Table of Contents 04 | History and Mission 06 | A ccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence 10 | AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability 14 | Our Member Law Schools
At AccessLex Institute, we believe that law school offers training and education that is unmatched in its quality, portability and flexibility, creating the potential for a lifetime of personal and professional success for anyone with the motivation to achieve. That’s why, in partnership with our 200 Member law schools, improving access and positively influencing legal education has been at the heart of our mission since 1983. Through the various programs housed in each of our Centers — the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence SM and the AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability SM— we continue our multi-decade quest to help talented, purpose-driven students find the path from aspiring lawyer to fulfilled professional. And through the provision of actionable data and objective analysis, we will help law schools continue to innovate and effectively demonstrate their value to students and society alike.
Christopher P. Chapman President and Chief Executive Officer
2 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex.org AccessLex.org 1 3
Get to know us. Since 1983, AccessLex Institute has continually evolved to meet the ever-changing challenges and needs of the law students and institutions that we serve. We are steadfast in our commitment to inform students of the economic realities of law school without limiting their aspirations. We conduct and commission research to illuminate the latest data and evidence on the most critical issues facing legal education today. And we are resolute in our appeal to policymakers and influencers to take actions that make legal education work better for both students and society at large. As a nonprofit organization underpinned by nearly 200 American Bar Associationapproved nonprofit and state-affiliated law schools, we are intently dedicated to the betterment of legal education. AccessLex Institute has more than 80 employees in our offices in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. and in field offices throughout the United States. We currently have more than $500 million in total net assets.
4 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex Institute fosters broad-based access to quality legal education for talented, purpose-driven students and works to maximize the value and affordability of a law degree through policy advocacy, research and student-focused initiatives.
AccessLex.org 5
AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence
Through the provision of actionable data and objective analysis, we help law schools continuously innovate and improve.
Based in Washington, D.C., the AccessLex Center for Legal Education Excellence is committed to understanding the barriers that impede access to law school for historically underrepresented groups and improving access to law school for all; identifying actionable strategies and public policies to increase law school affordability; and strengthening the value of legal education.
Providing Actionable Research and Evaluation
Building Opportunities for Diversity and Success
This Center contributes to knowledge and practice within legal education specifically, and graduate and professional education more broadly, through the efforts of its Research and Data Division. Activities include collecting and analyzing data, commissioning external experts and collaborating with other organizations to publish and report on the issues most relevant to our research priorities.
As a core tenet, AccessLex Institute believes that legal education should be obtainable for all talented individuals, regardless of circumstance. Through diversity-focused programming, research, advocacy and grantmaking, we seek to expand access to legal education for historically underrepresented minority students and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
6 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex.org AccessLex.org 7 7
Transforming Knowledge into Power with Key Metrics Data-informed decision-making is increasingly important for law school leaders and the students they serve. And it is more important than ever to make legal education data actionable and easy to use. Analytix by AccessLex puts law school data into clear and accessible formats, allowing the legal education community to readily analyze, research and compare law school-specific information. Analytix puts the power to benchmark various schools, display trends, gain crucial insights and fuel independent research right into the hands of those who need it. SM
PEER GROUP COMPARISON Produce a downloadable report comparing a law school of your choice to a customizable group of institutions.
Influencing Legal Education Policy
Awarding Outcome-Driven Grants
Improving access to legal education begins with improving education policy. AccessLex Institute’s Center for Legal Education Excellence focuses on tracking legislation and regulations with potential impact on students and the legal education community. We provide policy analysis, information dissemination and issue education to Member schools and other graduate and professional school staff; and we develop policy positions on key issues impacting access, affordability and value. Our policy experts routinely speak with lawmakers, policy advocates and other influencers specifically on behalf of law students and in the interest of legal education on the whole.
In support of our research and diversity priorities, our grantmaking approach focuses on funding projects that have the potential to “move the needle” in legal education. Measurement and evaluation are essential components for demonstrating the effectiveness and scalability of interventions and are key factors when deciding what grants we make. We operate four grant programs to fund research and other projects related to legal education and our focus on access, affordability and value. Namely, these include: the Legal Education Diversity Pipeline Grant Program; the Research and Dissertation Fellows Program; the Directed Grant Program; and the Unsolicited Grant Program. These programs have awarded millions of dollars since their inception in 2014.
TREND REPORT Generate downloadable graphs and charts to display trends for select figures of your choice. Focus on data for one law school or compare to a customized group of institutions.
DOWNLOAD DATASET Select and download a set of variables for multiple years in CSV and Microsoft Excel formats to create your own dataset with information for all law schools.
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON Create a downloadable report comparing up to five law schools, side-by-side, across a customized set of figures for the most recent report year.
8 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex.org 9
A comprehensive, innovative and engaging financial education program expressly for our Member law schools. Law students and those who are about to pursue that path are educationally motivated by definition. They are high–achieving, purpose–driven, and busy-–so they need a targeted, action-oriented tool that supports their financial — and life—success in the short and long term. Based on extensive feedback from students and administrators from more than 40 law schools, we developed MAX by AccessLex SM to maximize the financial capability and improve the financial well-being of aspiring and current law students.
