The University of New Hampshire Law Review
Abstract
The professions of science and law have traditionally been siloed paradigms, operating often in tandem with each other but rarely intersecting in the interdisciplinary pasture which separates them, a pasture from which an abundance of synergistic collaboration and ensuing creative concepts might sprout. However, the erstwhile never the twain shall meet situation is neither realistic nor even tenable in the current century, a century increasingly dominated by science, technology, invention, innovation, and intellectual property. Simply put, whereas lawyers are risk averse and build constructed realities to argue points and serve clients, scientists seek an objective assessment of truth and accept a shifting appraisal of reality. As a harbinger of global challenges which will likely define this century, the COVID pandemic and the rapid development of efficacious vaccines vividly illustrates the necessity, importance and indeed urgency of building interdisciplinary bridges between the legal and scientific profession, i.e., a paradigmatic bridge. This cannot be accomplished by the time-honored ad-hoc approaches which typify prevailing programs. Instead, it must be strategically approached via institutional commitment. The Franklin Pierce Law Center was a pioneer in this regard, and the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law carries that tradition forward into this century. Under the inspired leadership of two eminent dynamic thought-leaders in the field of legal education, Professor Leah Plunkett and Dean Megan Carpenter, the Powerhouse embodies this vision and commitment, with an innovative implementation of a paradigmatically synergistic model for legal education, forging the interface between law and science.
Repository Citation
22 U.N.H. L. Rev. 393 (2024)