NNLSO: The Infancy Era
By Wally Walker

Wally Walker is a Life Member and was National Chairperson, 1980-1981. This article was prepared in September 2005.

With excerpts from articles by:

Nancy Kohlhoff, Executive Director, 1990-1992
Frank Real, Executive Director, 1987-1988
Barbara King, Executive Director, 1984-1986

In 2005, the National Network of Law School Officers (NNLSO) is proudly celebrating its 25th year of existence. I am pleased to have been associated with NNLSO since its conception in 1979. It is with pleasure that I respond to Executive Director Patricia Trainor and Journal Editor Judith Calvert's requests to write this early background history of the Network.

Background

NNLSO members are also members of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). In fact, it was at the 1979 AACRAO meeting in Chicago when law school registrars and admissions officers met at an AACRAO workshop session to follow up on the past year's decision to create a professional organization that would specifically serve law school administrators.

In 1980, at the annual AACRAO meeting in New Orleans, the idea became a reality when NNLSO got its first name: The National Network of Law School Registrars and Admissions Officers. The group appointed a 10-member steering committee, and I was named as the first National Chairperson. I am sure this was, in part, because the 1981 AACRAO/NNLSO meeting was scheduled for San Francisco, California where my law school was located. Also because, in part, I was one of the newer registrars in the group - a naīve guy who displayed a lot of youthful energy and who was already an outspoken critic of late grades from law professors. In 1980, coping with the negative and expensive results of "late grades" was on almost every law school registrar's agenda. Computer support was almost non-existent, and law students who worked hard for their grades were not seeing them posted in a timely fashion, which caused them great anxiety. Law review, retention and probation issues were at stake.

Law schools were experiencing the highest student suicide rate over any other type of professional school and something needed to be done, urgently, by the law school administrators to lower the stress within the student population. Confronting the late grade situation was a logical starting point, since so many students around the country complained about the catastrophic domino effect that late grades generated. I spoke with fellow steering committee members, and they agreed we would take a formal stand against late grades -in addition to other issues- and that we would start a newsletter to publicly state our opinions and to disseminate important information and announcements to the other law schools.

There were about 170 ABA approved law schools in 1980, and the steering committee set out to sign them all up as dues-paying members of NNLSO. The National Network Newsletter would be our vehicle by which to inform the law school officers in our organization and to offer a platform that never before existed. As Chairperson of the Steering Committee, I also volunteered to serve as the editor-in-chief and publisher of the newsletter for one year.

The 'Nuts & Bolts' Operations & Our First Benefactors

Very much like the rearing of an infant child, an organization can not mature successfully without proper care, parental support, and financial resources. If NNLSO was to be respected as an organization, we would eventually have to pay our own way. But in 1980, we needed help -- and fast.

I returned to San Francisco from beautiful New Orleans in April 1980, charged with the leadership of a very young, penny-less organization. I was determined to get NNLSO "off the ground" and moving forward as quickly as possible. There was no treasury, of course, and no immediate source of financing from within the organization. I talked to some of the steering committee members and we came up with the idea of ultimately charging institutional dues to raise revenue. However, we obviously needed financial assistance immediately!

I was extremely fortunate that key personnel at Golden Gate University (GGU), especially the GGU School of Law people, were so interested and responsive. I requested a meeting with the university's President, the late Dr. Otto Butz, and another with the Dean of the Law School, Judith McKelvey. I was given a chance to explain the NNLSO dream to each of the top administrators. Dr. Butz, without hesitation, offered valuable resources to my office, in terms of financing postage, the printing of publications, and underwriting staff hours dedicated to NNLSO work. Judy McKelvey pledged the law school's support in any way necessary. In fact, the law school financed the 1981 NNLSO gala reception at Golden Gate University, when nearly 200 law school officers from around the USA met in the newly built GGU auditorium.

Other people at my home institution encouraged me and, slowly, I began to fully believe that NNLSO would indeed survive its first full year, with just a minimum of major problems. The late Tony Thomas, who was then manager of the GGU Copy Center, offered to serve as an editor of the Network's newsletter. Portia Stewart (LaBrie), Law Placement Director, was another person who unselfishly offered her professional support to NNLSO - both as an advisor and in serving as an editor of its newsletter. With Tony and Portia "on board", I confidently moved to the next stage. Mary Selvy, E. Susan Rodriguez, Portia Cobb, Marty Englander and Mike Burns, all highly respected personnel at GGU, graciously agreed to help out and, suddenly, the internal editorial staff was in place and ready to help produce the first newsletter for national distribution.

In June 1980 Volume 1, Number 1 of the National Network Newsletter was mailed to all ABA accredited law schools. The newsletter (now known as the "Journal") has been published every subsequent year. I take this opportunity to give my sincere thanks to the successful effort of the original editorial staff at Golden Gate University, supported by the affable University President and the insightful Law School Dean!

The Name

Here I quote directly from an article by former Executive Director Frank Real, entitled "NNLSO Turns Twenty:"

"During the early deliberation about the name of the organization the question came up, especially from the registrars: 'Is this going to be a registrar's organization, or another admissions officers' organization?"

In the early days NNLSO was an organization more geared to the needs of registrars from ABA approved law schools. It subsequently has become more inclusive, but the original thoughts and discussions centered around finding an effective communication vehicle for law registrars. At that time law registrars did not have the same kind of organizational structure that the law admissions officers enjoyed. Law admissions people then, as they do now, stay in touch all year long on the road recruiting and within the Law School Admissions Council.

