PHOENIX SCHOOL OF LAW

4041 N. CENTRAL AVENUE, SUITE 100

PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85012-3330

Telephone: (602) 682-6800

Fax: (602) 682-6999

http://www.phoenixlaw.edu

 

History of the Law School

 

PhoenixLaw was founded in 2004 as a dual division law school and a member of InfiLaw Holding, LLC ("InfiLaw"), a consortium of independent law schools. Like other schools in the consortium, PhoenixLaw is characterized by a commitment to student‑centeredness, a practice‑ready legal education, and service to underserved communities. However, PhoenixLaw is an independent entity and thus manages its own admission processes, academic programs, and faculty and staff appointments.

 

PhoenixLaw was begun under the leadership of Donald Lively. Dean Lively was the founding Dean of Florida Coastal School of Law ("FCSL"), which achieved full ABA approval in 2002. Dean Lively's role was to establish the framework and foundation for achieving provisional approval at PhoenixLaw. Toward this end, his start‑up responsibilities included framing the academic program and core processes, recruiting a qualified charter student body, appointing a first‑year faculty, creating relationships within the community, establishing a local board of advisors and securing a facility adequate for short‑term needs. Dean Lively now is on leave from PhoenixLaw and serves as a vice president for InfiLaw, where, among other things, he is a resource for PhoenixLaw on accreditation‑related processes.

 

The School commenced academic operations in January 2005 at the former Scottdale Community College Airpark Campus. This facility provided almost turnkey plant and technological capacity for the School's start‑up phase. Although the Scottsdale site was adequate for start‑up needs, a new facility was essential to meet anticipated growth and development. In October 2006, PhoenixLaw moved to a new facility in midtown Phoenix that not only provides adequate space and functionality for present and future needs based on enrollment, but also places the School in a central location near major law firms, government offices and the courts, and is convenient to a more diverse range of students.

 

PhoenixLaw aims to achieve excellence on the basis of student outcomes. Toward this end, PhoenixLaw is attentive and responsive to the market's evolving expectations and demands of law school graduates, has identified a changing legal profession that demands a more practice‑ready law school graduate and recognizes significant changes in employment opportunities for law school graduates and the likelihood that most of them would practice in small firms or independently.

 

PhoenixLaw has identified the need for change in legal education if it was to serve the needs of contemporary law students. Accordingly, its mission is illuminated by its ideals of narrowing the gap between law schools and the legal profession.

 

Mission Statement

 

The mission of Phoenix School of Law LLC ("PhoenixLaw" or the "School") is to provide a legal education that: (1) is student‑centered; (2) facilitates practice readiness; and (3) serves underserved communities. In furtherance of this mission, PhoenixLaw is committed to achieving the following objectives:

 

Objective 1

Provide a program of legal education that prepares graduates for admission to the bar, for effective and ethical participation in the legal profession and for continuing comprehensive professional development.

 

Objective 2

Offer a "student‑centered" educational experience that facilitates market‑leading outcomes in bar examination performance, career placement and minority success.

 

Objective 3

Instill "best practices" processes that facilitate excellence in teaching and other key functions and are the basis for continuous improvement.

 

Objective 4

Recruit and develop a well‑qualified and diverse faculty, staff and student body who are committed to the institution's mission.

 

Objective 5

Develop learning models that enable students, regardless of background or learning style, to succeed.

 

Objective 6

Provide the facilities, information resources and technology to support the educational program and other institutional needs and service to the community.

 

Faculty

 

The PhoenixLaw faculty is composed of persons with significant experience in legal education and/or law practice who have a shared commitment to the institution's practice‑readying mode of legal education. All members of the full‑time faculty have a J.D. degree.

 

Students

 

PhoenixLaw's initial class, in Spring 2005, had 28 part‑time evening students. This class was composed from 100 applicants, of which 43 were admitted.

 

Since then the School has admitted full‑time and part‑time classes in Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Summer 2006 and Fall 2006. PhoenixLaw's part‑time program of study provides accessibility and study options that are flexible and consistent with the lifestyle needs of adult learners who cope with competing demands ‑ family, work and finances. PhoenixLaw students are well qualified based upon traditional academic quality indicators and projected bar examination performance. PhoenixLaw prides itself on serving the public by providing broader access to legal education opportunities. Many of these persons, but for the opportunity PhoenixLaw offers, would not have the chance to study law.

