Carole J. Buckner, Dean of St. Francis School of Law, welcomed the latest incoming group of students who began the J.D. program this fall. The students completed the three week Orientation course with Prof. Michael Santana, and began their law studies in the St. Francis online Juris Doctor program with Torts I.
The class is once again highly diverse in every way. Approximately 55% of the students are from California. Just over one-third of the class holds a professional license in another field. The class overall has 17 years of prior work experience in a variety of industries including technology, law and politics, business, healthcare, and education. The average age of our latest group is 44, and our latest class is 45% men, and 55% women.
Dean Buckner indicated, “The latest group is highly qualified, and we’ve continued to be very selective in our admissions process. Our class has an average undergraduate GPA of 3.3 and an average graduate GPA of 3.63. This is yet another group of highly talented students and we expect that they will be very successful.” Professor Bill Baughman, who has some of the new students in his Torts I course, reported they are “great students” already.
Our first year faculty in the torts has a wealth of experience to share with the students. Prof. Larry Liu is a long time litigator, bringing his torts experience into the classroom. Prof. Bill Baughman worked with Lawyers Mutual addressing lawyers’ professional liability issues, and has taught torts previously at St. Francis. Prof. Annie Pan is an elder care lawyer and has also taught Torts previously for St. Francis’ first year students. Prof. Karen Travis is a longtime litigator in the area of professional malpractice, both representing and suing doctors, with experience in product liability cases. These professors bring their practical experience into the classroom.
The torts curriculum covers everything from defamation, including libel and slander, to assault and battery, and nuisance. This course of study is designed to provide extensive instruction in products liability, as well as negligence. Students develop their skill of advising hypothetical clients in weekly assignments which are graded with feedback from the professors.
Learn more about how our curriculum works here.