Bridges

Bridges was Solo Practice University’s program for law schools and bar associations. It launched in 2011 with New York Law School as its inaugural partner, and each school or bar got its own branded portal on the SPU site. The program no longer runs. This page keeps the record.

How it worked for law schools

A school bought a block of SPU scholarships at a reduced rate for its upper-year students and alumni, and arranged a similar discount for the students and alumni who didn’t receive one. SPU built a branded portal for each school, where its students and alumni could enroll and connect with SPU members from the same school.

How it worked for bar associations

Bar members got a discount on SPU tuition through a private, bar-branded portal, and the bar received a promotional allowance for each enrollment, paid out twice a year. Because bars earned revenue from their own CLE, SPU offered bar members an enrollment option without its unlimited online CLE.

Partner law schools

• New York Law School, the inaugural partner. Read the announcement.
• Chapman University School of Law and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Bowen School of Law. Read the announcement.
• Indiana University McKinney School of Law
• Lewis & Clark Law School
• Golden Gate University School of Law

What the deans said

We are aware that more of our graduates are opting to hang their own shingles early in their careers. Many Chapman Law grads have been very successful as solo practitioners, but we recognize that it is vital that grads making the transition into solo practice have the mentoring and training that they need to make this change in their careers. Understanding how to manage a solo or small firm practice is essential to success.

— Tom Campbell, Dean and Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Law and Professor of Economics, Chapman University School of Law

Many of our graduates choose to enter solo practice in small towns and rural areas where the need for legal services is great. By working with Solo Practice University®, we are able to better prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of striking out on their own and improve access to justice for everyone.

— John DiPippa, Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law and Public Policy, UALR Bowen School of Law

Further reading

• When Law Schools Partner With SPU Their Students Reap the Dividends: a UALR Bowen Bridges scholarship recipient, as profiled in The Daily Record.
• How Career Counselors Can Help Law Students Go Solo
• Occupy Law School at Solo Practice University, Forbes.com, 2011