Charleston School of Law graduates third class

The third class of the Charleston School of Law was graduated Saturday in a ceremony at McAlister Field House on the campus of The Citadel.

“We are incredibly proud of and excited about our graduating Class of 2009,” Dean Andy Abrams said to the 136 graduates. “They are an exceptional group of men and women who are passionate about using their legal education to improve significantly their communities and this nation.”

The school, which has about 600 students in downtown Charleston, opened in August 2004. It received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association in December 2006.

“These graduates will be immediately asked to use their legal training to address some of the most complex challenges in our nation’s history,” Abrams said. “Knowing the quality of these graduates and their depth of commitment to serve the public good, we are absolutely confident, however, that they will answer the call and meet the challenge.”

The Charleston School of Law requires students to perform at least 30 hours of pro bono service before graduating. The Class of 2009 gave 11,553 hours to local and state organizations, the school said.

“No matter how many times you fail, no how many times you start something and you don’t get it done, never give up,” U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said during his commencement speech. “There’s no guarantee as to when success will come because, just as you live by your school’s motto, I would love for each and every one of you to live by South Carolina’s motto, ‘While I breathe, I hope.’ You should always remember, where there’s life, there’s hope.”