School of Law

Creighton University, School of Law History

Creighton University School of Law was established in 1904 and is a private institution. The 129-acre campus is in an urban area near downtown Omaha. The primary mission of the law school is to train lawyers to practice in every jurisdiction in the United States and to prepare men and women to render morally responsible services in all phases of the administration of justice. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Omaha area. The state’s capital and legislature are 45 minutes away by car. Facilities of special interest to law students include the law center, which houses all functions of the law school under one roof. The law school has full range and wireless coverage throughout the building. Housing for students is available in a university-owned high-rise apartment complex located 2 blocks from the school of law, exclusively for use by professional students and families. About 99% of the law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

Creighton University, School of Law Academics

Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 6 credits may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./Certificate (Juris Doctor/Certificate in health services administration), J.D./M.A. (Juris Doctor/ Master of Arts in international relations), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), and J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in information tech management).

Students must take 24 credits in their area of concentration. The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, international law, and litigation. In addition, clinics include the Milton R. Abrahams Legal Clinic, worth 4 credits, is open to all third-year students who have completed all required courses and the Community Economic Development Clinic. Seminars, worth 2 and 3 credits, include the Comparative Criminal Procedure, International Human Rights Law and Mediation Seminar. Internships are offered to eligible upper-level students in many different city, county, and federal offices and legal aid offices. Participants serve as law clerks to the various attorneys and judges, for 3 non-classroom hours. Students may select research topics and write papers for credit under the guidance of a faculty member. Special lecture series include the annual TePoel Lecture Series, Lane Foundation Lectures, and the Koley Lectures. The law school has an exchange program with Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain. Students may earn up to 12 hours of law school credit through the exchange program. The Black Law Students Association and Latino Law Students Association offer tutorial programs to members. The most widely taken electives are Negotiable Instruments, Federal Income Taxation, and Criminal Law.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 94 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: Civil Procedure I and II, Constitutional Law I and II, Contracts I and II, Legal Research, Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills I, Property I and II, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of Business Associations, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Legal Writing and Lawyering Skills II, Professional Responsibility, Secured Transactions in Personal Property, and Trusts and Estates I. The required orientation program for first-year students is a <1/2> day program that includes introduction to Socratic method, financial aid presentation, and mentor groups.

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

Creighton University, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 370,427 hard-copy volumes and 166,206 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 1597 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, LOIS, Mathew Bender, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, Wilsonline Indexes, HeinOnline, CCH Tax Research Network, United Nations Treaty Collection, Academic Universe, Making of Modern Law, RIA Checkpoint, ILP and ILP Retro are available to law students for research. The law library is a selective U.S. government depository consisting of a complete Congressional Information Service Legislative History service from 1970 to the present, Nebraska Appellate and Supreme Court briefs, and a rare book collection containing approximately 750 British and American legal texts from the 15th through the 19th centuries. Recently, the library was remodeled and a lower level was constructed. This project nearly doubled the size of the library, and added 7 group study rooms, a 24-station computer classroom, multiple data lines, and wireless network access. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 12,773 to 1 and to students is 863 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 a substantial Diversity Scholarship Program. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit and have attended an ABA-approved law school.

Creighton University, School of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1295 applied, 580 were accepted, and 169 enrolled. Seven transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 57; the median GPA was 3.49 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 24; the highest was 96.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. The most important admission factors include LSAT results, GPA, and general background. 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, a nonrefundable application fee of $45, 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 June. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Creighton University, School of Law Financial Aid

About 88% 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 $38,731; maximum, $53,700. Awards are based on need and merit. Loans are need-based, whereas scholarships are merit-based. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is March 1. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include a substantial scholarship program for Native American, African American, Asian American and Hispanic American applicants. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance.

Creighton University, School of Law Students

About 41% of the student body are women; 11%, minorities; 2%, African American; 4%, Asian American; 3%, Hispanic; 1%, Native American; and 1%, Canadian Aboriginal/Other. The majority of students come from Nebraska (40%). The average age of entering students is 23; age range is 20 to 43. About 59% of students enter directly from undergraduate school.

Students edit the Creighton Law Review. Moot Court opportunities include the second-year intramural ABA regional, national, and international tournaments as well as invitational tournaments. Other competitions include the Negotiation Competition, Client Counseling, ABA National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, Jessup International Moot Court Competition, and essay competitions. Student organizations include J. Reuben Clark, Fellowship of Christian Law Students, and American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. There are local chapters of Phi Alpha Delta, Phi Delta Phi, and the American Bar Association- Law Student Division. Other student organizations include the Public Interest Law Forum, Women’s Law Student Association, and International Law 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 6 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 5 to 6-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.