New Dean Hired By Phoenix School of Law to Advance School's Mission and Vision
The Phoenix School of Law has hired Shirley L. Mays as its dean. Mays received her JD from Harvard Law School, and served as a Law Clerk for the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court before taking a position at Capital University's Law School.
Online, October 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The Phoenix School of Law has hired Shirley Mays as its dean, to continue delivering a high quality legal education that provides students the skills required to pass the bar exam and excel in the work force. Dean Mays began her role in August, at the start of this academic year.
Dean Mays was previously at the Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, where she played a primary role in identifying and implementing curricular best practices. She also helped the school significantly improve its bar examination pass rates and demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity. Mays received her JD from Harvard Law School, and served as a Law Clerk for the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court before taking a position at Capital University's Law School. She has been the associate dean of Academic Affairs for the past five years and a law professor at Capital since 1991.
"Dean Mays' professional experience and personal qualities are well-suited to the school's next stage of development, which will establish a superior value proposition in legal education by delivering outstanding student outcomes," said Rick Inatome, chief executive officer of InfiLaw - Phoenix School of Law's parent company. "We look forward to her arrival and role in defining our future."
"During the time I served as the associate dean at Capital, our bar pass rate rose to first in the state," said Mays. "We expanded students' abilities to transfer the theoretical philosophies they were learning in the classroom to legal experiential work opportunities. We created a transactional clinic and worked to enhance students' educational experiences. The skills I developed while doing these activities at Capital make me a good fit with Phoenix School of Law."
Phoenix School of Law's mission and the quality of students and faculty appealed to Mays. Additionally, Mays was impressed by Phoenix School of Law's achievement of the highest bar exam pass rates in Arizona with 83 percent, compared to the state's average of 73 percent.
"The law school's strong commitment to successful student outcomes and results along with an understanding of diversity attracted me to the school. Throughout my interview process I have been favorably impressed with the thoughtfulness, passion and creativity of the staff and students at Phoenix School of Law," said Dean Mays.
The Phoenix School of Law received full accreditation from the American Bar Association (ABA) on June 11, 2010. Phoenix School of Law, which received ABA provisional accreditation in June 2007, is one of only three fully accredited law schools in Arizona. Phoenix School of Law is Arizona's only law school not affiliated with a university.
The Phoenix School of Law demonstrated high benchmarks to earn the approval of the ABA's Accreditation Council, including consistently meeting a career placement rate of approximately 97 percent and receiving the Law School Admissions Council's "2010 Diversity Matters Award" for its efforts to attract students from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the legal profession.
About Phoenix School of Law
Phoenix School of Law is Arizona's only law school offering full-time, part-time day, and part-time evening programs. The School received full accreditation from the American Bar Association in June 2010. PhoenixLaw's mission pillars are to provide student outcome-centered education, produce practice ready graduates, and serve the underserved. For more information about PhoenixLaw, visit www.phoenixlaw.edu or call 602-682-6800.