William Mitchell, Hamline Law Schools Announce Merger

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law have announced plans to merge.

The schools announced Friday that the merger could happen as early as this fall, pending approval from the American Bar Association.

The new school will be called Mitchell Hamline School of Law. It will be located mainly on Mitchell's campus in St. Paul and headed by Mitchell's new dean, Mark Gordon.

Reports say the announcement comes at a time when law school enrollment has dropped nationwide, and a demand for law school graduates has also declined.

The schools released a joint statement saying Mitchell Hamline will offer more enrollment options than other law schools nationwide, including full-time, weekend and part-time programs, as well as a hybrid on-campus and online option.