Charleston School of Law Procedes on Nonprofit Conversion Path
Charleston School of Law, the sole independent, for-profit law school in the United States, has embarked on a significant step in its transformation into a nonprofit institution. The school must obtain approval from the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Council on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar for any “substantive change,” involving a change of ownership or control.
Obtaining ABA Approval
This week, J. Edward Bell III, the president of the law school, announced the endorsement, termed “acquiescence” in legal chapters, granted by the long-awaited ABA council. This authorization allows the ABA-accredited Charleston school to shift to nonprofit status.
“Converting our school to a nonprofit has been a crucial objective since my inception as the president in 2015,” expressed Bell. He expressed his thrill on ABA’s endorsement for the transition and showed gratitude to everyone at the law school who contributed to the application.
Emphasizing the importance of the move to a nonprofit model, Bell stated, “This change is a substantial step towards our aim of establishing a permanent domicile on the Charleston peninsula, for the continuous enrichment of the community we serve.”
Remaining Formalities
Achieving the approval of the ABA was a significant stride towards the law school’s conversion to a nonprofit. The next steps involve filing an application for a new license with the S.C. Commission on Higher Education (CHE), the state licensing authority, and initiating the process of securing the confirmation of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).
According to the announcement, the conversion to nonprofit status is expected to entail the current owners of the law school donating the entire establishment to an existing nonprofit, the Charleston School of Law Foundation, Inc. The owners have pledged not to extract any money from the transaction.
The law school officially initiated the process by filing an application seeking ABA Council’s acquiescence for the conversion from for-profit to nonprofit status in October 2023. Larry Cunningham, the school’s provost and dean, testified before the ABA council about the application in February 2024.
A Milestone Moment for Charleston Law
Commenting on the significant development, Cunningham stated, “This is a critical juncture in the history of our nascent law school. Transitioning into a nonprofit would considerably benefit the students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community at large.”
Charleston School of Law, one of the two law schools in South Carolina, was founded in 2002 and held its first classes in the fall of 2004. Renowned nationally for fostering a student-centric culture, the school is also committed to teaching the practice of law as a profession aimed at rendering public service.
As it moves forward in its conversion process, Charleston Law continues to focus on its essential mission – providing an excellent legal education in a supportive learning environment. This move to an independent, nonprofit status will only serve to enhance the school’s ability to strategically build upon the strengths of its existing programs for the betterment of the students and the community they serve.
