Appalachian School of Law

Appalachian School of Law Summary

The Appalachian School of Law (ASL) is a fully-accredited private law school in Grundy, Virginia, a small town near the convergence of Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The law school was founded in 1994 and it admitted its first class of students in August 1997. The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia granted the school the ability to enroll students studying for the Juris Doctor Degree in 1997. Students who complete their course of legal study at this approved law school are eligible to take the bar examination in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. On January 16, 2002, ASL Dean Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and 1L student Angela Dales were shot and killed by disgruntled student Peter Odighizuwa, 43, of Nigeria. The student organization house, located across Slate Creek from the main campus, houses offices for student organizations including the Student Bar Association, Moot Court, and the Law Journal. Additional classrooms, including one that seats 150 students, student lounges, and a conference room will be included in the new building. Students at Appalachian complete the traditional law school curriculum as required by the American Bar Association (ABA); however, the school distinguishes itself from almost all of the other 192 ABA accredited law schools in the country, as its students are required to volunteer 25 hours each semester on community service projects, ranging from dispute resolution training to humane society management. ASL offers a PASO programs for students who have the potential to become good lawyers and law students but whose LSAT’s and GPA’s do not necessarily reflect their skills and talents. First year students arrive one week before the academic year starts to partake in a one credit course called Introduction to Law which covers the basic skills needed in order to succeed in law school. First year students cover legal foundation courses: Torts (4 credits), Contracts (6 credits), Property (6 credits), Civil Procedure (5 credits), Criminal Law (3 credits) and Legal Process (6 credits). Second year students cover additional legal foundation courses: Constitutional Law (6 credits), Evidence (4 credits), Professional Responsibility (3 credits), and Secured Transactions (3 credits). Third year students are required to take Family Law (3 credits), Criminal Procedure (3 credits), Payment Systems (3 credits), and Tax Law (3 credits). Students must complete basic law school procedure courses, two ADR focused courses, and an additional problem solving skills course. Officially recognized student organizations on campus: ASL’s student body governs itself through the Student Bar Association. Appalachian School of Law | Averett University | George Washington University Virginia Campus | Hampton University | Hollins University | Liberty University | Marymount University | Regent University | Shenandoah University | Southern Virginia University | University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy | University of Mary Washington | University of Richmond | Virginia Union University | Washington and Lee University | Westwood College Of Technology Christopher Newport University | George Mason University | James Madison University | Longwood University | University of Mary Washington | Marine Corps University | Norfolk State University | Old Dominion University | Radford University | University of Virginia | University of Virginia’s College at Wise | Virginia Commonwealth University | Virginia Community College System | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Virginia State University |

Summary content courtesy of Wikipedia.