New location for Campbell law school may be a threat to UNCsystem schools

Today is the first day of classes at Campbell University’s new law school in downtown Raleigh.

The school’s relocation from Buies Creek, which is about 45 minutes south of Raleigh, spurred a 25 percent increase in applicants.

The increased interest could serve as a threat to UNC-system law schools and other private law schools in the state, but it is hard to assess that, said Melissa Essary, dean of the law school.

First-year students admitted have the highest credentials of any class yet, she said.

Campbell chose Raleigh because of the opportunities the city holds for law students, especially ample internship opportunities that are waiting for students to take them.

The school, located ­on the corner of Hillsborough and McDowell streets, is a stone’s throw away from the N.C. General Assembly, courts and a number of law firms.

“Raleigh provides a living legal laboratory,” Essary said.

“The opportunities that are going to be available to the students are going to be within walking distances. They will have unrivaled exposure to those opportunities,” she said.

Most of their students are either UNC-Chapel Hill or N.C. State University alumni.

“Some students have chosen us over the UNC system because Raleigh is a great city and a prime location for a law school,” Essary said.

“We definitely have a strong Tar Heel presence at Campbell.”

Landon White, first-year student at Campbell law and an alumnus of UNC-CH, said Campbell had been his first choice all along, but the new campus was a perk.

“The legislature and political activity in Raleigh, so close to school definitely sweetened the deal,” he said.

White was wait-listed at the UNC-CH law school. He said he took his name off the waiting list after his acceptance to Campbell.

“The move to Raleigh has garnered more attention,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s going to be taking away applicants from the UNC system, but it’s definitely helping Campbell.”

Students traditionally apply to multiple law schools, so it’s impossible to predict if students will, like Landon, choose Campbell over UNC-system schools, Essary said.

“I can’t say if we are taking away applicants, or if they’re just adding us to their list,” she said.


Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.