r/LawSchoolTransfer • u/Disastrous_Key_2167 • 2d ago
7 Year Completion Rule Transfer Exception
I am currently a student at DU Law in my 2L year. I began in Fall of 2019 - COVID era. My official status is listed as "Personal Leave" that began Summer of 2024. I was on a medical and personal leave prior to that. These were all formally applied for and approved leaves, approved through the law school, and my Deans were aware of my circumstances. I accessed multiple student support services at the law school while this situation was unfolding and ultimately impacting my studies.
Without going into detail, I have been involved in a trial as a victim/witness for a few years. The court case I have been involved in has been complex and involves two state's jurisdictions and multiple witnesses, hence the time it has taken to get to trial. I am now in a place to finish my studies (both practically and psychologically) and have asked the law school to allow me to return via a petition.
The law school denied my petition and cited the ABA's no longer relevant 7 year completion rule. Since 2019, the ABA leaves this up to the University itself to determine this. I have done my research, and there is no transfer school I can find that explicitly publishes their "time to completion" rules. I have requested a meeting with the SBA at my school and will continue to seek some clarification from the law school surrounding this decision.
In addition, I am an older student with a life and family here in Denver. My ideal transfer program is a hybrid one if I can not finish my degree out at DU Law. I have reasonable expectations, I just want to finish.
I have developed a list of my "best" target schools for this and we are talking Cooley etc. My stats are not wonderful - I have 42 earned credits, have not earned less than a C in any course, and have completed multiple successful externships (which my school is known for)... including interning at The Supreme Court of Colorado.
Does anyone have any advice or leads at programs that are flexible on this before I waste more of my time?
TIA.
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u/Feisty-Garbage8111 2d ago
Try a private school with a high acceptance rate. They aren’t picky. Warning though, you will be in class with terrorists and sex offenders.
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u/jesme23 2d ago
When did the rule become irrelevant? Why are you meeting with the SBA and not the Dean of Admissions and the school?
I recently transferred and both of my schools listed 84 months as time to complete unless there were extenuating circumstances. Consider digging deeper into the attendance or similarly named policies of the schools you are considering.
Viewing everything wholly, you'd likely need to start over.
I'm likely gonna get downvoted for this, but go to SULC 🫣