School of Law

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law History

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law was established in 1912 and is a private institution. The 4-acre campus is in an urban area in downtown Detroit. The primary mission of the law school is to provide a rigorous legal education that integrates theory, doctrine, and practice and emphasizes legal writing, ethics, and public service. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Detroit area. The career services office provides a wide array of resources to enable students to obtain short- and long-term positions in these areas. A full range of extracurricular activities and organizations like the St. Thomas More Society, the Student Bar Association, the Black Law Students Association, and Phi Alpha Delta offer the chance to exercise leadership skills and perform community service. Housing for students includes apartments and houses within walking distance or a short driving commute to the law school. The law school assists students with housing needs. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law Academics

The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./L.E.D. (Juris Doctor/Bachelor of Laws (Mexico)), J.D./LL.B. (Juris Doctor/Bachelor of Laws (Canada)), and J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration).

The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, entertainment law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, labor law, litigation, tax law, health law, and constitutional law. In addition, Several 4 credit clinical opportunities are available for students including Immigration Law Clinic, Mobile Law Office, Mediation Clinic, and others. A variety of 2 credit clinical externships is available to upper-class students. Students with a GPA of 2.5 may work under the supervision of faculty attorneys in preparing cases for local civil and criminal courts, federal district courts, non-profit legal agencies, and state and federal administrative courts. The clinic places students with such agencies as the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Attorney Grievance Commission, the American Civil Liberties Union, the City of Detroit Law Department, and local health care systems. Students may enroll to complete a research project of 1 to 2 credits. The law school holds an annual McElroy Lecture in Religion and Law and an Interfaith panel as well as frequent Dean’s debates. UDM offers its International Opportunities Program in which students receive a $1,000 loan. The loan is forgiven after the student successfully completes one of 20 approved programs and returns to UDM the following semester. There is an academic support program. Minority and disadvantaged students who do not meet the standards of those currently being admitted, but who have strong qualifications that indicate possible success in law school may be admitted to the Special Summer Program (SSP). Students who successfully complete the SSP may matriculate with the fall class. Through a consortium with 2 other law schools, students interested in intellectual property may choose from a wide array of intellectual property law electives. The most widely taken electives are Trial Practice, Estates and Trusts, and Criminal Procedure.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 57 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: Applied Legal Theory and Analysis, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Core Concepts, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of 2 Law Firm Modules, Basic Federal Tax, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Evidence, Global Distribution Course, Professional Responsibility, and Upper-level Writing Requirement. All students must take clinical courses. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3-day session that includes presentations by faculty and administrators, alumni panel discussions, and an overview of the first-year curriculum. After this week, the Dean holds a continuing orientation session about once a month.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and a senior seminar.

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 216,333 hard-copy volumes and 157,511 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 3112 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, DIALOG, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, Wilsonline Indexes, and LANs are available to law students for research. Special library collections include English and Canadian Law, government documents, records, legal periodical indexes on CD-ROM, and several hundred databases in related fields. Recently, the library installed 38 state-of-the-art computers for student use. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 5847 to 1 and to students is 288 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 hosting an annual informational fair for prospective students of color, by attending law fairs at colleges and universities targeted to reach students of color and by using the LSAC Candidate Referral Service. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have a minimum GPA of 3, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and be in good standing at his or her current law school. Preadmissions courses consist of an 8-week conditional admission program offered during the summer for minority and disadvantaged students who do not meet current admission standards, but who demonstrate potential for success in law school. Satisfactory demonstration of ability in the program permits admission as a regular student in the fall semester to the J.D. program.

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1948 applied, 917 were accepted, and 281 enrolled. One transfer enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 40; the median GPA was 3.2 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 15; the highest was 87.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. The most important admission factors include academic achievement, LSAT results, and GPA. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are not interviewed.

The application deadline for fall entry is April 15. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, TOEFL may be required in some instances., a nonrefundable application fee of $50, and 2 letters of recommendation. 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.

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law Financial Aid

About 85% 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 $22,000; maximum, $47,000. Scholarships are based on merit, while all other aid, except unsubsidized loans, is based on need. Required financial statements are the FAFSA and an institutional form. The aid application deadline for fall entry is April 1. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance. Students are asked to apply for financial aid when they apply for admission. Awards are made after the student has been accepted and te file completed.

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Law Students

About 46% of the student body are women; 14%, minorities; 9%, African American; 3%, Asian American; 1%, Hispanic; and 16%, Foreign National. The majority of students come from Michigan (55%). The average age of entering students is 25; age range is 19 to 59. About 15% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 85% remain to receive a law degree.

The primary law review is The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review. The student newspaper is In Brief. Moot court competitions include the Gallagher Competition, the G. Mennen Williams Annual Moot Court Competition, and the Professional Responsibility Competition. Law student organizations include Sports and Entertainment Law Society, Student Animal Defense Fund, and Moot Court Board of Advocates. Local chapters of national associations include Phi Alpha Delta, Delta Theta Phi, and Black Law Students Association and other clubs include the UDM Hockey Club, Women’s Law Caucus, and St. Thomas More Society.

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 3 years. For part-time students, courses are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 5 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 7-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.