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School of Law

Academics

Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 3 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A.M.C. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in mass communication), J.D./M.A.S.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in sports administration), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration), J.D./M.P.H. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health), J.D./M.P.P.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy), J.D./M.R.P. (Juris Doctor/Master of Regional Planning), J.D./M.S.I.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in information science), J.D./M.S.L.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in library science), and J.D./M.S.W. (Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work).

The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, securities law, and tax law. In addition, third-year students may participate in the Criminal Law Clinic, Immigration/Human Rights Clinic, Civil Legal Assistance Clinic, and Community Development Law Clinic. Students may also participate in the Policy Clinic- Gender and Human Rights. Domestic Violence Law is a prerequisite. There are approximately 40 seminars offered to upper-level students for 3 credit hours; preference is given to third-year students, then second-year students. Research may be undertaken for no more than 3 credit hours and only with faculty permission. The law school has an externship program for third-year students. Students are placed by the school and also take a required class. Students may study in Lyon, France; Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Glasgow, Scotland; Mexico City, Mexico; or Manchester, England during the spring semester of the second or third year for 12 credit hours. Courses focus on international law. There are summer study abroad programs in Sydney, Australia and Augsburg, Germany. The LEAP program is a first-year academic support program for a select group of entering students. The most widely taken electives are Business Associations, Trusts and Estates, and Evidence.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 86 total credits, of which 33 are for required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Research and Writing, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Professional Responsibility, rigorous writing, and Third-year seminar. The required orientation program for first-year students is 2 1/2 days and includes an introduction to case study method and briefing and social activities.

In order to graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.25, have completed the upper-division writing requirement, and have completed the second-year writing class, and the seminar requirement in the third year.

Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 3286 applied, 609 were accepted, and 241 enrolled. Seven transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 83; the median GPA was 3.65 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 36; the highest was 99.

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

The application deadline for fall entry is February 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, a nonrefundable application fee of $70, 2 letters of recommendation, and a resume. Notification of the admissions decision is on a rolling basis start in January. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Financial Aid

About 80% of current law students receive some form of aid. Awards are based on need and merit. Maximum amount of award is full tuition and fees. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is December 31. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students consist of endowed scholarships. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application from January through May.

Students

About 52% of the student body are women; 24%, minorities; 7%, African American; 7%, Asian American; 5%, Hispanic; 2%, Native American; and 13%, other ethnicity or ethnicity unknown (includes biracial). The majority of students come from North Carolina (75%). The average age of entering students is 23; age range is 21 to 53. About 44% of students enter directly from undergraduate school and 12% have a graduate degree. About 3% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 95% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the North Carolina Law Review, North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation, Journal of Online Technology, Banking Law Journal, and First Amendment Law Journal. The Holderness Moot Court Bench consists of the negotiations team, client counseling team, invitational team, national team, constitutional team, and international team, and sponsors the annual Craven Moot Court competition. Other competitions include American Jurisprudence Award, Block Improvement, Burkan Memorial, Millard S. Breckenridge, Judge Heriot Clarkson, Chief Justice Walter Clark, Albert Coates, Investors Title Insurance, William T. Jayner, James William Morrow III, U.S. Law Week, and West Publishing Company. Law student organizations include Domestic Violence Advocacy Project, Environmental Law Project, and the Christian Society. Local chapters of national associations include American Civil Liberties Union, Black Law Students Association, and Federalist Society. Campus clubs and other organizations include Hispanic/Latino Law Students Association, LAMBDA Law Students Association, and Trial Law Academy.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered days only and must be completed within 5 years. There is no part-time program. New students are admitted in the fall. There is a 6-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are not offered.

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