William Mitchell College of Law Law School

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School History

William Mitchell College of Law was established in 1900 and is a private institution. The 7-acre campus is in an urban residential area of St. Paul. The primary mission of the law school is to pioneer a demanding legal education so engaged with the profession that graduates have an advantage as they meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the St. Paul area. There are numerous corporations and nonprofit organizations in the Twin Cities metropolitan area providing opportunities and resources for students. Facilities of special interest to law students are the Warren E. Burger Library, high-tech classrooms, 4 high-tech courtrooms, student center with comfortable areas for individual and group study as well as socializing outside the classroom, and a wireless network, which has been expanded to include all classrooms and common areas. Housing for students is available in the neighborhood and elsewhere in Minneapolis-St. Paul. About 99% of the law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School Academics

Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 9 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Public Administration), J.D./M.S (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Community Health), and J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Women’s Studies).

The William Mitchell College of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, labor law, litigation, tax law, torts and insurance, commercial, property, estates, government, and ADR. In addition, there are 9 clinics available including Civil Advocacy, Business Law, and Immigration Law. Nine seminars are available in areas such as race and the law, international law, and environmental law. Independent research projects are available for 1 to 4 credits. Special lecture series include the Public Square Lecture Series. Study abroad consists of summer programs in London, Galway, and Malta and semester programs in Denmark and the Netherlands. A summer tutorial program allows students to benefit from introductory courses emphasizing the legal process. First-year subject tutors are also available. First-year students, who are at some risk academically based upon their LSAT and UGPA predictors, can participate in Compass I, a 1-credit course that provides the skills needed to study effectively and perform better on exams. It involves learning the skills of legal analysis. Because the curriculum uses torts doctrine, students are not required to prepare additional legal materials. There are frequent written assignments and students also receive individualized feedback on every assignment. Minority programs are provided by the Black Law Students Association, Jewish Law Students Association, Asian Law Students Association, Chicano/a Latino/a Law Students Association, and the American Indian Law Students Association. The college also has an Office of Multicultural Affairs which, among other things, offers services and support to traditionally underrepresented populations. Special interest group programs are provided by the Student Intellectual Property Association, Christian Law Society, National Lawyers Guild, Minnesota Justice Foundation, Women Law Students Association, Health Law Society, Italian American Bar Association, Federalist Society, and OUT!Law. The most widely taken electives are evidence, business organizations, and family law.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 86 total credits, of which 46 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: Civil Procedure, Contracts, Property I and II, Torts I and II, and Writing and Representation: Advice and Persuasion. Required upper-level courses consist of 2 statutory courses, skills course, Advanced Research and Writing, Constitutional Law-Liberties, Constitutional Law-Powers, PLP – Perspectives on the Legal Profession, Professional Responsibility, and Writing and Representation: Advocacy. Clinical courses are offered, but not required.The required orientation program for first-year students lasts 2 days and covers an introduction to law school, tours, the first class, and writing and representation.

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

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 345,527 hard-copy volumes and 151,549 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 840 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, LOIS, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, Wilsonline Indexes, Worldcat, HeinOnline, RIA checkpoint, CCH Internet Network, EBSCO, Gale Collections, Access UN, BNA Online, and Jstor are available to law students for research. Special library collections include a selective federal depository library. Recently, the library redesigned the catalog web site. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 9872 to 1 and to students is 325 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 1

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students through a general policy of admissions that encourages diversity in the student body and on-campus visits. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have a minimum GPA of 2, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and submit a letter of good standing from the Dean of the previously attended school. 24 credits must by completed at William Mitchell. Preadmissions courses consist of the Summer Partnership in Law (SPIL) for college sophomores and juniors. Introduction to Legal Theory is also taught.

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1753 applied, 846 were accepted, and 341 enrolled. Eleven transfers enrolled. The median GPA of the most recent first-year class was 3.39.

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

The application deadline for fall entry is May 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, TOEFL if English is a second language, a nonrefundable application fee of $50, 2 letters of recommendation, and a r

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School Financial Aid

About 91% 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 $38,000; maximum, $44,920. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is March 15. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include many named scholarships. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance.

William Mitchell College of Law, William Mitchell College of Law Law School Students

About 51% of the student body are women; 11%, minorities; 4%, African American; 5%, Asian American; and 3%, Hispanic. The majority of students come from Minnesota (73%). The average age of entering students is 28; age range is 22 to 56. About 28% of students enter directly from undergraduate school and 9% have a graduate degree. About 12% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 87% remain to receive a law degree.

The primary law review is the William Mitchell Law Review and the student newspaper is the Opinion. Teams participate in the National Civil Rights Moot Court, National Tax Moot Court, and Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court. Other competitions include Rosalie Wahl Moot Court, Client Counseling, Negotiations, and Trial Advocacy. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus organizations include Association for International Law, Health Law Society, Women’s Law Student Association, American Constitution Society, Federalist Society, Black Law Students Association, Delta Theta Phi, Hockey Club, and William Mitchell Families Organization.

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 6 years. For part-time students, courses are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 6 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 7-; 1-2-week summer session. 1 to 2 week skills courses are also available. Transferable summer courses are offered.