Texas Law Schools (year founded)

• Baylor University School of Law (1849)
  
• University of Houston Law Center (1947)
• Saint Mary’s University School of Law (1927 as San Antonio School of Law)
• South Texas College of Law (1923)
  
• Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law school of law (1925)
• University of Texas School of Law (1883)
• Texas Southern University-Thurgood Marshall School of Law (1947)
• Texas Tech University School of Law (1966)
• Texas Wesleyan University School of Law-DFW Law School (1989)

Campus mixed on possible addition of law curriculum

By Melissa DeLoach
Senior Reporter

Chancellor Michael Ferrari denied a WFAA-TV report that he met with officials from Texas Wesleyan University late Wednesday night.

Despite Ferrari’s denial of Wednesday meeting, earlier discussions involving Texas Wesleyan University School of Law have evoked mixed opinions throughout the TCU community.

Bronson Davis, vice chancellor for university advancement, said the addition of a law school at TCU would increase the school’s national reputation.

“One of the things Ferrari is about is making TCU better recognized nationally,” he said. “There aren’t many schools with high national recognition that don’t have a law school.”

Southern Methodist University and Baylor University, two of TCU’s major competitors, both have law programs. TCU’s last effort at a law school ended in 1920.

Leah Jackson, associate dean at Baylor University School of Law, said law schools benefit from being associated with a strong university.

“Law schools are extremely competitive,” she said. “Anything a school can do to enhance it’s reputation, helps recruit students.”

Jackson said that this may be the reason why South Texas College of Law pursued its advancement with Texas A&M University. In 1998, Texas A&M tried unsuccessfully to absorb South Texas College of Law. An appeal is still pending.

Manochehr Dorraj, associate professor of political science, said the addition of a law school would not only give TCU more recognition, but it would also give the university a chance to expand some of its current programs. He said there are a number of courses in the political science department which already prepare students for a law school curriculum.

“There is a lot at the undergraduate level already that could complement what a law school has to offer,” he said. “(Political science) has a lot of classes that are indirectly or directly linked to train students for what they need to know for law school. Other departments, like sociology and criminal justice, are clearly related to family law and criminal law. The business school can prepare students for corporate law.”

At the graduate level, a law school can open the door for further programming in the M.J. Neeley School of Business, including a joint MBA and doctor of jurisprudence program. Bob Greer, assistant dean of graduate programs in the business school, said the joint degrees would make going to law school easier for students, because they can pursue both degrees at once.

“The two make a better package in terms of what a great university looks like,” he said. “When you talk about universities on the next level, they all have law schools. It enhances the overall view of the school and quality of the institution.”

Mike Sacken, a professor of education, has doubts about whether a law school will have any impact on the undergraduate experience at TCU. He said he thinks the university would be more successful if it focused its energies and investments on improving undergraduate programming and the existing graduate programs.

“I can see how a law school can develop relationships with other schools and departments, but I do not see any benefit for my education students or any undergraduate students here,” he said. “In my experience, law schools isolate themselves — they have their own libraries, their own classroom buildings and their own expensive faculty. I don’t see how that’s going to impact any of us here except for costing us money.”

Carolyn Barton, a sophomore English and political science major, said that even if TCU acquired Texas Wesleyan’s law school, she probably wouldn’t go there.

“If TCU bought (Texas) Wesleyan I still probably wouldn’t be interested,” said Barton, who plans to attend law school. “I think it would take a few years for it to be ‘TCU level’ and that won’t happen while I’m here.”

Melissa DeLoach
m.d.deloach@student.tcu.edu