of the Initiative and as founding dean of the law school that is expected to follow from successful completion of the feasibility study process.
Who is the Dean of the Wilkes Law School Planning Initiative (proposed)?
On May 7, 2008, Wilkes University announced the appointment of Loren D. (Chip) Prescott, Jr. as Dean of the Wilkes Law School Planning Initiative (proposed). Dean Prescott served as a member of the full time faculty at Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania since 1990. During his tenure at Widener, Dean Prescott served for two years as Dean of Students and for eight years as Vice Dean. He earned a J.D. from Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Oregon and a LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida College of Law in Gainesville, Florida. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in Public Administration at Penn State University.
What steps will be taken in the next year to complete work on the Initiative?
During the 2008-2009 academic year, Dean Prescott will be working with others at Wilkes University, and with legal education demographic consultants, and members of the legal profession, to complete work on the feasibility study for this project and produce a five-year financial and academic plan for the development and operation of a law school at Wilkes University. This process will include appointment by the Dean of an advisory board that will assist him in studying issues related to the creation of a law school at Wilkes. The plan for the law school will be presented to the University’s Board of Trustees for consideration at its December 2008 meeting.
Assuming approval is granted by the Board of Trustees, when will the law school accept its inaugural class?
The University anticipates that the first class will matriculate in Fall 2010.
What information about the new law school is available to those who are considering the idea of studying law in Northeast Pennsylvania?
As work progresses on the Wilkes Law School Planning Initiative (proposed), many issues of interest to prospective students will be studied. The Dean, in consultation with the Law School Planning Initiative Advisory Committee, will be considering a number of issues, including the following:
What advice is offered to those who are interested in studying law?
Following approval of the law school plan by the Wilkes trustees and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, a formal admissions process will be developed. At that time, prospective students may express interest in gaining admission. Only those with an earned undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university who have successfully completed the Law School Admission Test will be eligible to apply for admission. More information on the admission process will be available in Summer 2009.
|
 |