 

Student Services

 

PhoenixLaw is committed to student services that provide counseling, enrichment and academic and career support. The Office of Student Affairs is led by Tedd Miller, Dean of Students, along with his staff. Dean Miller has over thirty‑one years of experience in legal education and brings a wealth of expertise to the role.

 

Student Externship Program

 

In Summer 2006, an experienced practitioner and former Arizona Superior Court Judge, Michael Yarnell, was engaged as Assistant to the Dean to design an externship program. Judge Yarnell reviewed leading externship programs from ABA accredited law schools, spoke with and interviewed the directors of several programs, reviewed the literature concerning externship program issues, solicited input from PhoenixLaw faculty and administrators and conducted an online survey of PhoenixLaw students. The Student Externship Program Proposal received faculty review and approval in August 2006. Students must have successfully completed 30 academic credits prior to participation in a field placement. Students on academic probation are not eligible to register for or participate in the program. Furthermore, students may not receive monetary compensation for a field placement for which they are receiving academic credit.

 

Student externship field placements fall within four general areas: government agency externships; legal aid and similar pro‑bono legal service externships; non‑profit organization externships; and judicial externships.

 

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Dean and Professor of Law:

Dennis J. Shields (602) 682‑6814

Dean of Admissions:

BarbaraKaye Miller (602) 682‑6819

Financial Aid Coordinator:

Sarah Heuerman (602) 682‑6842

Assoc. Dean, Info. Resources & Tech. and Assoc. Prof. of Law:

Kristina L. Niedringhaus (602) 682‑6822

Director, Center for Professional Development:

Julie Carroll (602) 682‑6841

Assoc. Dean for Academic Affairs & Assoc. Professor of Law:

Ann E. Woodley (602) 682‑6831

Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs:

Alicia Togno (602) 682‑6831

Dean of Students:

Tedd Miller (602) 682‑6820

Associate Professor of Law:

Mary Ann Pierce (602) 682‑6823

Assistant Professor of Law:

Victoria S. Salzmann (602) 682‑6837

Assistant Clinical Professor of Law:

Michael A. Yarnell (602) 682‑6835

Director of Academic Success:

Karol Schmidt (602) 682‑6840

Registrar:

Tim Downing (602) 682‑6806

Communications Manager:

Jodi Weisberg (602) 682‑6830

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FULL TIME FACULTY

 

DENNIS J. SHIELDS, (Dean and Professor of Law), born Iowa, 1955; admitted to bar, 1984, Iowa. Education: Graceland College (B.A., Business Administration, 1977); The University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., 1982); Harvard Graduate School of Education (Management Development Program, June‑July 1988). Email: dshields@phoenixlaw.org

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DANIEL J. DYE, (Lawyering Process Instructor), born Detroit, Michigan, 1972; admitted to bar, 2003, Arizona. Education: Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (B.S., Economics, 1997); University of Kansas (J.D., 2003). COURSES: Intro to Legal Writing, Lawyering Process I, Lawyering Process II, Torts II. Email: ddye@phoenixlaw.org

 

STEPHEN A. GERST, (Associate Professor of Law), born Phoenix, Arizona, April 1942; admitted to bar, 1966, Arizona. Education: University of Arizona (B.A., 1964; LL.B./J.D., 1966). COURSES: Contracts, Criminal Law. Email: sgerst@phoenixlaw.org

 

STEVEN GONZALES, (Associate Professor of Law), born Detroit, Michigan; admitted to bar, 1980, Michigan; 1990, Colorado; 1992, Arizona. Education: Michigan State University (B.A., 1974); Wayne State University (J.D., 1978). COURSES: Constitutional Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Property, Federal Indian Law, Civil Procedure. Email: steven.gonzales@azbar.org

 

MARY DELORES GUERRA, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Phoenix, Arizona, September 1961; admitted to bar, 2000, Arizona. Education: Phoenix College (A.A., 1993); Arizona State University (B.A., Political Science, 1996); University of California, Los Angeles (J.D., 2000). COURSES: Business Associations, Commercial Law. Email: mguerra@phoenixlaw.org