The concept was eventually amended to include the admissions officers, since registrars work so closely with that office and because they inherit the admissions files once a student is accepted. It seemed natural for the two administrators at each of the schools to work closer together. NNLSO certainly helped in the area of bringing these two offices into closer harmony, although it was an incidental occurrence and certainly not the original plan.

During the 'Big Debate' there were admissions officers who felt there was no need for them to join NNLSO, since they already were members of the Law School Admissions Council. There were registrars who felt the steering committee was "copping out" to those admissions officers who adamantly did not wish to be excluded from NNLSO. The debate raged on for a couple of years. It was ultimately settled with the drafting of the NNLSO Constitution and By-laws. The constitution did not exclude any group (even law professors serving in a staff capacity could join and participate) and the approved title of the organization spoke for itself: The National Network of Law School Officers."

Marc Galvin, a highly respected Admissions Director known nationally for his networking capabilities and Frank Real, a trained attorney, were two of the NNLSO leaders who pushed for a combined, inclusive organization. As the national chairperson, I tried very hard to stay neutral on the two most highly debated and political issues of the early Eighties:

Would NNLSO be for registrars only, or should admissions officers (and, eventually, ALL law school officers) be allowed membership,
Should unaccredited (non-American Bar Association approved) law schools join NNLSO? 90% of the members I spoke to were of the opinion that since unaccredited law schools were not ABA approved, they should not be accepted into NNLSO.

These issues eventually worked themselves out. The rank and file membership quickly saw the need for NNLSO to be all-inclusive -- whereas the registrars, admissions and placement officers, deans and associate deans, financial aid officers, administrative assistants, marketing directors, development people, etc., were concerned. In hindsight, it was certainly in the young organization's best interest to include ALL law school officers and, in fact, this inclusion early-on has made NNLSO one of the most well rounded, respected, and politically astute of all law school professional groups in year 2005. Both Admissions Officers and Registrars have served brilliantly as Executive Directors and Board Members of NNLSO.

On the other hand, non-ABA approved law schools were historically excluded from official membership in NNLSO and still are, as far as I know. (I am sure this subject was simply put on hold, and will surely come up again in the future.)

Getting Us "Up and Running"

I borrow from former Executive Director Nancy Kohlhoff's recollection here, from her 1988 article entitled, "A Brief History of the National Network of Law School Officers":

"As a first crucial step, the organization began a newsletter which was sent to law schools across the country to help establish the Network and enlist membership. Approximately 80% of the law schools contacted expressed a desire to participate in the newly formed Network. The Newsletter has been produced each successive year since the Network's establishment."

To further the growth of the organization, a Directory of members was made available in late 1980. The third printing of the Directory (1988-89) which includes this history of the organization is just off the press.

The Network grew rapidly during the first five years, and it soon became apparent that a governing policy was needed. Mr. Frank Real, JD, Registrar at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (and Executive Director of NNLSO from 1987 to 1988) wrote the constitution and By-Laws which were adopted when the group met at the AACRAO Convention in Cincinnati in 1985. At that time also, members decided to finalize the Network's official name, which was changed to the National Network of Law School Officers. In 1986 at the AACAO Convention in Baltimore, a Logo submitted by artist James E. Dunn of Dallas, Texas became the Network's (first) symbol.

Although many law school officers were instrumental in organizing and establishing NNLSO, one particular individual, Mr. Wally Walker, referred to by some members as Mr. NNLSO Himself, is remembered as the founders' man-of-the-hour. As Ms. Barbara King, Executive Director 1984-86, wrote to him in September of 1984:

"The Network was but a dream for many years, but through your energy and prodding and initiative, we formalized it. Without your efforts, I am afraid that we might have remained content to stand back and express what a Great Idea the Network would be."

The idea behind NNLSO was that, as members of the Network, law school officers could communicate in ways that previously had not been open to them. They could aspire to professional growth through shared professional activity. They could identify work-related problems and help each other solve them. With support from others in the Network, individual officers could improve the effectiveness of delivery of services from their offices. They could keep informed of developments and trends within the legal community. NLLSO proudly reflected the image of a community of professionals in which it was everyone's job to get involved!"

The article by Nancy Kohlhoff then went on to announce NNLSO's 10th Anniversary in 1990:

"When the AACRAO Convention convenes in April 1990, the National Network of Law School Officers will celebrate its tenth birthday. It has grown to include more than 100+ schools and over 450 individual members. As it has become financially viable over the past years, it is presently in the process of turning back to its members more services and materials and will continue to explore ways in which it can contribute to members' professional development.

As we wish NNLSO a Happy Birthday on its tenth anniversary, the desire of each of its members is that when its 'brief' history is written again in another decade, the strengths of the organization will have become ever more vigorous and its accomplishments ever more outstanding."

Summary

In my humble opinion, the Network has never been stronger! The current NNLSO Executive Board is hard working, deep thinking, and extremely committed to organizational improvement. People like Executive Director Pat Trainor, Journal Editor Judith Calvert, former Executive Director Ken Pokrowski, and all of the current Board Members and Representatives are remarkable individuals who obviously have the best interest of the organization in their hearts and minds. The NNLSO Journal is the literary replacement for the National Network Newsletter and goes far beyond the expectation of the 1980's National Steering Committee. Together with the nnlso.org web site (managed so efficiently by Elizabeth Fischer), the Journal is truly a Voice of NNLSO -- a voice heard at every law school in the nation.

It is absolutely gratifying for us "old timers" to witness what NNLSO has managed to accomplish in 25 years. NNLSO survived the days of its delicate infancy to become a strong, viable and mature organization, with a very promising future. I am proud to still be a part of such a dynamic entity.