ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Two tenured professors at William Mitchell College of Law are suing over potential layoffs connected to a planned merger with Hamline University School of Law.

The two schools are seeking authorization to create the Mitchell-Hamline School of Law.

Reports say John Radsan and Carl Moy sued William Mitchell on Friday, claiming breach of contract.

The lawsuit says that after few people volunteered for part-time status or early retirement, William Mitchell told faculty it was considering changing its tenure code so it could conduct layoffs without paying a year's salary and benefits.

William Mitchell's President and Dean Eric Janus says the school has been clear about the possibility of layoffs, and the tenure code can be amended by its Board of Trustees.

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