 

RYAN D. JOHNSON, (Lawyering Process Instructor), born Chicago, Illinois, May 1976; admitted to bar, 2004, Arizona. Education: University of Iowa (B.B.A., 1999); Arizona State University (J.D., 2004). COURSES: Lawyering Process. Email: rjohnson@phoenixlaw.org

 

KRISTINA L. NIEDRINGHAUS, (Associate Dean for Information Resources & Technology and Associate Professor of Law), Education: Washington University (A.B.); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (J.D.); University of Missouri ‑ Columbia (M.A.). COURSES: Legal Research. Email: kniedringhaus@phoenixlaw.org

 

MARYANN PIERCE, (Associate Professor of Law), born Lansing, Michigan, January 1955; admitted to bar, 1988, Michigan. Education: Western Michigan University (B.A., 1984); Thomas Cooley Law School (J.D., 1988). COURSES: Contracts I, Contracts II, Tax‑Exempt Organizations, Law Office Management, Business Law, Nonprofit Organizations Clinic, Rental Housing Clinic, Low‑Income Taxpayer Clinic, Small Business & Nonprofit Clinic. Email: mpierce@phoenixlaw.org

 

MARY F. RADFORD, (Visiting Professor of Law), born Paterson, New Jersey, May 1952; admitted to bar, 1981, Georgia. Education: Newcomb College of Tulane University (B.A., 1974); Emory University School of Law (J.D., 1981). COURSES: Wills, Trusts, & Estates; Estate Planning. Email: mradford@phoenixlaw.org

 

VICTORIA S. SALZMANN, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Laredo, TX, May 1972; admitted to bar, 2001, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.S., 1994); Baylor University (M.S., 1996); Baylor School of Law (J.D., 1999). COURSES: Torts, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure. Email: vsalzmann@phoenixlaw.org

 

SHANDREA P. SOLOMON, (Assistant Professor of Law), born 1971; admitted to bar, 1994, Louisiana. Education: Southern University and A&M College (B.A., English, 1991); Loyola University‑New Orleans (J.D., 1994). COURSES: Contracts II, Criminal Procedure, Professional Responsibility. Email: ssolomon@phoenixlaw.org

 

JENNIFER E. SPRENG, (Assistant Professor of Law), born Sewickley, Pennsylvania, 1968; admitted to bar, 1996, Missouri; 1997, Kentucky. Education: Washington and Lee University (B.A., with honors, American History, 1990); Saint Louis University (J.D., 1995). COURSES: Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Bankruptcy, Consumer Law. Email: jspreng@phoenixlaw.org

 

PENNY L. WILLRICH, (Associate Professor of Law, Director Lawyering Process Program), born Dallas, Texas, August 1954; admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; 1988, Arizona. Education: University of Texas‑Arlington (B.A., Political Science, 1973; B.A., History 1976); Antioch School of Law (J.D., 1982); Springfield College (M.S., Human Services‑Community Psychology, 2001); Cappella University (Ph.D. Candidate, Human Services‑Criminology, 2009). COURSES: Lawyering Process I & II, Contracts I, Civil Procedure I, Evidence, Family Law. Email: pwillrich@phoenixlaw.org

 

ANN E. WOODLEY, (Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Law), born Greenville, South Carolina; admitted to bar, 1981, Arizona; 1983, District of Columbia; 1991, Ohio; 1992, California. Education: University of Arizona (B.A., 1978); Arizona State University College of Law (J.D., 1981). COURSES: Mediation, Mediation Advocacy, Interviewing and Counseling, Pretrial Advocacy, Civil Procedure, Employment Discrimination, ADR. Email: awoodley@phoenixlaw.org

 

MICHAEL A. YARNELL, (Assistant Clinical Professor of Law), born Chicago, Illinois, September 1944; admitted to bar, 1971, Arizona. Education: Arizona State University (B.S., 1967); University of Illinois (J.D., with honors, 1971); University of Phoenix (MAED, 2004). COURSES: Property Law, Externship Director, Distance Learning. Email: myarnell@phoenixlaw.org