Study Finds ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ Law School Feasible
If funded, new school could fill gap for Texas
EL PASO, Texas (Nov. 15, 2024) – A Texas legislature-commissioned feasibility study has found that establishing a law school at ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ could fill a gap in the region’s and state’s need for legal services. The study also found that, properly managed and supported, a law school would support itself after a start-up period of 10 years. The cost to start up the law school is about $20 million over that ten-year period, plus the cost of a law school building.
³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ President Heather Wilson announced the study’s key findings during a meeting of the El Paso Bar Association today.
“There will be a law school in El Paso someday. When there is, it should be at ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ. The study shows there is a need for legal services in West Texas, and, with sufficient financial support to start it up, this study shows that it is sustainable for the long term,” said Wilson. “Our next step will be to explore with the community whether there is the financial support to make a law school a reality.”
The study showed a ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ law school should prioritize student success over college rankings, focusing on preparing students to pass the bar exam and secure high-quality jobs in Texas and beyond. The study also recommended a law school would provide broad education in a variety of legal specialties with a possible emphasis on international trade and commerce.
Kennedy & Company Education Strategies, a higher education consulting firm specializing in feasibility studies, led the law school study. The study said that to achieve sustainability, the proposed school should target the significant needs of individuals, businesses and government agencies in the El Paso region, but also would fill a critical need for bilingual attorneys in other parts of the state.
Key Findings from the Feasibility Study
The firm’s research indicates that the El Paso area would provide career opportunities for a significant portion of the law school’s graduates, while the greater Texas job market could accommodate the remainder. The proposed law school would initially enroll a class of about 25 first-year law students in Fall 2030, with a slow ramp-up of class size that caps off at 100 students.
Financial and Facility Projections
Long-range financial forecasts estimate that approximately $20 million in operational funding will be needed over the first ten years to reach sustainable enrollment levels. This funding could come from various sources, including philanthropic contributions, endowments and state support. The law school is projected to achieve financial sustainability by 2037.
Due to limited campus space and accreditation requirements, a new building would be required to house classrooms, faculty offices, simulated courtrooms, a law library and other facilities. The projected capital cost for the building is between $60 million and $110 million including design, permits, furniture and technology.
Next Steps
³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ will work with local leaders to secure philanthropic and business commitments from the El Paso community over the next 12 to 18 months. If the community is supportive, ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ will engage in conversations with the UT System Regents and Texas Legislature to secure needed approval and additional capital support, potentially submitting a formal request to start a law school during the 2027 legislative session. Following legislative approval, ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ would seek preliminary accreditation from the American Bar Association and appoint a dean and administrative team.
About ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ
³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ is America’s leading Hispanic-serving university. Located at the westernmost tip of Texas, where three states and two countries converge along the Rio Grande, 84% of our 25,000 students are Hispanic, and more than half are the first in their families to go to college. ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ offers 170 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs at the only open-access, top-tier research university in America.
Last Updated on November 15, 2024 at 12:00 AM | Originally published November 15, 2024
By MC Staff ³ÉÈËÍ·Ìõ Marketing and Communications
