Colorado Bar Association
Attorney Admissions & Law School Committee
(Formerly LEAC)
Meeting Minutes
February 3, 2006
Present: Charles Garcia, Karen M. Trojanowski, Dean Dan Vigil, Dean Lorenzo
Trujillo, Prof. Norm Aronson, Prof. Howard Rosenberg, Doug McQuiston, Prof.
Lucy Marsh, Bob Berry, Carolyn Ferber, CBA Executive Director Chuck Turner,
and John Baker.
John Baker called the meeting of the Attorney Admission and Law School
Committee (“AALS”) to order at 8:00 a.m. The following business of the
committee was discussed:
1)
Future Meetings – MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The next meeting will be
as follows:
April 7, 2006 – 8:00 am – CBA/DBA Offices
2)
Report on University of Colorado School of Law and University of
Denver College of Law – Lucy Marsh and Howard Rosenberg reported on the
progress of the University of Denver, College of Law Bar Passage Committee.
The Faculty at DU have passed a program that identifies students that may be at
risk to fail the bar exam and lends them assistance to improve their chances of
passing. The program will focus on all students with a C+ or lower GPA. These
students will be put into a program that will assist them in preparation for the bar.
In addition, mid-term exams will be offered in some of the first year classes, so
that struggling students will be identified earlier. Other changes include an
“early-bird” program each January to measure progress of students in Torts and
Contracts – then provide addition tutoring in the two subjects.
Dean Trujillo University of Colorado School Law and Karen Trojanowski
reported that Dean Trujillo will publish his article on the bar passage subject in
the Colorado Lawyer and in national journals.
Dean Trujillo discussed his
findings and the national findings. Bar passage issues are being confronted in
most states around the country. Dean Trujillo has concluded that in addition to
the work of the law schools on this issue, the profession needs to look at
changing the nature of bar admissions in the states. Wisconsin allows bar
passage for all UW Law School and Marquette graduates. (Important finding –
UW and Marquette graduates when they have to take bar exams are successful.)
Minutes AALS Committee
Page 2
The AALS committee discussed the issues. Differences between DU and
CU identified include difference in size, differences in emphasis on admitting
diverse students with lower LSAT scores, and CU tends to conduct traditional
timed essay tests, rather than multiple-choice, open-book, and take-home exams
seen often at DU.
ACTION:
Committee agreed to continue to offer to both law
schools its offer to recruit, train, and provide mentors to help DU bar
takers prepare for the Bar and offer to help at CU in any way they see as
appropriate.
3)
Teaching of Ethics at the Law Schools – Professor Peppet was
involved out of town, so the report on CU will be offered at the next meeting. DU
will report in the future, also.
4)
Colorado Minority Law Scholarship Consortium – AALS was asked to
take over the Consortium’s Scholarship fund. John Baker reported on the
meeting of the Specialty Bar Committee. The SB does not want to take over the
Consortium project, but recommends that the Consortium be managed and
distributed by both of the law schools.
Dean Trujillo and Dean Vigil both think that the law schools should have
the responsibility of distributing the Consortium funds. Chuck Turner believes
that the Consortium funds can be deposited in the CBA Foundation funds, but
earmarked for use by the law schools consistent with the guidelines established
for the Colorado Minority Law Scholarship Consortium Program.
ACTION:
The Committee voted to turn the management and
distribution of the Consortium funds by Dean Dan Vigil of DU and Dean
Lorenzo Trujillo of CU. The funds will be distributed fairly to qualifying DU
and CU students consistent with the spirit of guidelines established for the
Colorado Minority Law Scholarship Consortium Program. Dean Vigil and
Dean Trujillo will write an article for the Colorado Lawyer to encourage
“check-off” contributions from Colorado Bar Association members. The
AALS Committee will follow up with the CBA for transfer of the funds from
the Consortium account to the CBA Foundation.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 am.
John Baker, Chair