91香蕉视频

The College of Law may be just a few years old, but this new school on the block is already establishing itself as a force in Florida's legal education landscape. Since opening its doors in August 2022, it has quickly earned a reputation as one of the state's most promising and dynamic law schools.

Last spring, the College graduated its inaugural class, which achieved the second-highest bar exam pass rate among all Florida law schools 鈥� an impressive 91.7%. As of February 2026, including states outside of Florida, the inaugural class had achieved an ultimate bar pass rate of 92.3%. It's a remarkable accomplishment for a first showing at the bar. Yet this rapid ascent hasn't occurred despite the school鈥檚 newness; rather, it's happened because of it.

While other well-established institutions have decades-long histories behind them, Randall C. Berg Jr., Founding Dean, Nicholas Allard believes the school鈥檚 blank slate allows it to be at the cutting edge of legal education. 鈥淭hings that law schools have never really focused on,  we're focusing on them,鈥� he said. Having identified seven key priorities to guide the future of the school, Dean Allard is intent on weaving each into the fabric of the overall educational experience, where real, practical learning extends far beyond theory. 鈥淚n the world where the only constant, paradoxically, is accelerating change, we don't want this new school to ever become old school,鈥� he said.

When it launched in 2022, the College of Law became the first new law school in Florida in more than 20 years. With Jacksonville experiencing rapid growth and now ranking as the  10th most populous city in the USS., it was an opportune moment for the university to invest in a law school that could meet the region's burgeoning demand for legal talent and resources.

Dean Allard likens the way the school was built鈥攊s being built鈥攖o that of a startup. He credits the momentum to the energy of the students, staff and faculty who chose JU precisely because they wanted to embrace the challenge. He shares that they were 鈥渢est pilots鈥� collectively helping to build the plane mid-flight. 鈥淚 think we're all very aware of how special it is that we're kind of creating the culture and what it means to be a JU law student,鈥� said third-year law student Marissa Abry van der Zee. 鈥淚 think we all take that really  seriously in terms of the way that we interact with each other and with people in the community.鈥�

In August 2024, the school moved into its new home inside the historic former Atlantic National Bank building in downtown Jacksonville, right in the heart of the city鈥檚 bustling legal district. The College of Law is the result of a strategic partnership with the City of Jacksonville, which supplied $11.5 million in support. The eight-month renovation project by Auld & White Constructors, TTV Architects and Workscapes revitalized 50,000 square feet
of underutilized office space across four floors, transforming the 117-year-old building into a modern law school.

Auld & White took great care to thoughtfully preserve historic features such as the first-floor stairwell and second-floor reception room, complete with original parquet floors and ceiling trim, while blending them seamlessly with modern design elements like a three-story atrium that floods the common areas with natural light. This intentional approach earned the College of Law an Excellence in Construction award in the Historical Restoration/Renovation category at the 2025 Associated Builders & Contractors鈥� Florida First Coast Chapter's annual awards, beating out 55 other entries.

Just blocks away from state and federal courthouses, law firms, and government 22 buildings, the school's location offers students unparalleled access to real-world legal experiences鈥攐ne of Dean Allard鈥檚 seven priorities. The green lanyards students wear when entering these spaces have become a quiet symbol of the bright future of Jacksonville's legal community. Judges and attorneys often go out of their way to connect with students,  sparking serendipitous learning and opening doors of opportunity.

鈥淎n explosive upside has been the support from the bench and the bar inside Northeast Florida,鈥� said 91香蕉视频 President Tim Cost. 鈥淎ttorneys, corporations, consultants, elected officials鈥攖hey all want to see these graduates succeed. They want to help at the college itself; they want to be involved. There's been a tremendous outpouring of support.鈥�

The community partnership goes both ways. In September, the school was recognized for its strong service culture鈥攁nother of the seven priorities鈥攚hen it received the Kathy Para Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. The award, typically given to an individual or organization for a single case or project, was instead presented to the College in recognition of the hundreds of pro bono hours volunteered by students. 鈥淚 was very proud,鈥� said Dean Allard. 鈥淚t's gratifying and reminds students why they're doing all this stuff, why they're breaking their backs studying to be lawyers.鈥�

Last fall, the school welcomed its largest incoming class yet鈥�70 students鈥攎ore than doubling the student body to 135. While enrollment is growing, there are no plans to lose the intimacy and personalized approach that are hallmarks of the Jacksonville experience. That personal touch extends all the way to the top: over the summer, Dean Allard personally called each new student to congratulate them on their admission.

Among them was first-year student Brandon Fason, who said the accessibility of faculty and staff has been what impresses him most. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not really positions at JU, it's people. We know the people because they walk the halls with us. They say, 鈥榟i鈥�. They call us by name. Dean Allard has his door open pretty much any day, any time that he's there. I don't think I've ever walked by his office and not seen him with his door open and given him a wave, said 鈥榟i鈥�.

Dean Allard has said time and again that there is no tool in the world as powerful as a legally trained mind. While he, staff, and the faculty work to equip the next generation of lawyers with that tool, they're doing so with what he calls 鈥淛acksonville Pollock creativity,鈥� embracing innovation every step of the way. Put all of these elements together, and you have a recipe for success. And the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. 鈥淵ou don't have to leave Jacksonville to get an outstanding, top-line, second-to-none education,鈥� says Dean Allard. 鈥淚f you want a great law school education, come to JU. You'll get it here.鈥