Policies and Procedures AY 2020-2021

The official listing of Policies and Procedures for students at Duquesne University School of Law

Complaints Related to ABA Compliance

As an ABA-accredited law school, Duquesne University School of Law is subject to the ABA Standards for Approval of Law Schools. The ABA Standards may be found at:

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/standards.html

Pursuant to ABA Standard 510, any student at the School of Law who wishes to bring a formal complaint to the administration of the School of Law "of a significant problem that directly implicates the school's program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards" shall do the following:

1. Submit the complaint in writing to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, or the Associate Dean of Students (the complaint may be made by email, U.S. mail, hand delivery, or fax);
2. Cite the appropriate ABA Standard at issue, and describe in detail the behavior, program, process, or other matter that is the subject of the complaint, and should explain how the matter implicates the School of Law's program of legal education and its compliance with a specific, identified ABA Standard(s); and
3. Provide the name, official School of Law email address, and a street address of the complaining student, for further communication about the complaint. When an administrator receives a student complaint that complies with the foregoing requirements, the following procedures shall be followed:

a. The administrator to whom the complaint is submitted will acknowledge the complaint within three business days of receipt of the written complaint. Acknowledgment may be made by email, U.S. mail, or by personal delivery, at the option of the administrator.
b. Within two weeks of acknowledgment of the complaint, the administrator, or the administrator's designee, shall either meet with the complaining student, or respond to the substance of the complaint in writing. In this meeting or in this writing, the student should either receive a substantive response to the complaint, or information about what steps are 57 being taken by the School of Law to address the complaint or further investigate the complaint. If further investigation is needed, when the investigation is completed, the student shall be provided either a substantive response to the complaint or information about what steps are being taken by the School of Law to address the complaint within two weeks after completion of the investigation.
c. Appeals regarding decisions on complaints may be taken to the Dean of the School of Law. Any decision made on appeal by the Dean shall be final.
d. A copy of the complaint and a summary of the process and resolution of the complaint shall be kept in the office of the Dean for a period of eight years from the date of final resolution of the complaint.

Questions or Concerns?
Students can contact the Dean of Students Office with questions or concerns about Duquesne University School of Law. An appointment ensures availability, however the office is always open for walk-in visits.

Ella Kwisnek
Associate Dean of Students
Hanley Hall 405
412.396.1474
kwisnek@duq.edu