Appalachian School of Law
Encyclopedia
The Appalachian School of Law (ASL) is a fully accredited private law school
on a four building campus in Grundy, Virginia
, a small town near the convergence of Virginia
, Kentucky
, and West Virginia
. The school offers a three-year Juris Doctor
degree, and enrolls approximately 370 full-time students. The law school was founded in 1994 and it admitted its first class of students in August 1997.
ASL was started and brought to Buchanan County, Virginia
as a tool of economic development for the region. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Association
. ASL is notable for its focus to community service and leadership, emphasizing professional responsibility
and alternative dispute resolution
in its curriculum and requiring students to complete 25 hours of community service per semester in order to graduate. Each student is also required to complete an externship before graduation. ASL was also the site of a triple homicide
that took place on January 16, 2002.
ASL traces its roots back to 1993 when Norton, Virginia
lawyer Joe Wolfe came up with the idea to create a law school in Central Appalachia
. His idea was well received by local business leaders and a steering committee was founded in 1994 and grew to eighty members. The committee surveyed lawyers and found that legal education needed to emphasize professional responsibility
and alternative dispute resolution
as these pillars of law school were becoming more important in today's law practice. The committee gained permission from the Virginia General Assembly
to start a law school in 1995 and continued to secure endorsements from local civic associations and industrial development authorities. Buchanan County, Virginia
approached the committee in 1996 and offered the grounds and buildings of the former Grundy Elementary and Jr. High Schools to which the steering committee accepted.
A $1 million loan (which was later converted into a grant) financed the buildings' renovations.
The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia granted the school the ability to enroll students studying for the Juris Doctor
Degree in 1997. The charter class of 71 students first attended classes on August 12, 1997.
Buchanan County
brought ASL to Grundy
in order to revitalize a town that had been in a steady economic decline since the town's Flood of 1977. ASL has brought a positive economic impact on its home town, including spurring construction of rental homes and the opening of additional businesses in the area. ASL has become a success story for the concept of higher education as an economic development tool. The school has brought in $12 million per year to the local economy. ASL's economic success spurred the conception and implementation of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy (formerly University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy), which was founded in 2003 and opened its doors in 2005.
. When Odighizuwa exited the building, he was subdued by two students armed with personal firearms. At trial, Odighizuwa was found mentally competent, pled guilty to the murders to avoid the death penalty, and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.
According to the Law School Admissions Council's 2005 profile, ASL's student body demographic was as follows: 88.5% Caucasian, 2.5% African American, 2.5% Asian American, 0.3% Mexican American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Puerto Rican, and 0.5% Hispanic with 4.9% not reporting. 67.6% of the student body is male, while 32.4% of the student body is female. The student to faculty ratio in 2005 was 19.3 to 1 and typical first year class size is 140. For the fall 2005 entering class, 1,302 applied for admission, of which 527 were granted admission and 149 matriculated into the first year class. The 25-75 percentile range for LSAT
scores and undergraduate GPA is 147-152 and 2.64-3.33. 70% of graduates are employed nine months after graduation and 70% passed the Tennessee bar exam in 2005. In 2008, 92% passed the Tennessee bar exam, with 82% passing Virginia's bar exam. (A plurality of ASL graduates choose to take the Tennessee bar exam. Other graduates choose other states including Virginia.) ASL was ranked "fourth tier" in the U.S. News and World Report law school listings, its first appearance since becoming fully accredited.
Appalachian School of Law was granted full accreditation by the American Bar Association
on June 12, 2006. The school had been provisionally accredited by the ABA since February 2001. Students who complete their course of legal study at this approved law school are eligible to take the bar examination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Prior to February 2001, graduates of the school were allowed to sit for the bar examination in Virginia
and West Virginia
.
The ASL campus consists of four buildings, the main academic building, the Student Organization House, the Booth Center and the law library. The law school also uses the Booth Hall reception room as a classroom, as the Southwest Virginia Community College occupies all the classrooms.
The main academic building was created from the town's former high school (and junior high school) and gymnasium complex; these buildings were joined and extensively remodeled and expanded as part of a $1 million award-winning architectural project. The main building contains an appellate courtroom (which doubles as the auditorium for large events), a trial courtroom, five seminar rooms, student mailroom, the Lion's Lounge, and faculty and staff offices. Most rooms are wired for internet access.
