Lake Erie College joins with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law for new program

Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Lake Erie College in Painesville have partnered to offer a 3+3 Joint Bachelor’s/Law Accelerated Degree Program, the first of its kind in Northeast Ohio.

By enrolling in this program, students will have the opportunity to complete both bachelor’s and law degrees in just six years instead of the traditional seven years necessary to complete four years of undergraduate studies and three years of law school, according to a press release.

Under this partnership, enrolled students will receive their undergraduate degree from Lake Erie College after completing their first year of Juris Doctor studies at Cleveland-Marshall.

‘Given the current landscape of rising costs in education, we welcome the opportunity to give students the option of eliminating one year of educational expenses as they work toward their ultimate goal of a career in the legal profession,’ Cleveland-Marshall Dean Craig M. Boise said. ‘Our partnership with Lake Erie College is unique for giving students an opportunity to pursue an accelerated undergraduate program of their choice in an intimate, private school setting, culminating in a legal education experience in resurgent downtown Cleveland.’

Lake Erie College President Michael T. Victor added, ‘We are pleased to partner with Cleveland-Marshall College of Law to offer the first 3+3 program in Northeast Ohio. The program will not only help in educating the next generation of lawyers, but it will also eliminate a year of school for the students enrolled.

‘This will be a tremendous help to them as they train for their lifelong careers.’

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Lake Erie College moved quickly to create the accelerated 3+3 J.D. program after the Ohio Supreme Court adopted amendments to the Government of the Bar of Ohio in July 2014 that eliminate the requirement that students complete a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in law school.

Under the agreement, Lake Erie students enroll in the program as freshman and work with advisors at their school to ensure they are following the proper requirements throughout their studies, as well as earning a minimum 3.45 GPA for 90 undergraduate credit hours and taking the required Law School Admission Test.

The students will complete their final year of undergraduate studies at Cleveland-Marshall as first-year law students.

For further information about enrolling in the 3+3 program, contact Stephen Lazowski, Lake Erie College vice president for enrollment management and financial aid, at 440-375-7053 or slazowski@lec.edu.