Campbell might move law school to Raleigh

Campbell University might move its law school from the bucolic main campus in Buies Creek to downtown Raleigh.

For now, school officials stress that the idea is only one possibility under review by a campus study committee. But downtown Raleigh boosters say they have had discussions with Campbell officials about scouting for locations.

"Right now, I think they're kicking tires," said Nancy Hormann, president and CEO of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.

A Raleigh location would offer obvious advantages, including proximity to state government, state and federal courts, and large law firms, said Campbell's new law dean, Melissa Essary.

She called it a natural fit that would "increase the intellectual discourse in what is already an intellectual place."

"It's a very dynamic and growing city," she said, but cautioned, "I really can't emphasize enough, this is a look-see."

At this point, she said, the campus group is studying whether a move is economically feasible and in the best interests of Campbell.

The school, called the Norman A. Wiggins School of Law, was founded in 1976. It has about 350 students and boasts the highest passage rate -- 97 percent -- for the July 2006 State Bar exam among North Carolina's law schools. Moving to Raleigh could mean better job opportunities for students, who could network with lawyers, judges and lawmakers in the capital.

This year, two new law schools opened in North Carolina cities. Elon University, which has its main campus in Alamance County, opened a law school in downtown Greensboro. Charlotte School of Law became the state's first for-profit law school.

The Triangle has three law schools -- at N.C. Central University, Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill -- but none in Raleigh. Bringing several hundred graduate students to Raleigh would add hustle and bustle to the city at all hours, Hormann said.

"It's a great asset to the vitality of downtown, so I'm hoping we can make it work for them," she said.

Hormann cited the example of a downtown university center that opened in Dallas, Texas. Five universities bought an old department store building, renovated it and held classes in the heart of downtown, she said.

"It really did enliven an area for 15 hours a day," she said, "so when I heard these guys were looking, I said, 'That's great.' "

Campbell's law school operates in two buildings. But one of them, built about 1900, is partially closed because of structural problems, said John Roberson, the university's vice president for marketing and planning.

The university will not invest in a renovation while it considers the future location of the law school. There is no timetable for the decision, Roberson said, but the school's trustees would make the ultimate call.