The "Best" Law School and Alumni News

We live in a world where talk of the US News Rankings dominates the conversation about law school quality. We all know that the US News rankings are seriously flawed yet we continue to participate and many law schools tout their US News rankings at every opportunity. No one seriously suggests (except for the folks that make lots of money off the rankings) that the US News Rankings are any measure of the quality of a law school.

So how do we measure the "best" law school. Professor Bill Henderson of the law faculty of the University of Indiana-Bloomington has developed what I consider to be the finest definition of "best" law school that I have ever read. Bill writes

"I think the best law school is one where the faculty are willing to make inordinate personal sacrifices for the benefit of the collective enterprise and where aspiring lawyers leave the law school skilled, confident, ethical and ensconced in a powerful professional network that opens doors and values public service. In turn, alumnus are sufficiently grateful for the transformative experience that they received that they are willing to underwrite the law school's mission and subsidize this opportunity for future generations."

Bill is right on the money. As long as I am the Dean of our Law School, we will pursue the vision inherent in Bill's definition not the vision created by the US News which relies on external views of unknowns for validation. Thanks to Bill for this major contribution.

On the alumni front, there is a wonderful article in the Kingsport, Tennesse paper about a Cumberland grad, Burkett McInturff who has been practicing for 61 years. Burkett has been a distinguished practioner and a war hero. He is a great example for all of us. I am proud that present day Cumberland has carried on the tradition of excellence created by our law school when it was in Lebanon, Tennessee.

I am off soon to Scottsboro, Alabama so can do a triathlon in the morning. There are several Cumberland students participating as well. It is a real challenge trying to keep up with them. I am excited that these students will be with me. It is an important way to maintain balance in their lives.

More next week.