F OCUS
on the financial education needs of
AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability
the law school student community
The AccessLex Center for Education and Financial Capability offers on-campus and online loan repayment and financial education programming and resources to help students and graduates confidently manage their finances on their way to achieving personal and professional success. We also provide professional development opportunities and guidance for school administrators working to improve financial education at their institutions.
ENGAGE students at their level of understanding, DEVELOP
Supporting Law Students and Schools At AccessLex Institute, we know firsthand how important it is for students to understand the realities of their student loans and finances. We believe that giving students the tools to establish good financial habits and the information to manage their financial responsibilities will help them stay on the right path, even after graduation. This Center produces and distributes a full range of resources and publications that examine, explain and provide deeper
expertise and experience positive financial decision-making skills
context on the topics most relevant to students at various stages of their law school journey–financing a legal education, borrowing wisely, budgeting, spending plans, loan repayment options and strategies and more.
financial—and life—situations in both the short and long term
Our Education Services team members are Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC ® ) who deliver expert financial
knowledge gain and behavior change
education programming, as well as one-on-one loan counseling for students.
EMPOWER individuals to take action to improve their SUPPORT law school professionals in driving
This new program is offered free of charge to our Member schools and their students, and it is just one of the many financial education resources we provide.
10 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex.org 11
A Focus on Professional Development AccessLex Legal Education Research Symposium Developed to offer law school deans, administrators, faculty and researchers from across the nation an opportunity to review the latest research and engage in thought-provoking discussions on the most challenging issues facing legal education today, the Symposium is held annually in conjunction with the AccessLex Graduate and Professional Financial Aid Conference.
ACC
E
The first service of its kind to provide on-demand, one-on-one loan repayment and other financial education information to graduate and professional students, AccessConnex is a free helpline that delivers personal, accurate counseling by phone, live chat or email. Our Education Services team members, all Accredited Financial Counselors (AFC® ), work closely with students to offer clear, unbiased information to set them on a sound financial path.
12 AccessLex Institute
AccessLex Student Loan Calculator
AccessLex Graduate and Professional Financial Aid Conference
To better help students estimate the cost of their legal education, our Student Loan Calculator :
For 30 years, this premier annual event has focused on the unique needs of administrators in graduate and professional financial aid, admissions and career and student services. Developed to inform and lead the conversations critical to the world of higher education, administrators from all disciplines come together to share best practices, review and discuss new regulations and learn from expert and nationally acclaimed speakers.
Prepopulates Cost of Attendance • Itemizes cost of living components so students can adjust the figures to fit their lifestyles • Factors in any outstanding undergraduate loans, scholarships and grants, income, savings goals and other personal expenses • Demonstrates the positive effect that prepayment can have on loan repayment •
And of course, the Calculator includes repayment options to help students choose the plan that best fits their budget and repayment goals.
AccessLex.org 13
AccessLex Institute Member Law Schools
Harvard University Law School
•
Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law
•
•
University of Chicago Law School
• U niversity
•
University of Cincinnati College of Law
•
• University
of Minnesota Law School
• Pontifical
•
Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
of Mississippi School of Law
• University
•
University of Houston Law Center
• U niversity
of Missouri School of Law
• Quinnipiac
College of Law
•
Howard University School of Law
• U niversity
of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law
• Regent
University of Idaho College of Law
• M itchell
City University of New York School of Law State University Cleveland-Marshall
•
University of Alabama School of Law
•
University of Colorado Law School
•
•
Albany Law School
•
Columbia Law School
• I llinois
•
American University Washington College of Law
•
Concordia University School of Law
•
Appalachian School of Law
•
University of Connecticut School of Law
•
The University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law
•
Cornell Law School
Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent
College of Law • U niversity
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College of Law
College School of Law
Hamline School of Law
School of Law
• University
• U niversity
of Montana School of Law
• Roger
• U niversity
of Nebraska College of Law
• Rutgers
• U niversity
of Nevada Las Vegas William S. Boyd
• Saint
School of Law
Louis University School of Law University Cumberland School of Law
•
Creighton University School of Law
•
Indiana University Maurer School of Law
•
University of Dayton School of Law
•
Indiana University Robert C. McKinney School of Law
• U niversity
of New Hampshire School of Law
• University
University of Arkansas School of Law
•
University of Denver Sturm College of Law
•
Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Law
• U niversity
of New Mexico School of Law
• Santa
•
DePaul University College of Law
•
University of Iowa College of Law
• N ew
•
The John Marshall Law School
• N ew
•
University of Kansas School of Law
• U niversity
School of Law
•
University of Kentucky College of Law
• N orth
Drake University Law School
•
University of La Verne College of Law
• U niversity
• University
of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen
School of Law
•
Ave Maria School of Law
• U niversity
