University of La Verne College of Law to Greet ABA Site Visit Committee With a Full Slate of Accomplishments

With a visit from the American Bar Association on the horizon, the University of La Verne College of Law has announced highlights from a string of recent, noteworthy accomplishments.

Most significant is the College of Law’s recent successes on the California bar examination. Over the last three bar exam administrations, College of Law graduates have outperformed the combined average for first-time takers of all ABA-approved schools in California by 11.5%. “This achievement is a positive example of the quality of our educational program and our students’ commitment to making the most of their academic experience,” said Dean Donald J. Dunn. “These extraordinary bar exam results should go a long way in demonstrating to the ABA that we offer a first-rate program to our students.”

Other notable accomplishments at the College of Law include: expanding the number of full-time faculty members to 18; a student to faculty ratio of 12.5 to 1; strengthening its successful legal writing and academic support program; expanding the number of electives in the upper-level curriculum; and continuing to rack up successes in moot court competitions.

Overall enrollment increased to 255, a 13% increase over last year’s student body of 225. The College of Law continues to boast a strong minority population, with approximately 27% of the student body being from diverse backgrounds. A total of 14 states and two foreign countries are represented in the first-year class. The College of Law anticipates enrollment to level off at approximately 400 within five years.

The College of Law’s prime location in Ontario strategically places it to serve the legal needs of the Inland Empire and all of Inland Southern California. With a population of more than 3.8 million people, greater than that of 24 states, the Inland Empire is one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. Almost 1,000 ULV College of Law graduates are located throughout California, most in the Inland Empire. More than 40 graduates now serve as judges and on commissions.

“It is remarkable that there is no ABA approved law school in the area,” said Dunn. “Our tradition of providing quality legal services, as members of the bench and bar and as community leaders, shows the positive impact the school has had since its founding in 1970,” Dunn said.

The ABA site visit, a requirement of the application for provisional approval, is scheduled for September 18-21, 2005.

About the University of La Verne College of Law

Established in 1970, the University of La Verne College of Law is Cal-Bar accredited. Known for its emphasis on advocacy, the College of Law offers a modern, technologically-advanced facility; small classes that feature a traditional curriculum and practical skills taught by respected, practice-proven faculty focused on individual students’ needs; and a prominent and supportive alumni network, all grounded in a commitment to ethics and service. For more information about the University of La Verne College of Law, please call (909) 460-2001 or visit the Web at http://law.ulv.edu.