The building of facilities to support a new law school in El Paso could cost anywhere from $60 million to $110 million and would see one or several structures housing classrooms and offices.
Plans to establish and build a law school on the El Paso campus of the University of Texas have been in the talking stage for several years. But now a study authorized by the Texas State Legislature has produced hard financial data firming up the idea.
The study, The Feasibility of Establishing a Law School at the University of Texas at El Paso, contends that it would cost around $20 million just to administratively get such a school up and running.
In discussing the findings of the study, Heather Wilson, UTEP President, said it was clear that “there is a need for legal services in West Texas.” Wilson, in a statement, added that “with sufficient financial support to start it,” the school could prove sustainable over the long haul.
The study, undertaken by the consulting firm Kennedy & Company of Washington, particularly noted that the diverse population of metro El Paso should be regarded as an asset in the establishment of a law school.
“Hispanic, Latino, and Puerto Rican students continue to comprise a larger portion of the U.S. law school applicant pool,” said the study. Overall, the number of applicants to the nation’s law schools from this demographic has increased by 26% in just the last four years alone.
“These populations are growing regionally and nationally and would provide a strong basis of student support for a UTEP law school,” continues the study.
The structures housing such a law school would feature both faculty and staff offices, as well as moot court rooms, a law library, and student gathering spaces.
Building on the findings of the study, UTEP officials are expected in the months ahead to reach out to various Texas lawmakers, as well as University of Texas System Regents, in an effort to secure both official approval for the project as well as capital support.
November 19, 2024
By Garry Boulard
