The deans at six law schools across the nation have forged a unique partnership to launch an innovative digital discussion series which uses a virtual platform to engage prospective students and encourage a robust conversation about legal education.

The six-session project—“Open Access: Inside Legal Education with Law School Deans”—begins in August and will feature up to 75-minute informative panels of deans and admissions leaders from the USC Gould School of Law, Albany Law School, Columbia Law School, University of Colorado Law School, University of Georgia School of Law, and University of Oregon School of Law.

The panels encompass a wide range of topics, from navigating the application process to diversity in the legal profession. Amid the temporary pause of in-person law school fairs due to the ongoing global pandemic, these interactive virtual events are designed to allow prospective students to get their questions answered, make important contacts and get a better sense of the intricacies of the study of law, as well as the benefits of a legal education.

“Students entering law school today are looking to make a difference—and there are limitless opportunities for developing leadership and driving change through the practice of law. I look forward to speaking with the next generation of legal professionals about the paths available, the classroom experience, and the admissions process,” said Albany Law School President and Dean Alicia Ouellette. “This is an incredible collaboration, providing access to law school deans across the country, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

The concept behind these informational panels resulted from discussions between the respective deans, who have maintained long-time professional relationships.

The first panel is scheduled Aug. 27, with subsequent panels scheduled every month through January 2021. All panels will be conducted via Zoom and will be archived.

Panels, topics and dates include:

• August 27 at 5 p.m. ET – The Discovery Phase: Why law school, and why now?
• September 16 at 5 p.m. ET – Summary Judgment: The application process demystified
• October 8 at 5 p.m. ET –Extracting Evidence: Explaining the practice of law
• October 21 at 3 p.m. ET – Electronic Discovery: A look at the classroom experience
• November 10 at 5 p.m. ET – Diversifying the legal profession
• January 14 at 5 p.m. ET – Cross-Examination: I’m a Dean at a Law School – Ask Me Anything (AMA)

To register for one or more of the panels, visit https://bit.ly/openaccesslaw. For more information about the discussion series, contact the participating law schools below.

About the Participating Law Schools

• USC Gould School of Law: https://gould.usc.edu/academics/degrees/jd/
• Albany Law School: https://www.albanylaw.edu/
• Columbia Law School: columbia.edu/admissions/jd
• University of Colorado Law School: https://www.colorado.edu/law/
• University of Georgia School of Law: uga.edu
• University of Oregon School of Law: https://law.uoregon.edu/