Southern New England School of Law
| Active | 1981–2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA |
Southern New England School of Law (SNESL) was a non-profit law school located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts that operated from 1981 to 2010. At its closure, its assets were donated to the University of Massachusetts system to become the basis for the University of Massachusetts School of Law.
The law school was located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, between New Bedford, Massachusetts and Fall River, Massachusetts.
Southeastern Massachusetts-Rhode Island-Avins Law School was incorporated in 1981, offering weekend classes from a storefront location in Fall River. It adopted the name "Southern New England School of Law" in 1986 and won authorization to confer the Juris Doctor degree in 1988. The first graduation was held in 1989. A full-time day program was established in 1992, and the School moved to its Faunce Corner Road campus in North Dartmouth in 1994. It became accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in 1995. At its closure in 2010, it had 200 students, 1200 alumni, 13 full-time faculty and over 20 adjunct instructors.
In 2005, the University of Massachusetts system trustees considered but rejected a proposal to create a UMass Law School by merging SNESL with UMass Dartmouth.
Prior to the school's incorporation into the University of Massachusetts system, students enrolled at Southern New England School of Law had the option of completing a dual JD/MBA program. The MBA (Business School) component was offered at the nearby University of Massachusetts Dartmouth campus. Full-time students enrolled in the joint program completed the course of study within four years or eight semesters.
Additionally, UMass Dartmouth provided Southern New England School of Law students with dormitory arrangements, access to meal services, and use of the UMASS library, bookstore, and athletic facilities.
On 10 December 2009 the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts voted to have UMass Dartmouth acquire the law school from the law school trustees with the aim of creating a competitive and low cost alternative to private law schools in the area. Southern New England held its final commencement on May 29, 2010 and was succeeded by the University of Massachusetts School of Law at Dartmouth.
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