In a dramatic legal showdown, the alumni association and four current students of Golden Gate University School of Law have taken a defiant stance against the university’s decision to shutter its juris doctor program. Filed in California state court, their lawsuit aims to halt the impending closure, citing breaches of contract and allegations of financial mismanagement.
Golden Gate University dropped a bombshell late last November, revealing plans to discontinue its J.D. program come May. Citing financial woes stemming from dwindling enrollments, a sluggish job market, and dismal bar exam pass rates, university officials declared their intention to focus solely on non-J.D. law-related graduate and undergraduate degrees, effectively pulling the rug from under current J.D. students.
The plaintiffs argue that students were left in the dark regarding the dire financial state of the law school and that adequate transfer options have not been provided. Accusations fly at Golden Gate’s president, David Fike, accusing him of mismanagement, including leveraging loans against the law school campus and implementing untested degree programs. The decision to offer tuition-free education, only to find the institution financially strapped, is labeled as “astonishing” by the complaint.
Attorney Ryan Griffith, himself a Golden Gate law alumnus, leads the charge, vowing to unearth hidden truths through the legal process. The plaintiffs seek not only a halt to the closure but also damages for the turmoil caused. Complicating matters further, the American Bar Association has yet to approve Golden Gate’s closure plan, adding weight to the plaintiffs’ claims.
Golden Gate University, however, remains steadfast, dismissing the lawsuit as “frivolous” and expressing confidence in its swift dismissal. The stage is set for a legal showdown that could shape the future of legal education at Golden Gate and beyond. As tensions escalate, the true extent of the university’s financial woes and administrative decisions hangs in the balance.
