© 2017 The Texas Lawbook.
By Mark Curriden
(Oct. 3) – Retired U.S. District Judge Royal Furgeson announced late Monday that he plans to retire as the dean of the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law on June 30, 2018.
Furgeson left his position as a federal judge in 2013 to help create and launch the downtown Dallas public law school with the objective of providing a three-year legal education at a significantly reduced cost in hopes of attracting a more diversified student body.
By nearly all accounts, UNT Law and Furgeson have exceeded expectations. The law school reached a critical success point in June when the American Bar Association awarded the institution provisional approval for accreditation.
For more than 18 years, Furgeson served as a federal judge in West Texas.
UNT Dallas President Bob Mong said Furgeson is “a true icon in Texas law and his legend has only grown stronger while building our new law school.”
Mong said the university plans to start a national search for a new dean in the next couple months.
The law school will move into the historic former Dallas City Hall, located at 106 S. Harwood, in 2019.
In a written statement, Furgeson said the law school is attempting to be innovative in many ways. For example:
- Rather than conducting one final exam at the end of each semester, UNT Dallas law students receive multiple assessments throughout every course to identify their progress and where extra emphasis can support success;
- Doctrinal courses require the usual reading load to prepare for each class, plus graded assignments to challenge students in applying substantive law knowledge through practical applications like drafting documents, negotiation, advanced research, or client communication; and
- The law school has launched two Community Lawyering Centers with students and supervising attorneys to bring legal services to eligible citizens in clinics located in underserved neighborhoods.
“Our goal at UNT Dallas College of Law has always been to equip graduates with practice-related competencies and the practical knowledge to pass the Texas Bar Exam,” Furgeson said. “I’m proud that we’ve done that and I’m proud of the fact that the ABA believes in our approach to law.
“Most of all, I’m proud of our students – they really are amazing people from all walks of life – and I’m excited that UNT Dallas will allow me to continue serving our law school after my retirement as Dean,” he said.
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