PREAMBLE
A candidate for the Juris Doctor degree must have abilities and
skills in the categories described below. Capital University Law School
is committed to enabling its qualified students by any reasonable means
or accommodations to complete the course of study leading to the law
degree.
1. Intellectual Conceptual and Integrative Skills:
The candidate must be able to recall and analyze complex factual information,
integrate this information with complex legal theories, and apply to
those facts the substantive legal principles that will control the result
in a particular case. This form of analytical ability involves the ability
to recognize and identify the legal issues that are implicated by specific
facts, the ability to sort material facts from immaterial facts, the
ability to recognize and evaluate competing legal theories that might
apply to the facts to reach a proper result. It also involves the ability
to recognize when different legal analysis might lead to a different
but nonetheless logically supportable result. The candidate must be
able to perform legal research.
2. Effective Communication Skills: The candidate
must be able to organize ideas, and express them with a high degree
of organization, clarity, precision, and persuasive force. A candidate
must be able to demonstrate facility with the English language and commitment
to writing well, including appropriate vocabulary, grammar, syntax,
spelling and punctuation. A candidate must be able to communicate candidly
and civilly with others. A candidate must be honest in advocating a
particular result, and should not misrepresent either facts or the content
of any legal principle upon which the candidate relies.
3. Behavioral and Social Attributes: A candidate
must possess the emotional health required for the full utilization
of his or her abilities and posses the interpersonal skills to work
with others. The candidate must possess the ability to:
a. comply with requirements of applicable federal, state, and
local laws, regulations, statutes, and applicable orders of a court
or tribunal;
b. comply with the ethical norms of the profession as expressed in
the Code of Professional Responsibility and the ABA Model Rules of
Professional Conduct, including the avoidance of acts that are illegal,
dishonest, fraudulent, or deceitful;
c. avoid acts that exhibit disregard for the rights or welfare of
others;
d. use honest and good judgment in financial dealings on behalf of
oneself and others; and
e. act diligently and reliably in fulfilling one's obligations to
others.
4. Attendance and Participation: A candidate must
be able to have regular and punctual class attendance and to fully participate
in class discussions.
5. Time Management: A candidate must possess
the ability to comply with deadlines and time constraints, and to prioritize
and manage multiple tasks.
These standards are based in part on the ABA Task Force on Law
Schools and the Profession, Legal Education and Professional Development
An Education Continuum (1992) (often referred to as the "MacCrate
Report" in honor of the chair of the task force) and the considered
judgment of the faculty of Capital University Law School. Item #4 is
based on Standard 304(c) of American Bar Association, Standards for
Approval of Law Schools.
Capital University Law School does not discriminate against qualified
persons with disabilities. Inquiries regarding these standards may be
discussed with the Associate Dean.
EXPLANATION
The Law School first addresses these abilities and skills at the time
an applicant seeks admission to law school. The Committee on Admission
and Readmission, in its review of an applicant's file for admission
to law school, makes a preliminary assessment of the applicant's potential
to acquire the requisite skills and abilities. This assessment considers
the record of performance in undergraduate education, other graduate
education, or both; performance on the LSAT examination (including multiple
examination scores); letters of reference; and any other information
provided by the applicant in his or her file. Although each factor is
important and is considered in the admission process, the LSAT score
is the only common denominator among applicants to law school. The Law
School does not admit all students who possess the abilities and skills
for the study of law.
After applicants matriculate in the Law School, the Law School works
with the students to assist them in developing and enhancing their abilities
and skills. To this end, the Law School has developed an educational
program designed for this purpose. Some of the program requirements
are mandated by the accreditation standards of the American Bar Association
or membership standards of organizations that the Law School belongs
(e.g. the Association of American Law Schools). Other program components
are the result of faculty deliberations as to what it collectively believes
is necessary and fundamental to a legal education that primarily prepares
students to practice law. In this regard the law school has developed
curriculum requirements such as minimum graduation requirements, demonstrated
minimum competency in both individual and comprehensive course work,
required and elective courses, timing and sequencing of courses, minimum
and maximum course loads, pre requisites and co requisites, cohesive,
connected, and integrated educational experience, and more. These requirements
are set forth in the Manual of Policies and Procedures. Other programmatic
requirements such as the expectation and requirements of class preparation,
regular and punctual attendance at class, adherence to deadlines, civility,
respect for others, and professionalism are also important to the development
of the skills listed above.
The Law School provides two distinct programs. The full time program
requires, after the first year, a minimum of twelve credit hours of
course work per academic term. The part time program (day and evening)
requires a minimum of eight hours of course work per semester. The part
time program originally was created for the purpose of providing an
opportunity for a legal education to individuals who needed to work
to support families. In addition, others might also benefit from a part
time program of legal education for other reasons such as family obligations
and the need for a slower pace of legal studies. Even with its reduced
course load, the part time program achieves the educational objectives
identified above so long as students enroll for the minimum of eight
credit hours. These students therefore may pursue a part time program
of no fewer than eight credit hours in such a configuration that adheres
to the educational integrity of, and meets the program objectives and
goals as set forth in the curriculum.
We recognize that students achieve varying degrees of competencies,
at various rates, in these areas. Moreover, not every student admitted
to law school is able to successfully complete law school.
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