Changes due in 2015 at Penn State Dickinson School of Law

(Carlisle) — Changes won’t go into effect until 2015, after the American Bar Association granted separate accreditation to Penn State Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle last week.

By then, the Carlisle and University Park campuses will create separate admissions processes, and put together separate administrations.

But, the transition period will be tricky.

Second- and third-year students will proceed as students of the joint law school, while newly-admitted students will only go to one campus.

“We have given a lot of thought to this. We are both very confident in the products that we’re going to put forward. They are going to be different, but they’re going to be complementary. So, we’re not fearful,” saysJim Houck, the dean of the University Park campus.

Each campus will also specialize in different training.

Carlisle will focus on graduating lawyers ready to practice, while University Park students will get a wider view of the legal world.

Students at the Cumberland County campus will have to earn 12 credits of experiential learning, including working in a district attorney’s or public defender’s office, at a nonprofit, or government agency. The idea is that graduates of the school will be able to practice law upon passing the bar exam.

Gary Gildin, interim dean at Penn State Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, says he doesn’t think the split will mean competition between the two schools.

“Both of us have the common name of putting first class lawyers to the world, just with a little different twist. I hope what this means is Penn State will attract interest, and more people will be choosing among two very excellent options.”

The transition will be complete by 2017.