The two-story law library is adjacent to the main building. The building has 24780 square feet (2,302.1 m²) and has facilities for seminar classes and group study rooms. The library contains almost 227,000 volumes. Once the former Grundy Elementary School, this building has also been extensively remodeled and features individual and group study areas, a computer lab, and both wireless and wired internet access.
The Student Organization house, located across Slate Creek from the main campus, houses offices for student organizations including the Student Bar Association, Moot Court, and the Law Journal. A privately owned coffee shop operates out of this building during the school year.
A fourth campus building, Booth Hall, has recently opened. Booth Hall is situated behind and to the rear of the main academic building and law library. The building will have 58000 square feet (5,388.4 m²) of space on three floors. Thirty three parking spaces will be situated on the first floor. Additional classrooms, including one that seats 150 students, computer lab, student lounges, and a conference room will be included in the new building. The building is estimated to be completed in 2008 and will house the school's Business Office and President's Office. The building will also house facilities for Southwest Virginia Community College
, which will share classroom space with ASL.
Students at Appalachian complete the traditional law school curriculum as required by the American Bar Association
(ABA); however, the school distinguishes itself from almost all of the other 192 ABA accredited law schools in the country, as its students are required to volunteer 25 hours each semester on community service projects, ranging from dispute resolution training to humane society management. Only 11 other law schools have similar mandatory programs.
ASL offers a Pre-Admission Summer Opportunity (PASO) programs for students who have the potential to become good lawyers and law students but whose LSAT's and GPA's do not necessarily reflect their skills and talents. The program lasts four weeks, three of which are independent home study, the final week is the on-campus lecture and final exam. The top scorers on the final exam may be offered admission to the fall's first year class.
First year students arrive one week before the academic year starts to partake in a one credit course called Introduction to Law which covers the basic skills needed in order to succeed in law school. Students also register for classes and finalize their financial aid needs then.
First year students cover legal foundation courses: Tort
s (4 credits), Contract
s (6 credits), Property
(6 credits), Civil Procedure
(5 credits), Criminal Law
(3 credits) and Legal Process (6 credits). Legal Process teaches students legal research
and writing
. First-year students also take an orientation course to the community service
program in the first semester and an additional legal research course in the second semester. First-year students may not take any electives.
Additionally, all first-year students are required to complete a 200-hour unpaid externship over the summer before their second-year. This requirement is usually met by students working as judicial clerks, interns in prosecutor and defense offices, state and federal governmental agencies, and private practices. Placements have included state supreme court
s, the Environmental Protection Agency
, and the United States Department of Justice
. The school provides assistance in locating and obtaining these positions.
Second year students cover additional legal foundation courses: Constitutional Law
(6 credits), Evidence
(4 credits), Professional Responsibility
(3 credits), and Criminal Procedure
(3 credits). Students also cover Trusts and Estates
(4 credits) and Business Associations (4 credits), and are allowed to take electives, such as Appellate Advocacy. Students also fulfill their alternative dispute resolution
requirement in the second year.
Students in their third year have the most options when it comes to electives. Third year students are required to take Family Law
(3 credits), Secured Transactions (3 credits), Payment Systems
(3 credits), and a Practicum
(4 credits), which include: Trial Advocacy, Criminal Practice, Estate Planning, Pre-Trial Practice, Real Estate Transactions, Insurance Law, or Employment Law. Additionally, students have their capstone
experience in a writing-intensive seminar. Each students takes two practicums focusing on the practical aspects of legal practice.
ASL is distinguished by its requirement that all second-year students complete a mandatory Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) class. The school has also held ADR training in local schools; this program drew national attention, particularly from former U.S. Attorney General
Janet Reno
, who has publicly congratulated the school on this effort. Students are given an overview of different types of conflict resolutions, particularly mediation, negotiation, and arbitration. Ethical issues are explored in addition to legal and policy ramifications. Students learn the strengths and weaknesses of each method of dispute resolution and learn which methods are appropriate for certain situations.
