Practice Management

There are new choices for those wanting to attend law school every day, and this is especially so in North Carolina.

I recently posted about Charlotte School of Law in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Now, it is time to highlight Elon University School of Law in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The two newly approved law schools are about 100 miles apart - about a hour and a half drive from each other - but in some ways they are radically different schools.  Charlotte Law is not associated with any university and is a for-profit school.  It is part of the InfiLaw System.  Elon Law is part of a private, not-for-profit liberal arts university founded in 1889 by what is now known as the United Church of Christ.

What was known as Elon College became Elon University on June 1, 2001.  Its historic 575 acre campus has been designated a botanical garden. The Fisk Guide to Colleges ranks Elon one of the 28 "best buys" in private universities.  The student body as a whole is just over 4,900 undergraduates and 517 graduate students from 46 states.

Elon Law occupies a former downtown public library building away from Elon University's campus.  The school spent over $10 million renovating the 84,000 square foot facility to suit its needs.  Downtown Greensboro serves as the hub of the judicial system in central North Carolina, with major courts and law firms all located within a few blocks of the law school. The Federal District Court, Federal Bankruptcy Court, Guilford County courthouses and City of Greensboro municipal offices are located here, and the new Federal Courthouse will be built downtown as well.

Established in 2006, the law school just received provisional accreditation from the ABA in June, 2008.  This is vitally important because this means that Elon Law graduates can take the bar exam and practice in any state in the nation.

The inaugural class of the Elon law had 115 students.  104 new students entered in the fall of 2007.  The law school plans to have a maximum of 325 students by its 3008 entering class.

The tuition for the 2007-2008 school year was $27,500, which is a lot, but it is not as high as many private law schools.  The school does provide some scholarships to offset this tuition.

If you are interested in attending law school, you might wish to give Elon Law a look.