ALBANYLAW MAGAZINE | FALL 2023
Expanding Access to an Albany Law Education
AN ALBANY LAW SCHOOL education and Juris Doctor degree are more accessible than ever before.
Starting in August 2024, the law school will welcome its first class in its new Flex Juris Doctor program. The program allows students to pursue a law degree—primarily online and on their schedule—without relocating or disrupting their current professional or personal responsibilities."
Delivered through online classes and one in-person intensive session per year, the program combines asynchronous and synchronous coursework taught by Albany Law School’s top-notch faculty through required and elective courses in the residential JD program, clinics, externships, and immersive experiential learning opportunities.
The degree springs from the law school’s new strategic plan, From Innovation to Opportunity.
“Our continuing goal is to make access to justice and legal education broader, attainable, and ubiquitous. This program embodies, exemplifies, and embraces that,” said Albany Law School President and Dean Cinnamon P. Carlarne. “Our new Flex JD program harnesses not only the latest technical innovation, but the deep breadth of legal scholarship and knowledge that our faculty bring to the education experience for all of our students.”
“This is an exceptionally exciting time to be entering the legal profession. Through this program students can get the tools they need to have a meaningful impact on the legal community no matter where they are,” Chair of the Albany Law School Board of Trustees Dan S. Grossman ’78 said. “Through the power of technology, students anywhere in the world now have access to a world-class legal education that will improve the employment opportunities for not only themselves, but their families and communities.”
“Our goal is to expand access to legal education by providing this program for students who may not have a law school near where they live or have other obligations and responsibilities and can on participate in a program with flexibility, said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Rosemary Queenan. “It’s the same JD program, with the same requirements and the same experience. They will have an experiential requirement and we will work with them to find a placement that works with their schedule and their circumstances.”
The program came together through the collaboration of faculty from across the school, led by Queenan and Professor of Law Jonathan Rosenbloom, and has been approved by the American Bar Association.
“An important part of an Albany Law School education is the community building, and we have come together to bring that into the Flex program. Something I’ve been particularly proud of is the collaboration. We’ve worked closely with the faculty, administration, staff and students. And there’s been support from across the law school for it,” said Rosenbloom. He is serving as the Director of the Flex JD program. “So many have contributed to ensure we have a fully thought out, developed, and strong program.”
The Flex JD will offer specializations in areas where the law school already has robust offerings in Business Law, Environmental and Climate Law, Government Law and Public Service, and Social Justice and Public Interest.
“We’re fortunate that we’ve developed a number of programs already for our residential program that we could tap into. We’re also going to expand our course offerings, in developing some of the specialty tracks. Our new courses will also benefit to our residential students because they can take some online courses too,” Queenan said.