Students also have the option of taking additional courses in their second and third years to earn certification for mediation under the "Lawyer as a Problem Solver" Certificate Program. Students must complete basic law school procedure courses, two ADR focused courses, and an additional problem solving skills course. ASL offers two courses to fulfill this requirement: certified civil mediation, and advanced negotiation. The school has two faculty members who solely teach alternative dispute resolution
related courses.
Officially recognized student organizations on campus:
ASL's student body governs itself through the Student Bar Association. The SBA is divided into three branches, the Senate, Executive, and the Honor Court. The Senate consists of three elected senators for the first year, second year, and third year classes. The Executive Branch consists of the Student Body President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, plus any committees that the President appoints to assist in his or her endeavors. The Honor Court consists of five elected judges, one for the first year class and two per upper class.
ASL also fields moot court teams that compete in national competitions. Students can audition for the team through either the Appellate Advocacy class in the second year or through an annual intra-school moot court challenge in the fall of the third year.
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
on a four building campus in Grundy, Virginia
Grundy, Virginia
Grundy is a town in Buchanan County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,105 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Buchanan County. The town is noted for its educational institutions and their role in the town's economic rebirth. In the past, the town served as a stopover for Union...
, a small town near the convergence of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The school offers a three-year Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree, and enrolls approximately 370 full-time students. The law school was founded in 1994 and it admitted its first class of students in August 1997.
ASL was started and brought to Buchanan County, Virginia
Buchanan County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,978 people, 10,464 households, and 7,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,887 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
as a tool of economic development for the region. The school is fully accredited by the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. ASL is notable for its focus to community service and leadership, emphasizing professional responsibility
Professional responsibility
Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests....
and alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
in its curriculum and requiring students to complete 25 hours of community service per semester in order to graduate. Each student is also required to complete an externship before graduation. ASL was also the site of a triple homicide
Appalachian School of Law shooting
The Appalachian School of Law shooting was a school shooting that occurred on January 16, 2002, at the Appalachian School of Law, an American Bar Association accredited private law school in Grundy, Virginia, United States...
that took place on January 16, 2002.
History
Norton, Virginia
Norton is an independent city within the confines of Wise County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,958, making it the smallest city in the state by population...
lawyer Joe Wolfe came up with the idea to create a law school in Central Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
. His idea was well received by local business leaders and a steering committee was founded in 1994 and grew to eighty members. The committee surveyed lawyers and found that legal education needed to emphasize professional responsibility
Professional responsibility
Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests....
and alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
as these pillars of law school were becoming more important in today's law practice. The committee gained permission from the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
to start a law school in 1995 and continued to secure endorsements from local civic associations and industrial development authorities. Buchanan County, Virginia
Buchanan County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,978 people, 10,464 households, and 7,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,887 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
approached the committee in 1996 and offered the grounds and buildings of the former Grundy Elementary and Jr. High Schools to which the steering committee accepted.
A $1 million loan (which was later converted into a grant) financed the buildings' renovations.
The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia granted the school the ability to enroll students studying for the Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
Degree in 1997. The charter class of 71 students first attended classes on August 12, 1997.
Buchanan County
Buchanan County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,978 people, 10,464 households, and 7,900 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,887 housing units at an average density of 24 per square mile...
brought ASL to Grundy
Grundy, Virginia
Grundy is a town in Buchanan County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,105 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Buchanan County. The town is noted for its educational institutions and their role in the town's economic rebirth. In the past, the town served as a stopover for Union...
in order to revitalize a town that had been in a steady economic decline since the town's Flood of 1977. ASL has brought a positive economic impact on its home town, including spurring construction of rental homes and the opening of additional businesses in the area. ASL has become a success story for the concept of higher education as an economic development tool. The school has brought in $12 million per year to the local economy. ASL's economic success spurred the conception and implementation of the Appalachian College of Pharmacy (formerly University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy), which was founded in 2003 and opened its doors in 2005.
January 2002 campus shooting
On January 16, 2002, ASL Dean Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and first-year student Angela Dales were shot and killed by disgruntled student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of NigeriaNigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. When Odighizuwa exited the building, he was subdued by two students armed with personal firearms. At trial, Odighizuwa was found mentally competent, pled guilty to the murders to avoid the death penalty, and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.
