Stetson University College of Law

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law History

Stetson University College of Law was established in 1900 and is a private institution. The 21-acre campus is in a suburban area. The main campus 20 miles SW of Tampa; the satellite campus in Tampa. The primary mission of the law school is to prepare students to competently, professionally, ethically, and compassionately engage in the practice of law, serve in related professions, and pursue public service. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Gulfport area. Facilities of special interest to law students include 7 on-campus courtrooms. Housing for students is available in residence halls, 2-bedroom apartments, and school-owned houses; also, housing options are available in the community. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law Academics

In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 12 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Medicine), and J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health).

Students must take 18 credits in their area of concentration. The Stetson University College of Law offers concentrations in international law, and advocacy, elder law, and higher education law and policy. In addition, clinic programs, available to third-year students, include the Civil Poverty Clinic, Elder Consumer Protection Clinic, Labor Law Clinic, Local Government Clinic, Prosecution Clinic, and Public Defender Clinic. Most clinics are for 5 credit hours. Many seminars for second- and third-year students are offered each year. Internships with federal and state court judges (trial, appellate, and supreme court) are available for upper-level students for 4 credit hours or 12 hours for supreme court. Practicum programs are available with state and federal agencies. There is a summer internship program in Washington D.C. Individual research projects may be arranged for 1 or 2 credit hours. Inns of Court program, featuring a prominent speaker, is offered. Other programs are sponsored by faculty, student organizations, and the Office of Career Development. Second- and third-year students may participate in study-abroad programs offered through Stetson and other law schools. Stetson sponsors summer-abroad programs in Granada, Spain; Tianjin, China; Buenos, Argentina; Freiburg, Germany; and the Hague, the Netherlands. There is also a winter intercession program in the Cayman Islands and a spring break travel abroad program. Individual tutors are available for students. Stetson has a comprehensive Academic Success Program. Minority programs include the Southern Regional Black Law Students Association, Host for annual Academic Retreat, Doorways Scholars Reception, and Judge Stringer Youth conference. Stetson is also a CLED sponsor. Special interest group programs include an honors program for top students, Black Law Students Association, Student Bar Association, and Ambassador program. The most widely taken electives are Trial Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Criminal Procedure.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 88 total credits, of which 52 are for required courses. They must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Agency and Unincorporated Organizations, Civil Procedure, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Real Property I and II, Research and Writing I and II, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of a scholary writing requirement, Administrative Law requirement, Code area requirement, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, and Skills area requirement. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3-day program that introduces the students to the three C’s of professionalism-character, competence, and commitment. The competence (or academic portion) is led by full-time faculty members. The orientation includes pro bono activities and character development activities.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and have completed 20 hours of public service.

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 419,501 hard-copy volumes and 53,670 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 2607 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, DIALOG, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, LOIS, Mathew Bender, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, BNA Antitrust and Trade Regulation Report; BNA Criminal Law Reporter; BNA Family Law Report; BNA Labor and Employment Law Libray; Sage the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Value Line Research and Historial Reports, and Sage Journal of Sport and Social Issues are available to law students for research. Special library collections include a depository for selected U.S. government publications and Nuremburg Trials historial archival collection. Recently, the library added a new courtroom seminar room in the Tampa library, 24/7 student swipe card access, and vending machines for drinks and snacks. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 8067 to 1 and to students is 422 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 2.

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students by means of CRS mailings, CLEO, law school forums, college campus visits, HBCU, Doorways Scholars Reception, and Judge Stringer Youth Conference. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, submit a complete official transcript, register for the LSDAS, and provide official documentation from the dean of the applicants law school confirming current standing and law school rank.

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 3096 applied, 967 were accepted, and 326 enrolled. Twelve transfers enrolled. The median GPA of the most recent first-year class was 3.48.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are not interviewed.

The application deadline for fall entry is March 15. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, a nonrefundable application fee of $55, 1 letter of recommendation is required; 3 are recommended and a personal statement and resume (optional). Notification of the admissions decision is on a rolling basis. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law Financial Aid

About 95% of current law students receive some form of aid. The average annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, is $18,959; maximum, $30,081. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is open. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include Stetson diversity scholarships and matching CLEO scholarships. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application after the confirmation deposit is paid.

Stetson University, Stetson University College of Law Students

About 53% of the student body are women; 23%, minorities; 7%, African American; 3%, Asian American; 10%, Hispanic; and 1%, Native American. The average age of entering students is 24; age range is 19 to 55. About 3% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 97% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Stetson Law Review, the peer-edited journals Journal of International Aging Law and Policy, and Journal of Wildlife and Policy and the student newspaper The Brief. Annually, students compete in 16 to 18 competitions, including the National Moot Court, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and the Jessup International Moot Court competitions. Other competitions include state, regional and national mock trial competitions; regional and national client counseling competitions; regional and national mediation competitions; and regional and national negotiation competitions. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus organizations include the Elder Law Society, Environment Law Society, International Law Society, Phi Alpha Delta, Phi Delta Phi, Business Law Society, Student Bar Association; ABA-Law Student Division; and Black Law Students Association.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 2 <1/2> to 3 years. For part-time students, courses are offered evenings only, however part-time students may take electives during the and must be completed within 4 years. New full-time students are admitted in the fall and spring; part-time, fall. There is a summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.