Pocono News Section

Law School Plans Take Major Step Forward

Law School Plans Take Major Step Forward - Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 6:53PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 @ 06:53pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY - Plans to bring a new law school to Wilkes University took a major step forward Wednesday morning. The dean of the law school initiative was introduced to the community.

Dean Loren Prescott Junior was introduced at a press conference.

"Until you see it come together in the form of a formal announcement and the interest of the press and community, it isn't completely real," Prescott said.

Prescott has more than 18 years of experience working at universities and law schools across the country. His first order of business will be doing studies to find out how big the demand will be. There are a lot of questions that need answers.

"How big an entering class? How big a law school do we want to put together? What's the appropriate size given the nature of the community and student demand?" Prescott said.

Students who currently go to Wilkes University say Wednesday's announcement is a positive step forward.

"I think it's a positive step. It would get a lot of people to come to Wilkes to be in the law department," sophomore Felicia Nause said.

"I think it's a positive. It would probably bring more students to the university," sophomore James Koutch said.

Early plans call for the law school to hold its first classes in the fall of 2010. Between 80 and 100 students would be enrolled.

Dean Prescott will begin his new position at Wilkes University on June first.