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Law School

Academics

In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M. and Master of Taxation. 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./LL.M. (Juris Doctor/Master of Laws in taxation), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.S.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Sports Administration), J.D./M.S.N. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Nursing), and J.D./M.T.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Theological Studies).

Students must take 11 to 15 credits in their area of concentration. The Law School offers concentrations in environmental law, family law, labor law, governmental affairs, labor and employment, publicly held companies, small business entities, and alternative dispute resolution. In addition, clinics in general, civil, and criminal litigation are available to students who have qualified as legal interns. Several seminars are offered each year in a variety of subjects. Externships are available through the local, state, and federal courts and through several government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Students may serve as research assistants for law professors or enroll in independent studies. All students must satisfy an upper-class scholarship requirement. Field work may be done through the Externship Programs, as well as the clinics. Special lecture series include the Sullivan Lectures, Wells Conference, and faculty symposia. All students are welcome to participate in the 1L Academic Success Protocol conducted during the first year of instruction in which students are extensively trained in effective exam-taking and legal problem-solving skills. A second-year, 1-credit legal analysis course is available to 2L students. One-on-one academic coaching is available to all students at any time. The Law School’s office of multicultural affairs offers programs for minority students. Special interest group programs include the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, Center for Dispute Resolution, graduate tax and business law programs, and Tobacco Public Policy Center. The most widely taken electives are Business Associations I and II, Payment Systems, and Secured Transactions.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 89 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 I, Constitutional Law I, Contracts I and II, Criminal Law, Legal Writing I and II, Property I and II, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of a writing or research requirement, Civil Procedure II, Constitutional Law II, Evidence, Federal Personal Income Tax, Legal Drafting, Perspective Course, and Professional Responsibility. The required orientation program for first-year students is 2 <1/2> days and includes a mock classroom discussion, ethics panels, reading and briefing exercises, and meetings with faculty and peer advisers.

To graduate, candidates must have a GPA of 2.0 and have completed the upper-division writing requirement, Professional Responsibility, Legal Drafting Practicum, and Perspective requirement.

Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1298 applied, 629 were accepted, and 247 enrolled. Ten transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 58; the median GPA was 3.2 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 18; the highest was 93.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. Minimum acceptable GPA is 2.0 on a scale of 4.0. The most important admission factors include academic achievement, LSAT results, and faculty recommendation. 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 nonrefundable application fee of $40, 2 letters of recommendation, an essay or personal statement, and a $100 tuition deposit for accepted students; a second $100 seat deposit is due by June 13. 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.

Financial Aid

About 80% 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 $23,385; maximum, $41,750. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is April 1. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include teaching and research assistantships, grants and scholarships, work-study awards, low-interest student loans, and endowed scholarships. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance.

Students

About 44% of the student body are women; 12%, minorities; 7%, African American; 2%, Asian American; and 2%, Hispanic. The majority of students come from Ohio (93%). The average age of entering students is 27; age range is 21 to 52. About 60% of students enter directly from undergraduate school and 11% have a graduate degree. About 11% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 89% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit The Capital University Law Review, the newspaper Res Ipsa Loquitur, and the Adoption Law News Summary. Moot court competitions include National Moot Court, Sports Law, and Labor Law competitions. Other competitions include Negotiation, First Year Moot Court, Environmental Law, Frederick Douglass Competition, Jessup International Competition, Tax Law Competition, and Mock Trial. Student organizations include the ABA-Law Student Division, Black Law Students Association, and the Intellectual Property Law Society. There are local chapters of the Federalist Society, Christian Legal Society, and Phi Alpha Delta. Other law student organizations include Corporate and Business Law Society, Environmental Law Society, and Sports and Entertainment Law.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full- and part-time students are offered both day and evening and must be completed within 7 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 10-week summer session and a 5-week session. Transferable summer courses are offered.

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