• University
of Baltimore School of Law
Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law
•
University of Detroit Mercy School of Law of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke
Jefferson School of Law
• U niversity • T ouro
University Law School
• U niversity • T he
• V alparaiso • V anderbilt • V ermont
York University School of Law
Hall University School of Law
University School of Law University Law School
Law School
• V illanova
University Charles Widger School of Law of Virginia School of Law
• W ake
University School of Law
of Tulsa College of Law
University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law
• U niversity
Clara University School of Law
of Toledo College of Law
College J acob D. Fuchsberg Law Center
• T ulane
of San Francisco School of Law
• Seton
of North Dakota School of Law
Tech University School of Law
• T homas
of San Diego School of Law
• Seattle
Carolina Central University School of Law
• T exas
• University
York Law School of North Carolina School of Law
of Richmond School of Law
University School of Law – Camden/Newark
• Samford
England Law – Boston
University School of Law
Williams University School of Law
College of Law
State University Sandra Day O’Connor
of Puerto Rico School of Law
University School of Law
• N ew
• Arizona
of Pittsburgh School of Law Catholic University of Puerto Rico
• U niversity
University of Akron School of Law
•
State University College of Law
• U niversity
• M ississippi
•
•
• Michigan
School of Law
• C leveland
•
of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson
Forest University School of Law
• W ashburn
University School of Law
• W ashington • U niversity
of Washington School of Law
• University
of South Carolina School of Law
• W ashington
• University
of South Dakota School of Law
• W ayne
• South
Texas College of Law Houston
and Lee School of Law
State University Law School
Virginia University College of Law
•
Baylor Law School
•
Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
•
Lewis and Clark Law School
• N ortheastern
University School of Law
• University
•
Belmont University College of Law
•
Duke University School of Law
•
Liberty University School of Law
• N orthern
Illinois University College of Law
• Southern
Illinois University School of Law
•
Duquesne University School of Law
•
Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law
• N orthern
Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase
• Southern
Methodist University Dedman School of Law
• W estern
New England College School of Law
•
Elon University School of Law
•
Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center
• Southern
University Law Center
• W estern
State College of Law
• W hittier
Law School
• Boston •
College Law School
Boston University School of Law
• Brigham
Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School
•
Brooklyn Law School
•
University of Buffalo School of Law
• University
of California, Berkeley School of Law
•
•
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
• N orthwestern
•
Loyola Law School Los Angeles
• U niversity
School of Law
•
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
• N ova
University of Florida Frederic G. Levin College of Law
•
Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
Emory University School of Law
• F aulkner
•
College of Law
University Thomas Goode Jones
Southeastern University Shepard Broad
College of Law
•
University of California, Davis School of Law
•
Florida A&M University College of Law
•
University of Maine School of Law
• O hio
•
University of California, Hastings College of the Law
•
Florida International University College of Law
•
Marquette University Law School
• T he
•
University of California, Irvine School of Law
•
Florida State University College of Law
• U niversity
•
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
•
Fordham University School of Law
•
California Western School of Law
•
George Mason University School of Law
•
The George Washington University Law School
School of Law
•
Georgetown University Law Center
Capital University Law School
•
University of Georgia School of Law
•
Georgia State University College of Law
• M ercer
School of Law
•
Golden Gate University School of Law
• U niversity
of Miami School of Law
• U niversity
The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
•
Gonzaga University School of Law
• U niversity
of Michigan Law School
• P epperdine
• Campbell
•
• Case
•
University Norman Adrian Wiggins
Western Reserve University Franklin T. Backus
14 AccessLex Institute
of Maryland Francis King Carey
School of Law • U niversity
of Massachusetts
School of Law – Dartmouth • T he
University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys
School of Law University School of Law
University Pritzker School of Law
of Notre Dame – The Law School
Northern University Pettit College of Law
Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• U niversity
of Oklahoma College of Law
• O klahoma • U niversity • P ace
City University School of Law
of Oregon School of Law
University Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• U niversity
of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law
• Southwestern
Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley
Law School
John’s University School of Law
• W idener
University Commonwealth Law School
• St.
Mary’s University School of Law
• W idener
University Delaware Law School
• St.
Thomas University School of Law
• W illamette
• University • Stanford
of St. Thomas School of Law
• W illiam
University College of Law
& Mary Law School
University Law School
• U niversity
of Wisconsin Law School
• Stetson
University College of Law
• U niversity
of Wyoming College of Law
• Suffolk
University Law School
• Y ale
• Syracuse • Temple
University College of Law
University Beasley School of Law
• University
State Law
• Texas
• P enn
State – Dickinson Law
• University
University School of Law
Law School
• W estern
• St.
• P enn
of Pennsylvania Law School
of Southern California Gould School of Law
• W est
University School of Law
• Texas
of Tennessee College of Law
A&M University School of Law of Texas at Austin – Texas Law
Southern University Thurgood Marshall
School of Law
Law School
• Y eshiva
University Benjamin N. Cardozo
School of Law
10 North High Street, Suite 400, West Chester, PA 19380 440 First Street NW, Suite 550, Washington, D.C. 20001 AccessLex.org
© 2017 AccessLex Institute (03 / 17)