Applies to: Students
Policy Holder: Dean of Students
Responsible Office: Dean of Students
Contact Information: Dean of Students: Lynn LeMoine
Effective Date: August 1, 2024
Last Review Date: March 13, 2024
Related Policies:
Academic Rule 1.02 Attendance and Course Expectations
Academic Rule 1.04D Exam Variances: Exam Conflicts/Rescheduling and Accommodations.
Mitchell Hamline School of Law is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment that prepares students for success in law school and in their careers. We are dedicated to advancing the rule of law and justice and expanding access to legal education for people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
As a professional school, our students and graduates must demonstrate competence across a range of knowledge and skills. The National Association for Law Placement and the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System provide guidance regarding expectations of the profession. Further, the American Bar Association and state bar associations require that students and graduates meet certain eligibility requirements for admission to the legal profession.
To achieve these standards, competencies and expectations, students at Mitchell Hamline School of Law must comply with various obligations, either with or without reasonable
accommodation consistent with applicable law. Students must demonstrate these competencies and expectations throughout law school. These competencies, and expectations, known as Technical Standards, are listed and described below.
About Disability Accomodation
The technical standards outlined below cannot be waived. All students at Mitchell Hamline School of Law must meet these technical standards throughout their enrollment at the law school, with or without reasonable accommodation. Students with disabilities are encouraged to consult with the Office of Disability Services to explore whether reasonable accommodations are appropriate considering the technical standards outlined below. Requests for accommodation will be processed through an established interactive process with the Office of Disability Services.
The Office of Disability Services seeks to ensure equitable access while creating an inclusive campus community and universally designed learning environment. Mitchell Hamline School of Law is committed to ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities, programs, and services for all qualified students in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and does not discriminate on basis of disability in the administration of its education-related programs.
The law school is not obligated to provide accommodations that fundamentally alter an essential academic requirement that is necessary to complete the student’s program. Such accommodations are presumptively unreasonable and may be denied.
Variances for ESL Students
Students whose native or primary language is not English (“ESL students”) are eligible to receive limited additional time on timed exams and quizzes during their first two academic semesters of law school with documentation that their prior higher education was in a language other than English, or they received an ESL/ELL variance at their prior higher educational institution(s).
Technical Standards for J.D. and LL.M. students
Legals Skills and Critical Thinking
Students must be able to follow instructions, make reasonable inferences, and organize complicated information.
Students are expected to understand and synthesize large amounts of material from a variety of sources, including written material, lectures, audio, and video sources.
Students are expected to perform research, solve problems, and apply related concepts.
Students must be able to follow variable instruction according to course or instructor.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Students are expected to be proficient in the English language.
Students must be able to give and receive constructive feedback.
Students must work effectively alone and with others, including students, faculty, and staff.
Students are expected to approach all educational and practical experiences with an open mind, demonstrating a willingness to consider diverse perspectives and engage in constructive dialogue.
Students are expected to communicate in a way that is not disruptive to the learning environment.
Students must comply with course rules and expectations.
Students must communicate respectfully and professionally in all types of communication including written, verbal, non-verbal, whether on or off-campus.
Students must be able to initiate communication and engage with law school faculty and administration members without third parties’ assistance and intervention.
Students are expected to monitor official MHSL email accounts and promptly respond to email outreach from faculty, staff, and colleagues.
Character and Professionalism
Students must adhere to the MHSL Student Code of Conduct and all other law school policies.
Students are expected to exercise good judgment, honesty, and integrity in all aspects of their law school experience.
Students are expected to work effectively under often stressful and changing circumstances.
Students must be self-reflective in determining whether they can meet the relevant expectations of a specific course or the program.
Students are expected to identify and seek resources as needed to meet the program’s expectations.
Time Management
Students must be able to meet deadlines.
Students must comply with established processes for seeking extensions.
Students are expected to keep scheduled appointments and communicate regarding delays.
Students are expected to manage course loads and academic demands, including short- and long-term goal setting, prioritization, and project management.
Use of Technology
Students must have access to technology that meets the minimal standards set forth by the Information Technology department.
Students are expected to possess basic competence with word processing, typing, and navigating student information systems and similar technology.
Students are expected to manage multiple login credentials, and multifactor authentication.
Attendance and Participation
Regular and punctual class attendance and adequate preparation are required.
Students must attend classes well-prepared and participate fully in course activities which may include public speaking, with or without notice.
Students are expected to complete all course assignments, graded or ungraded.
Students must attend class in the modality in which the course is offered (in-person, remote synchronous, online).
Students may petition for limited, reasonable exceptions for synchronous remote attendance under documented, unanticipated, extraordinary circumstances. Remote attendance includes active participation in the course, with cameras on as requested by faculty and actively participating.
Students enrolled in the blended enrollment option may not attend semester one preparation week remotely. After the first semester, remote attendance during preparation or capstone weeks for more than one week, cumulatively, throughout a student’s period of enrollment is considered presumptively excessive. Attending brick-and-mortar classes remotely in excess of the attendance limits set forth in the course attendance policy is considered presumptively excessive.
Acknowledgements
These technical standards were developed after a review of the NALP Associate Competencies Report May 2021, University of Oregon School of Law Technical Standards for JD/LLM Programs (as adopted 5/16/2023), Suffolk Law School Essential Performance Standards Policy.