Spring Break
Law professor opts for Charleston
Decorated USC property law expert joins new Lowcountry law school
Michael LaForgia
Issue date: 1/21/04 Section: News
Another professor from the USC School of Law has committed to work for the new private law school in Charleston when it opens this fall.
Stephen Spitz, an associate professor at USC's law school, became the third faculty member from Carolina to sign on with the new law school since last September, when the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education granted the Charleston School of Law a provisional license. Spitz announced his decision Jan. 14. He could not be reached for comment.
"Steve Spitz is one of the most respected teachers and lawyers in South Carolina," said Charleston School of Law Dean Richard Gershon in a news release. "He is considered a leading expert in South Carolina property law."
John Benfield, former assistant dean of admissions at the USC law school, resigned in October to become an assistant dean of admissions in Charleston. R. Randall Bridwell, USC's Strom Thurmond Professor of Law, will also begin teaching in Charleston this fall.
Spitz, who won the Gedney M. Howe Outstanding Teaching Award during his time at USC, will teach first-year property classes in Charleston. He is the author of a casebook, "Real Estate Transactions: Cases and Materials," as well as chapters about South Carolina water and environmental laws in various books. He has also served as chairman of the Governor's Water Law Review Committee.
Gershon has said in the past that it's not the law school's intention to compete with USC for students and faculty members.
USC law school dean Burnele Powell said the new law school doesn't bother him.
"That's not something that I've given any thought to," Powell said. "Legal academia has over 6,000 professors in it, and it would be surprising even if an unaccredited law school would not be able to attract some law professor from somewhere."
The Charleston School of Law is still awaiting accreditation from the American Bar Association.
For his part, Powell said he is convinced the USC School of Law will always have something to offer students interested in practicing law in South Carolina.
"There will be students who will want to attend a law school with a tradition that is over a century old, there will be students who want to attend a law school that is ABA accredited," Powell said. "Then there will be students for whom none of those things are important, and they will choose their law school accordingly."
Better pay may be one reason why so many USC faculty members are going to work at the new school. The Charleston law school's private status could translate into higher salaries for employees, as it won't be limited by state budget constraints.
Editor in Chief Adam Beam contributed to this report.
Stephen Spitz, an associate professor at USC's law school, became the third faculty member from Carolina to sign on with the new law school since last September, when the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education granted the Charleston School of Law a provisional license. Spitz announced his decision Jan. 14. He could not be reached for comment.
"Steve Spitz is one of the most respected teachers and lawyers in South Carolina," said Charleston School of Law Dean Richard Gershon in a news release. "He is considered a leading expert in South Carolina property law."
John Benfield, former assistant dean of admissions at the USC law school, resigned in October to become an assistant dean of admissions in Charleston. R. Randall Bridwell, USC's Strom Thurmond Professor of Law, will also begin teaching in Charleston this fall.
Spitz, who won the Gedney M. Howe Outstanding Teaching Award during his time at USC, will teach first-year property classes in Charleston. He is the author of a casebook, "Real Estate Transactions: Cases and Materials," as well as chapters about South Carolina water and environmental laws in various books. He has also served as chairman of the Governor's Water Law Review Committee.
Gershon has said in the past that it's not the law school's intention to compete with USC for students and faculty members.
USC law school dean Burnele Powell said the new law school doesn't bother him.
"That's not something that I've given any thought to," Powell said. "Legal academia has over 6,000 professors in it, and it would be surprising even if an unaccredited law school would not be able to attract some law professor from somewhere."
The Charleston School of Law is still awaiting accreditation from the American Bar Association.
For his part, Powell said he is convinced the USC School of Law will always have something to offer students interested in practicing law in South Carolina.
"There will be students who will want to attend a law school with a tradition that is over a century old, there will be students who want to attend a law school that is ABA accredited," Powell said. "Then there will be students for whom none of those things are important, and they will choose their law school accordingly."
Better pay may be one reason why so many USC faculty members are going to work at the new school. The Charleston law school's private status could translate into higher salaries for employees, as it won't be limited by state budget constraints.
Editor in Chief Adam Beam contributed to this report.