Over the last year or so I think most people, including many prospective law students, could have gotten the wrong impression about Ave Maria School of Law as it heads down from Michigan to joint its namesake town outside of Naples, Florida and its namesake university. I have often thought that moving an established school across the country can leave many settled law school professors, staff and students upset, and I understand why. In that regard, the wrong impression arises because those that are disgruntled are obviously better at blogging than are the benefactors and visionaries of the law school. In the end, the wrong impression is often left.
Whether people have a reason to be upset, trying to denigrate a fine institution that is looking to improve its position in this world is really a shame. Lawsuits stating people were fired improperly; filing complaints with the ABA; trying to make the law schools chief benefactor, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan appear to be some kind of Judas; and, trying to make light of the fact that when the school arrives in Florida it will not immediately have a "new building" all appears like sour grapes by a bitter few. The last point seemed to be to be particularly silly because law schools move into perfectly fine temporary facilities while they raise funds and build new buildings all of the time.
Much like the argument of not respecting our troops with unfounded remarks, these attacks disrespect the many good students and graduates that have been allowed to attend Ave Maria. Whatever the intent, whatever the gripe, these stunts have done little to improve the image or the lot of these lawyers.
Ave Maria has now been partly vindicated. As reported by The Wall Street Journal Law Blog, the American Bar Association (ABA) has told the school that it is in compliance with a standard that requires the school “maintains conditions adequate to attract and retain competent faculty” and remains on the list of ABA-approved law schools. Now the law school only needs to receive “acquiescence” from the ABA to retain its accreditation upon making the move to Naples, Florida.
There are those that are still bitter. On the Law Blog, for example, there are many unsubstantiated, and nasty remarks, about the the ABA duping students into spending thousands of dollars on a "worthless degree" and calling Monaghan a "freak". Well, of course these statements are just asinine, senseless and unintelligent. You can mark it up to unpalatable wisecracks by an embittered and rancorous few. Remember, you cannot really get far in life or succeed by listening to pestilent naysayers in this world. As we have learned, those that would instill fear do not have your best interest at heart. Besides, these couple of comments are just wrong. The law degree is not worthless for the very reason that ABA accreditation allows Ave Maria's graduates to take the bar and compete in every state in this nation. Further, how can one call someone a freak because he has a deep sense a spirituality and has lived a life of great benevolence and charitableness. You do not have to agree with the man, but such name calling shows nothing but the churlishness of the commenter. Like him or hate him, Monaghan has sacrificed his personal wealth to give many students a chance to be lawyers. Also, as I have reported earlier, Ave Maria School of Law is one of the top schools in the United States in terms of gifts and scholarships it provides its students. In actuality, it costs much less to attend Ave Maria than most other private law schools.
I think what is more telling for example are all of the wonderful emails I have received from my past posts from Ave Maria grads that are so grateful for the opportunity the law school provided them. And just recently, one graduate, Jerry Bartholomew, wrote a piece for Build A Solo Practice in which he had nothing but praise for Ave Maria. Successful and grateful graduates are the best evidence.
We wish Ave Maria the best.
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