A New Law School for Dallas and North Texas.
A plan for providing affordable and accessible public legal education to an underserved population in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and partnering with Dallas to revitalize the historic Main Street area.

Proposed timeline

  • Spring 2009: Tuition Revenue Bonds Facility financing approved in conjunction with city commitment
  • Spring 2009: Recruit founding dean
  • Summer 2009: Initiate feasibility study with the T.H.E.C.B.
  • Fall 2009: Begin building renovation, Complete ABA accreditation planning
  • Fall 2009/Spring 2010: Recruit faculty for fall 2010 entering class
  • Spring 2010: Enroll first students for fall 2010
  • Fall 2010: Complete renovation of the Universities Center at Dallas
  • Fall 2010: Complete installation of furniture and equipment
  • Fall 2010: Begin classes at UNT College of Law

Bringing affordable and accessible high-quality legal education to an underserved population

The current lack of an affordable, accessible, and high-quality public law school in the Dallas-Fort Worth region means that many qualified students must either relocate to another area—or even forego their pursuit of a legal education altogether in spite of significant job opportunities for trained lawyers in our area.

Affordability

  • Average Texas private law school tuition ($19,000) is almost three times the average Texas public law school tuition ($6,600)
  • Further, annual student loans at private law schools in Texas ($21,500) are almost 30% higher than the average public law school loans ($15,500).

Accessibility

  • The UNT College of Law, as the first public law school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, will increase the opportunity for DFW baccalaureate graduates to attend a regional law school without the costs associated with relocation or private institution tuition.
  • The tuition structure will enable many non-traditional law students to pursue a legal education.
  • The location will allow students who are part- or even full-time employees to pursue a law degree.
  • Easy access for Dallas-Fort Worth area residents includes the DART system of buses and trains and the Trinity Railway Express just blocks away—as well as easily accessed interstate highways. There are both adjacent parking facilities and on-street parking for car commuters.

Why Another Law School?

  • DFW is the largest metropolitan area in the country without a public law school.
  • Law firms are under pressure from clients to better diversify; can't find enough minority law graduates.
  • SMU - 3,000 applications for 180 day positions and 600 applications for 95 night positions for first-year class (was 2,300 in 2002 and 1,582 in 2001).
  • Opportunities for students in Dallas/Fort Worth to attend law school have declined relative to growth in population.
  • Area students forced to assume high debt or leave town to go to law school.
  • DFW has more people than Houston but Houston has twice as many law class positions.
  • As a judge, it was impossible for UNT College of Law Co-Chair of the Founders Board Jay Patterson to find enough minority lawyers to appoint as guardians ad litem, mediators and receivers.
  • 2000 census showed over 60% minority population in Dallas County while ony 9% of the over 12,000 lawyers in Dallas County are from a minority.