Category: Education

U. of North Texas’ First and Only Law School Dean Retiring

For the second time, Royal Furgeson Jr. is voluntarily retiring from a high-profile public service job that others might choose to keep for decades—or even for life. “You always want to leave a little too early, not a little too late,” said the retired U.S. District Judge, who announced on Monday that he’s also retiring …

UC Law Schools Orchestrate 2-Day Civil Rights Conference

Four California law schools have launched a conference to prepare lawyers to protect the civil rights of vulnerable people, a service they see as increasingly necessary in the Age of Trump. The four University of California law schools—Berkeley School of Law, UCLA School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, and UC Irvine School of …

‘Dreamer’ Law Students in Turmoil over DACA Uncertainty

Heartbroken. Disappointed. Stunned. Law students who took a shot at becoming lawyers with the help of an Obama-era immigration program say that’s how they feel after the news that President Donald Trump could rescind the program. Among the estimated 800,000 undocumented immigrants who are recipients of Deferred Action for Children Arrivals, or DACA, are law …

SMU Law Embraces Innovative Flash Mentoring

No other law school in Texas has something like Mustang Exchange, Baylor University comes closest with its Baylor Mentor Network, but it’s universitywide, rather than law school specific. Mustang Exchange is even unparalleled among law schools across the nation, said Abby Ruth, SMU Dedman’s director of alumni relations. In most mentoring programs, law schools take …

Some Law Schools Take the Lead in Students’ Well-Being, Report Finds

Published in The National Law Journal on Aug. 17, 2017. Many law schools across the country run programs to help stressed out or depressed students, some of whom struggle with alcohol or drug problems. There’s more work to do. The National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being said in a report released earlier this week that law schools …

Surviving Law School: Advice From Those Who Know

As summer winds to an end, a new crop of law students is preparing for the grueling first year of law school, and veteran students are gearing up to return to studying. Before Texas law schools open their doors for a new school year in late August, Texas Lawyer reached out to members of law …

ABA Fines, Publicly Censures Law School

Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law was publicly censured and must pay $15,000 for not complying with an American Bar Association standard that prohibits schools from discriminating against faculty members. In the public censure, the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar also found Thurgood Marshall Law violated an ABA …

A Look at the Current Texas Legal Job Market

Not to be Debbie Downer, but numbers don’t lie—the legal job market in Texas isn’t getting better yet. However, data shows that law schools in Texas might have adjusted to the bum job market by declining enrollment, leading to fewer law graduates and new lawyers finding jobs. The number of law school graduates in Texas …

Accreditation Decision Reached for UNT Law

There are now 10 accredited law schools in Texas. UNT Dallas College of Law has won provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, said UNT Law Dean Royal Furgeson. Students will be overjoyed at the good news because graduating from an accredited law school opens up …

Tips to Help Stressed-Out Law Students Unclinch

Many law graduates feel burned out. It’s challenging finding motivation to clear one of the biggest hurdles between them and their careers—passing the bar exam. During bar preparation this summer, law grads are isolated and their anxiety runs high, creating an experience that noticeably impacts their mental health, according to Chris Ritter, staff attorney with …