By Ashley Barker abarker@scbiznews.com Published Feb. 24, 2014

The InfiLaw System is committed to buying the Charleston School of Law even if it faces questions from the community and a review by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

InfiLaw a consortium of independent law schools including the Charlotte School of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law and Arizona Summit Law School agreed last July to provide management services for the school. By the end of August, InfiLaw had signed an agreement expressing its intent to purchase the Charleston School of Law.

The move was met with backlash from the schools students and alumni about the reputation of the system, which has commonly been called a diploma mill. But InfiLaw spokeswoman Kathy Heldman said that charge gets leveled at almost all for-profit education institutions.

It is unfortunate, and untrue for InfiLaw schools, Heldman said in a statement. InfiLaw schools would not succeed or retain accreditation if they did not graduate students who could pass the bar and get jobs.

In response to community members asking whether the system would increase enrollment, Heldman said it wouldnt be practical to recruit more students than the employer market could support.

InfiLaw provides its schools access to capital for acquiring or building new facilities and supporting academic programs. Its schools remain independently operated and governed by their own boards, administrations and faculties, according to Heldman. She added that InfiLaw would work with Charlestons leaders to preserve the schools culture.

We believe that we can provide Charleston and its students with the financial resources and expertise to enhance their legal education and to move the school forward into the future a future that is changing quickly, Heldman said.

The sale is in limbo as InfiLaw waits for a decision from the states Commission on Higher Education about its application for a license to operate the school. Since InfiLaw already operates three other American Bar Association-accredited law schools, its leaders believe it will receive the license and approval from the ABA to transfer ownership.

Julie Carullo, deputy director of the commission, said an external review team completed an investigation in Charleston during the week of Feb. 10. The team which consists of Charles Arberg, of the Federal Judicial Center; Rhesa Rudolph, of the Florida Commission for Independent Education; and Robert Wells, of the South Carolina Bar Association will submit its findings to the commission, which is expected to reach a decision in May or June.

More here:
School of Law sale awaits license from state agency