Professor Gilbert Holmes, who previously served as the dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law has been named the new leader of the University of LaVerne College of Law. He takes over this summer. Holmes holds a JD from NYU and was also a member of the faculties at Texas Wesleyan, Seton Hall and SMU. He was dean at Baltimore for seven years, from 2001-07.
LaVerne currently has provisional ABA accreditation; Holmes seems like a very solid hire for the law school because he will add credibility to the institution in its dealings with the ABA.
Great. Another unnecessary law school. I'm sure he's a wonderful guy, extremely competent, etc., etc., but. . .Fire him, close it down.
Of course, one does have to wonder how wonderful a guy he is if he's willing to be dean of a bottom-feeder law school like La Verne, which has the following statistics (from 2009, and it's probably gotten worse):
Post-graduation employment
41% of the Class of 2009 were known to be working for law firms in the private sector nine months after graduation. 31% of Class of 2009 graduates were known to hold positions that required bar passage nine months after graduation. 27% of the Class of 2009 were known to be unemployed nine months after graduation.
Student loans
The average Class of 2009 graduate had $101,237 of student loan debt.
Sounds pretty slimy, really, to be willing to participate in, and even lead, an institution that rips off its students to that extent.
Oh wait, but you're Professor Dan Filler, from the hallowed halls of the Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University, which had a whole. . .43.5% of its graduates in long-term employment requiring bar passage (whatever that may mean in practical terms)–and 21.4% unemployed in any job, out of the class of 2011. Suddenly, I can see where the enthusiasm comes from.
What difference does it make where he got his JD?
He teaches at Drexel. I'm not sure where he got his JD–that would probably be irrelevant, though.
No, I meant in the original post. NYU.
Is there anyone, but anyone, on Faculty Lounge who does not smirk at the sight of the words "LaVerne College of Law," whether on a blog post, a CV, or elsewhere?
But the kids who borrow a hundred grand, and commit three years of their lives, to attend LaVerne don't realize that it is a joke of a school, and that their chances of an actual legal career are miniscule. Maybe they should know, but they don't. And Mr. Gilbert Holmes and the Laverne faculty who DO know, but who are profiting off the ignorance of those kids, are scammers.