Profile
Law School Admission Test
The Law School Admission Test is a half-day standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. Administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates, the LSAT is designed to assess Reading Comprehension,...
scores and undergraduate GPA is 147-152 and 2.64-3.33. 70% of graduates are employed nine months after graduation and 70% passed the Tennessee bar exam in 2005. In 2008, 92% passed the Tennessee bar exam, with 82% passing Virginia's bar exam. (A plurality of ASL graduates choose to take the Tennessee bar exam. Other graduates choose other states including Virginia.) ASL was ranked "fourth tier" in the U.S. News and World Report law school listings, its first appearance since becoming fully accredited.
Appalachian School of Law was granted full accreditation by the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
on June 12, 2006. The school had been provisionally accredited by the ABA since February 2001. Students who complete their course of legal study at this approved law school are eligible to take the bar examination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Prior to February 2001, graduates of the school were allowed to sit for the bar examination in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Campus
The main academic building was created from the town's former high school (and junior high school) and gymnasium complex; these buildings were joined and extensively remodeled and expanded as part of a $1 million award-winning architectural project. The main building contains an appellate courtroom (which doubles as the auditorium for large events), a trial courtroom, five seminar rooms, student mailroom, the Lion's Lounge, and faculty and staff offices. Most rooms are wired for internet access.
The Student Organization house, located across Slate Creek from the main campus, houses offices for student organizations including the Student Bar Association, Moot Court, and the Law Journal. A privately owned coffee shop operates out of this building during the school year.
A fourth campus building, Booth Hall, has recently opened. Booth Hall is situated behind and to the rear of the main academic building and law library. The building will have 58000 square feet (5,388.4 m²) of space on three floors. Thirty three parking spaces will be situated on the first floor. Additional classrooms, including one that seats 150 students, computer lab, student lounges, and a conference room will be included in the new building. The building is estimated to be completed in 2008 and will house the school's Business Office and President's Office. The building will also house facilities for Southwest Virginia Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College is located outside of Richlands, Virginia, on the border of Tazewell and Russell counties, and is one of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System. SWCC was opened in 1968 to serve the residents of Buchanan, Russell and Tazewell counties....
, which will share classroom space with ASL.
Academic program
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
(ABA); however, the school distinguishes itself from almost all of the other 192 ABA accredited law schools in the country, as its students are required to volunteer 25 hours each semester on community service projects, ranging from dispute resolution training to humane society management. Only 11 other law schools have similar mandatory programs.
ASL offers a Pre-Admission Summer Opportunity (PASO) programs for students who have the potential to become good lawyers and law students but whose LSAT's and GPA's do not necessarily reflect their skills and talents. The program lasts four weeks, three of which are independent home study, the final week is the on-campus lecture and final exam. The top scorers on the final exam may be offered admission to the fall's first year class.
First year students arrive one week before the academic year starts to partake in a one credit course called Introduction to Law which covers the basic skills needed in order to succeed in law school. Students also register for classes and finalize their financial aid needs then.
First year students cover legal foundation courses: Tort
Tort
A tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general...
s (4 credits), Contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s (6 credits), Property
Property law
Property law is the area of law that governs the various forms of ownership in real property and in personal property, within the common law legal system. In the civil law system, there is a division between movable and immovable property...
(6 credits), Civil Procedure
Civil procedure
Civil procedure is the body of law that sets out the rules and standards that courts follow when adjudicating civil lawsuits...
(5 credits), Criminal Law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
(3 credits) and Legal Process (6 credits). Legal Process teaches students legal research
Legal research
Legal research is "the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. In its broadest sense, legal research includes each step of a course of action that begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and concludes with the application and...
and writing
Legal writing
Legal writing is a type of technical writing used by lawyers, judges, legislators, and others in law to express legal analysis and legal rights and duties.- Authority :...
. First-year students also take an orientation course to the community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
program in the first semester and an additional legal research course in the second semester. First-year students may not take any electives.
