Law school open house draws crowd
By: Beth Spencer
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: News
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The open house was held in the current law school building, which has suffered from flooding and other issues over the years.
Charles deWitt, dean of career services at the law school, said the new facilities on Front Street near the Mississippi River were drawing more and better applicants.
"I understand we have as large, if not larger, crowd of students, as we've ever had," he said of the open house. "It's going to be fun to talk to them about law school, and I definitely think the new law school will help them choose (The U of M) over any other school."
The law school received 951 applications in 2009, but only admitted 143 students this fall. The school has about 421 students currently enrolled in the program.
The new building, as well as the economy's recession, has raised students' interest in the law school, said Yolanda Ingram, assistant dean for student affairs.
The facilities, paid for by donors and the state, cost about $42 million to renovate.
Among other benefits, the new location will have new technology, a large courtroom and a multi-storied library, deWitt said.
"It'll have all the bells and whistles, and all the technology that exists in any brand new building, but it'll keep the flavor of historical law," he said. "It is a magnificent building."
Besides increasing interest in the program this year, Erin O'Dea, second year law student, said the building's size and aesthetics would also attract future applicants to the program.
"They tried to keep the building's historical integrity," she said. "They kept the original woodwork, marble floors and paintings on the ceiling. It has lots of natural light. It will be a really pretty place to sit and study."
DeWitt said the facilities - which were once a custom houses as well as a post office - will match the quality of students and alumni who graduate from the law school.
"It's a beautiful setting, and I think anyone who sees it will be really impressed just like they're impressed with our graduates when they get out of here," he said.
But the true beauty of the new location will be in its practicality, said Sue Ann McClellan, assistant dean for admissions, recruiting and scholarships at the law school.
"Students will be able to go to law school and, in their second and third years, have opportunities to work right downtown in a state or federal government agency and not have to leave (the downtown area)," she said. "The beauty is, we will be right in the middle of all that."
The atmosphere and location of the new building will allow students to get experience in the field, said Matt Bishop, third-year law student.
"You can basically just have to cross the street to go to an internship," he said. "We'll basically have a walk-up law firm. It has a very firm-like atmosphere."