Bar Exam Musings - UCI Law School

Taking a few minutes to scan the news before I went back to my work this afternoon, I noticed that The UC Irvine School of Law has just announced their inaugural faculty hires. UC Irvine has hired some of the preeminent names in the legal profession, such as Fisk from Duke, and Loftus who will be teaching at both the law and undergrad schools. As for the other Orange County schools, Chapman has just hired Both of the Rotunda's from George Mason University, with Ronald Rotunda being known for being the author of a number of treatises on professional responsibility. Both schools have made a huge impact in terms of improving the legal education here in Orange County. As for my alma mater, Western State, a new dean should have been hired a long time ago but the rumor is that the only holdup about hiring a new dean is the pay. Not to mention that a number of talented faculty have left for schools in Los Angeles County, such as Southwestern. I also think that in the near future, UCI will have a significant advantage in becoming the 201st accredited law school by the ABA after it has met all of the provisional requirements as it is attached to a research institution. The presence of UCI Law in Orange County will require all of the existing law schools to raise the bar in more ways then one. This not only includes active alumni involvement and the recruitment of talented students and faculty, but also the cultivation of a sense of pride in attending one of the oldest established law schools in Orange County. There will always be a niche for Western State, as well as for Whittier, Chapman, and UCI Law, but there is always a sense that the new kid on the block will be able to do things just a little bit better. Hopefully, all of the OC Schools realize this point and seek to improve as well.

Just a few musings.....WDR