Progress Report on New UMass Law School

Things seem to be going well for the new public law school in Massachusetts, according to an article in the Boston Globe. The University of Massachusetts School of Law "formally assumed its new identity July 1." The new school came about when the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth took over the Southern New England School of Law, a very controversial move. Several of the private law schools in Massachusetts opposed the merger, arguing that "the state had enough law schools" and questioning "its financial feasibility." They, of course, were concerned about a lower-cost rival. At the same time, some Massachusetts legislators were worried about what the new law school would cost the state, despite the fact that Southern New England School of Law donated its campus and assets. At least some of these fears now seem to have been ill founded. Applications and enrollment are strong (the first-year class will include 155 students, a respectable number), and the students' credentials have risen, even though the school is not yet accredited.