© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

P.O. Box 21029
Charleston, SC 29413-1029

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Charleston School of Law to open doors in fall
New dean says the school is proud to be part of area

MARCH 2, 2004 - Proposed Club member Richard Gershon is the first Dean of the Charleston School of Law, which is set to enroll its first class of students this August. Dean, who stressed his family ties to the area, came back to Charleston to assume the position of Dean after teaching tax law at Texas Wesleyan in Ft. Worth. He is an attorney who is admitted to the Georgia and Florida bars.

Gershon emphasized that the law school is "proud to part of this community." It is expected to be a $10 million per year business that will have a positive economic impact on the region. Gershon credits the school's founders, which include former College of Charleston President and South Carolina judge Alex Sanders and United States District Court Magistrates Robert Carr and George Kosko, for giving the school a "real head start." He says the community feedback has been tremendous, and rather than being met with skepticism, he is often asked, "What took you so long?"

The law school purchased the former Chamber of Commerce Building downtown, and may ultimately need to expand to adjacent properties. The founders put up the initial capital to found and run the school, and revenue will arrive in the form of tuition payments this summer. Tuition for full-time day students will be $25,000 per year. There will also be a part-time (evening) program, which will cost roughly $18,376 in tuition per year.

The school is not eligible to apply for American Bar Association accreditation until next summer, at which point it can seek provisional accreditation. Gershon hopes to win that accreditation by hiring good professors, librarians and other staff and by offering quality legal education. He thinks that the Charleston School of Law will help keep many students who seek a legal education from leaving South Carolina to attend school elsewhere. Those who might not get into the University of South Carolina School of Law, for example, may stay in state and attend the Charleston Law School. "People want to be in Charleston," stressed Gershon. So far, over 750 applications have been received, and Gershon says they come from applicants of "outstanding quality."

The school's mission is public service and social justice, and there will be mandatory pro bono requirements for all law students.

In other business…

Sam Lyons gave the invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Ellen Jackson welcomed our guests and visiting Rotarians. Amy Jenkins offered Health and Happiness. Anita Zucker offered a Rotary Moment and also inducted our newest member, Dorothee Robbins. Andy Anderson discussed the upcoming Adopt-a-Highway project. John Tecklenberg introduced our guest speaker, Richard Gershon.

-- Amy Jenkins