Davis is dean of N.C. law-school startups.

• Author: Maley, Frank
• Position: PEOPLE

It's time for Leary Davis to move on, time to pay the price for what he considers one of his weak-nesses. "I've got a quarter-century worth of boxes that I have put stuff in that I was going to look at later." He's clearing out his office at Campbell University in Buies Creek and heading to Greensboro to start Elon University's law school. For the next year, he'll be recruiting faculty and students, refining the curriculum, renovating a building and whatever else is needed to open on schedule with about 100 students in the fall of 2006.

It's rare that anyone gets a chance to start a law school. There are only five in the state. When Elon's opens, he'll have started two. The novelty of the assignment was one reason Davis agreed to start Campbell's in 1976. He was getting along just fine practicing law, mostly representing small businesses, in his hometown of Zebulon, where he had been since getting his law degree from Wake Forest University in 1967. "I really don't think anybody enjoyed practicing law any more than I did."

Working a case in Harnett County in 1975, he stopped by Campbell to visit his brother, a student. Instead, he saw Campbell President Norman Wiggins, who had been one of his Wake Forest professors. Wiggins had consulted him about the proposed law school. This time, they started talking about who should head it. Wiggins offered him the job. Reluctantly, Davis said yes. "I assumed--incorrectly, it turned out--that would never happen again." He built a...