Dear Fellow Alumni,
In my first communication to you as dean of the University of South Carolina School of Law, I am pleased to report that your law school is thriving. While I have been in this position less than a month, in that short time I have been moved by numerous inspiring aspects of this school.
Thanks to our admissions team, led by Karen Britton, this year’s incoming students compose one of the most academically gifted classes in the history of the law school. We have once again improved our academic profile with median LSAT and GPA scores of 156 and 3.51, respectively. Additionally, the number of women in this year’s cohort is greater than the number of men—52 percent to 48 percent—and our female students are continuing to assume significant leadership positions in the law school, including as editors-in-chief of the law review and the real property journal. Our percentage of minority students is 18.3 percent, and greater diversity will continue to be a major priority going forward.
It is worth noting that the members of this exceptional class chose South Carolina Law for their legal education despite the backdrop of a global pandemic. During a time of great uncertainty, when roughly half of the nation’s law schools saw a decrease in applications, South Carolina Law enjoyed a 4.7 percent increase. Sixty-five percent of our students are from South Carolina. We have students from 21 states and 80 undergraduate institutions.
More and more students recognize that this school will provide them with an exceptional academic foundation and practical experience, even in these challenging times. They have learned that the dedicated faculty, staff—and yes, alumni—at this school support them and will help them achieve their goals.
Perhaps they most value knowing that upon graduation, they will be prepared for successful and rewarding careers. Over the last few years, an average of 93 percent of South Carolina Law graduates known to be seeking jobs were employed 10 months after graduation, and an average of 97 percent of all employed graduates had accepted positions for which bar passage was required or a JD was an advantage.
It has taken a tremendous amount of hard work to get us where we are today, and great credit and thanks must go to the diligent efforts of Dean Wilcox, our outstanding faculty and staff, and the entire law school community. I am fortunate not only to be the beneficiary of this hard work, but to have the opportunity to build on that foundation. During my time as president of the American Bar Association, I traveled across the country and met with attorneys from firms of all sizes. In my years of practice, I worked with and against lawyers from the top firms in America. I can say without reservation that our graduates can compete with—and in many, if not most, circumstances surpass—those from just about any other law school. It is time that all of us, as alumni, get the word out.
Classes began last week and another academic year is now underway. We have a good mix of in person and virtual classes to manage the COVID risks. There is great energy in the building. I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead, and I pledge to you that I will work tirelessly to accelerate this law school’s upward trajectory.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how, together, we can lift the School of Law to even greater heights.
Sincerely yours,