Dean Lisa Kloppenberg was interviewed recently by the Dayton Business Journal about new degree programs offered through the School’s Program in Law and Technology, the Lawyer as Problem Solver curriculum, and the future of the school.

What are the few new programs you offer?

The School of Law just received approval to offer a masters degree (M.S.L.) for non-lawyers and an LL.M. for those with a first degree in law in the field of law and technology. With the master’s degree, engineers, entrepreneurs, and others will be able to gain exposure to intellectual property law and cyber space issues to assist them in business ventures and advancement within their companies or institutions.
 
Why did you decide to begin offering them?
 
The School started one of the first intellectual property law programs in the country in 1989 and has been nationally recognized in this field. The new degree options build on this strength and will also help us recruit international students.

How do the new degrees fit well with the Dayton area¹s technology base?

The Miami Valley’s history is based on invention and innovation and much of its current growth potential is based on the technology sector, including the work connected with the University of Dayton Research Institute, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and efforts of the Third Frontier Project. These degrees, and particularly the M.L.S. degree, offer companies in the Miami Valley ways to prepare employees to address cutting-edge legal issues and help them recognize when they have intellectual property rights to protect.
 
Why start offering the five-semester degree? Why do students demand that?

It is all about giving our students the flexibility to design the educational plan that fits their needs and lifestyle. Our students may choose to begin their education in the summer or the fall and to complete it in five or six semesters. The University of Dayton School of Law is the first school in the country to offer a five-semester law degree in which students can earn a Juris Doctor degree in as little as two calendar years. Students obtaining a degree in five-semesters take exactly the same courses as their six-semester counterparts; they simply take one additional course per semester to accelerate their pace.

This five-semester option is attractive to both non-traditional students who desire second careers and traditional students who wish to enter the workforce as quickly as possible. We want to attract hard-working, highly motivated people in the workforce who have been interested in law but unable to pursue a J.D. previously. We also want to attract high achieving undergraduates, particularly those who completed their undergraduate studies at an accelerated pace. Our accelerated option allows students to get into (or back into) the workforce more quickly and with less debt.   

What are some challenges the law school is facing right now?

The national market for law schools is in the midst of a declining cycle. Last year, our applicant numbers rose while the national and regional markets fell. This year, our applicant numbers have declined, consistent with that market. We offer an outstanding, hands-on education that receives many accolades from those who employ our graduates. However, our private education is expensive and the cost of loans has risen. The market for high-quality law students is fiercely competitive at the moment.
 
How are you addressing those challenges?

We are offering some distinctive programs to attract top students, including the 5-semester option and our award-winning Lawyer as Problem Solver curriculum. With its focus on experiential learning, students get a chance to learn practical skills as well as the ethical and analytical foundation necessary to “hit the ground running” for law practice. The Lawyer as Problem Solver curriculum teaches a wide range of problem-solving skills: interviewing, counseling, negotiation, conflict management, mediation, arbitration, litigation, and other dispute resolution methods. Second, we are increasing our scholarships to attract a diverse group of highly credentialed students. Finally, the new degree programs will help us attract new categories of students, enlarging the pool of potential applicants.
 
Talk about your two-year-old program that emphasizes problem solving. Why did you decide to introduce it?

The Carnegie Foundation’s recent report criticizes legal education generally for not providing students with sufficient practical skills or moral foundation for successful careers. Legal employers are also seeking more highly skilled associates than ever before. The practice of law has changed significantly in the past few decades, and the demands on new associates are greater than they have ever been. It is not enough that lawyers know the doctrines and technicalities of the law; they need to work with clients to help them prevent and resolve problems, in light of the law’s requirements. The UD School of Law has always emphasized these areas and our new problem solving curriculum capitalizes on those strengths. Our Legal Profession program has long been nationally recognized for its excellence in teaching legal research, writing, and analysis, and thanks to our new mandatory externship program every UDSL student will graduate with real-world experience. Each student will also graduate with a capstone course emphasizing practical skills and a basic alternative dispute resolution course to meet clients’ needs.