Additionally, all first-year students are required to complete a 200-hour unpaid externship over the summer before their second-year. This requirement is usually met by students working as judicial clerks, interns in prosecutor and defense offices, state and federal governmental agencies, and private practices. Placements have included state supreme court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
s, the Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
, and the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
. The school provides assistance in locating and obtaining these positions.
Second year students cover additional legal foundation courses: Constitutional Law
United States constitutional law
United States constitutional law is the body of law governing the interpretation and implementation of the United States Constitution.- Introduction :United States constitutional law defines the scope and application of the terms of the Constitution...
(6 credits), Evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
(4 credits), Professional Responsibility
Professional responsibility
Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests....
(3 credits), and Criminal Procedure
Criminal procedure
Criminal procedure refers to the legal process for adjudicating claims that someone has violated criminal law.-Basic rights:Currently, in many countries with a democratic system and the rule of law, criminal procedure puts the burden of proof on the prosecution – that is, it is up to the...
(3 credits). Students also cover Trusts and Estates
Trusts and estates
The law of trusts and estates is generally considered the body of law which governs the management of personal affairs and the disposition of property of an individual in anticipation of the event of such person's incapacity or death, also known as the law of successions in civil law...
(4 credits) and Business Associations (4 credits), and are allowed to take electives, such as Appellate Advocacy. Students also fulfill their alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
requirement in the second year.
Students in their third year have the most options when it comes to electives. Third year students are required to take Family Law
Family law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
(3 credits), Secured Transactions (3 credits), Payment Systems
Payment system
A payment system is a system used for transferring money. What makes it a "system" is that it employs cash-substitutes; traditional payment systems are negotiable instruments such as drafts and documentary credits such as letter of credits. With the advent of computers and electronic...
(3 credits), and a Practicum
Practicum
A practicum is a college course, often in a specialized field of study, that is designed to give students supervised practical application of a previously or concurrently studied theory. Practicums are common for education and social work majors...
(4 credits), which include: Trial Advocacy, Criminal Practice, Estate Planning, Pre-Trial Practice, Real Estate Transactions, Insurance Law, or Employment Law. Additionally, students have their capstone
Capstone
Capstone may refer to:* Coping , one of the finishing or protective stones that form the top of an exterior masonry wall or building* Capstone , a US government project about cryptographic standards...
experience in a writing-intensive seminar. Each students takes two practicums focusing on the practical aspects of legal practice.
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
(ADR) class. The school has also held ADR training in local schools; this program drew national attention, particularly from former U.S. Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Janet Reno
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno is a former Attorney General of the United States . She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11...
, who has publicly congratulated the school on this effort. Students are given an overview of different types of conflict resolutions, particularly mediation, negotiation, and arbitration. Ethical issues are explored in addition to legal and policy ramifications. Students learn the strengths and weaknesses of each method of dispute resolution and learn which methods are appropriate for certain situations.
Students also have the option of taking additional courses in their second and third years to earn certification for mediation under the "Lawyer as a Problem Solver" Certificate Program. Students must complete basic law school procedure courses, two ADR focused courses, and an additional problem solving skills course. ASL offers two courses to fulfill this requirement: certified civil mediation, and advanced negotiation. The school has two faculty members who solely teach alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
related courses.
Student life
ASL has an active student body involved in activities not only on campus but within the local community and the legal profession as well.
|
Federalist Society The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, is an organization of conservatives seeking reform of the current American legal system in accordance with a textualist and/or originalist interpretation of the U.S. Constitution... Phi Alpha Delta ΦAΔ , or P.A.D., is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, and even presidents. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 300,000 initiated members... Phi Delta Phi Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America... |
ASL's student body governs itself through the Student Bar Association. The SBA is divided into three branches, the Senate, Executive, and the Honor Court. The Senate consists of three elected senators for the first year, second year, and third year classes. The Executive Branch consists of the Student Body President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, plus any committees that the President appoints to assist in his or her endeavors. The Honor Court consists of five elected judges, one for the first year class and two per upper class.
ASL also fields moot court teams that compete in national competitions. Students can audition for the team through either the Appellate Advocacy class in the second year or through an annual intra-school moot court challenge in the fall of the third year.
Further reading
- Appalachian Journal of Law
- Appalachian Natural Resources Law Journal (Online Journal)