School of Law

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law History

Texas Wesleyan University School of Law was established in 1989 and is a private institution. The campus is in an urban area in downtown Fort Worth. The primary mission of the law school is to provide legal education to a diverse student body, recognizing the need for both knowledge and skills, as well as professionalism. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Fort Worth area. corporate headquarters of Lockheed Martin. Housing for students is at the main campus (a 10 minute drive). All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law Academics

The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, environmental law, family law, international law, litigation, tax law, intellectual property, and real estate law. In addition, there is a Law Clinic, Family Mediation Clinic, and Mediation Clinic. Seminars, open to upper-level students, include Law and Elderly, Computers and Law, and Race and Racism. After completing 45 hours and maintaining a minimum grade average of 72, a student can earn up to 6 hours working with a private attorney under the supervision of a faculty member. Directed Research programs and Directed Readings are available. Special lecture series include the Eldon Mahon Lecture Series. An Academic Support Program provides assistance to students, including facilitated study groups and exam-taking workshops. Remedial programs include the Summer Enrichment Program. The most widely taken electives are Tax, Family Law, and Texas Procedure.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 50 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, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Introduction to Law, Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing, Property, and Torts. Required upper-level courses consist of Business Associations, Criminal Procedure, Estates and Trusts, Evidence, and Professional Responsibility. All students must take clinical courses. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 1-week orientation that includes Introduction to Law class in Case Analysis, Legal History, Jurisprudence, Professionalism, Procedure, and Statutory Interpretation.

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

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 204,000 hard-copy volumes and 83,490 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 4724 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, DIALOG, Infotrac, LEXIS, NEXIS, WESTLAW, and CD-ROM towers that support ’98 CD-ROM drives, which are networked to the faculty and student computer laboratories are available to law students for research. Special library collections include Microfiche – CIS Congressional Library. Recently, the library moved to a different facility, added carrel seating, and increased its overall seating capacity. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 9714 to 1 and to students is 294 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 through personal meetings. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and maximum of 30 hours transferable (no pass/fail credits transfer), a letter of good standing from the home law school, application fee, professor’s recommendation, and letter of request to transfer.

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law Admissions

In a recent first-year class, 2373 applied, 932 were accepted, and 365 enrolled. Figures in the above capsule and in this profile are approximate. Thirteen transfers enrolled in a recent year. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 66; the median GPA was 3.2 on a scale of 4.0. Check with the school for the most current information.

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

Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a nonrefundable application fee, 2 letters of recommendation, a personal statement of no less than 500 words, and an optional resume. Notification of the admissions decision is ongoing. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is June. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law Financial Aid

In a recent year about 80% of current law students received some form of aid. The average annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, was $20,000; maximum, $25,600. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. Check with the school for current application deadlines. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include scholarship awards. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at the time of acceptance or time of file completion, whichever is later.

Texas Wesleyan University, School of Law Students

In a recent year about 48% of the student body were women; 21%, minorities; 5%, African American; 6%, Asian American; 8%, Hispanic; 3%, Native American; and 6%, unknown. The majority of students come from Texas (85%). The average age of entering students is 25; age range is 21 to 59. About 12% of students have a graduate degree. About 15% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 85% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Texas Wesleyan Law Review and The Rambler. There are fall and spring intraschool moot court competitions, as well as the ABA/LSD National Moot Court, Texas Young Lawyers Moot Court, and Jessup International Moot Court competitions. Other competitions include the ABA/LSD National Negotiations competition. Law student organizations, local chapters of national associations, and campus organizations include Texas Aggie Wesleyan Legal Society, Criminal Justice Society, Intellectual Property Association, Delta Theta Phi, Phi Delta Phi, HLSA, BLSA, ABA/LSD, and Christian Legal Society.

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. 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-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.