NKU chase - Salmon P. Chase College of Law - Northern Kentucky ...

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Pioneering Part-Time legal education
by ambeR PoTTeR
Chase continues its tradition of providing
a comprehensive legal education through a
part-time evening program
On Oct. 17, 1893, 17 men arrived at the Cincinnati YMCA building
downtown ready to learn about the law. Within a few weeks the
number of attendees at the Cincinnati YMCA Night Law School more
than doubled to 39 students. In the 2010-11 academic year, NKU
Chase College of Law, formerly known as “The Night Law School,” has
239 part-time students in the evening program, which accounts for 39
percent of the student body.
the night law school
Chase was housed in the Cincinnati YMCA
building at Elm Street and Central Parkway
downtown until 1972.
Professor Christopher Gulinello teaches an
evening class at the college of law.
Evening classes at Chase begin at 6:30 p.m.
giving students time to commute to campus
after work.
Since the 19th century, Chase has been dedicated to educating practice-ready lawyers. Chase’s
founding dean, Robert M. Ochiltree, recognized the need for a local part-time program for those
wanting admission to the bar but who were unable to devote themselves to full-time study. In
the unfamiliar waters of evening law programs, Dean Ochiltree began the third night program
in the United States, which delivered the same curriculum and opportunities as a full-time legal
education.
“Our goal at Chase is to continue to provide the students in the evening division the same
high-quality education available in any full-time program,” says Dean Dennis Honabach.
“Students in the evening division take courses from the same faculty members who teach
in our full-time program. We work hard to provide students in the evening division the same
opportunity to participate in all of the core curricular and co-curricular programs.”
These programs include guest speakers, externships and internships, programs sponsored by
Chase’s Centers for Excellence and clinics, Law Review, and competition teams.
Alumni Profiles
E. Douglas Baldridge, M.D. ’01
Attorney at Arnzen, Molloy & Storm,
P.S.C., Covington, Ky.
During law school: General and
vascular surgeon for St. Elizabeth and St.
Luke, Northern Kentucky
What made you decide to attend law
school at chase? In more than 16 years
of surgical practice, we interfaced with
law in many areas: contracts, partnership
agreements, employment issues, real
estate, etc. I chose Chase because it
allowed me to go to law school in the
evenings and continue practicing surgery. I
got up at 4 a.m. to prepare for the evening
classes because I typically started my day
in surgical practice about 6-6:30 a.m. When
classes were over in the evenings, I was
ready to sleep and had difficulty trying to
read cases at that time of the evening.
Debra K. Crane ’96
Former senior vice president and
general counsel of Ohio Casualty Corp.,
Fairfield, Ohio
During law school: Department head
of regulatory compliance, then assistant
treasurer, then vice president for Ohio
Casualty Insurance Co., Fairfield, Ohio
What was your favorite course and
why? I loved corporations and securities
regulation taught by Professor Robert
Seaver and all my tax classes taught by
Professor Ljubomir Nacev. By working at
a public company and being responsible
for the proxy statement and regulatory
compliance, I realized the authenticity
of the classroom experiences. Professor
Seaver was very generous with his
4 NKU CHASE LAWYER SPRING 2011 5
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