School of Law

Liberty University, School of Law History

Liberty University School of Law was established in 2004 and is a private institution. The 5000-acre campus is in an urban area of central Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The primary mission of the law school is to equip future leaders in law with a superior legal education in Fidelity to the Christian faith expressed through the Holy Scriptures. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Lynchburg area. The law school has a partnership with Liberty Counsel, a public interest law firm with an office in Lynchburg. Facilities of special interest to law students include a 330-seat ceremonial courtroom with a 9-seat bench, which is an exact replica of the U.S. Supreme Court bench; wireless access throughout law school; proximity of law library to classrooms; and a massive fitness center. Housing for students consists of affordable off-campus apartments and homes. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

Liberty University, School of Law Academics

The law school offers clinical experience in the Constitutional Law Clinic. The school offers seminars in First Amendment Law, Juvenile Law, and School Law. Non-paid, non-credit internships in government and nonprofit organizations are available to students. Fieldwork includes a Criminal Law Externship and a Judicial Clerk Externship. The law school hosts a Speakers Forum bringing in members of the bench and bar as well as hosting a broad range of special lectures. Tutorial and remedial programs include the Academic Support Program. Special interest groups include the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Board and the Moot Court Board. The most widely taken electives are Real Estate Transactions, Family Law, and State and Local Government.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 69 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, Contracts I and II, Foundations of Law I and II, Lawyering Skills I and II, Property I and II, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of Business Associations, Constitutional Law I and II, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Jurisprudence or Legal History, Lawyering Skills III and IV, Lawyering Skills V and VI, Professional Responsibility, Taxation of Individuals, and Wills, Trusts, and Estates. The required orientation program for first-year students is 3 <1/2> days of case briefing, other academic preparation, and student activities.

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

Liberty University, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 94,815 hard-copy volumes and 155,383 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 770 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as CALI, CIS Universe, Infotrac, Legal-Trac, LEXIS, NEXIS, OCLC First Search, WESTLAW, Wilsonline Indexes, BNA, CCH, CILP, LSN, LLMC, RIA, HeinOnline, and Fastcase, plus others are available to law students for research. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 4990 to 1 and to students is 578 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 campus visits, advertising, special events, and CLEO membership. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have a minimum GPA of 2.0, and a letter from previous law school.

Liberty University, School of Law Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 293 applied, 118 were accepted, and 72 enrolled. Three transfers enrolled. The median GPA of the most recent first-year class was 3.16.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (with very limited exceptions) and take the LSAT. The most important admission factors include motivations, general background, LSAT results, and a personal statement. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are interviewed.

The application deadline for fall entry is June 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, a nonrefundable application fee of $50, and 2 letters of recommendation. Notification of the admissions decision is within 30 days of completed file. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February. The law school uses the LSDAS.

Liberty University, School of Law Financial Aid

All current law students receive some form of aid. The maximum annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, is $42,755. Awards are based on merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. The aid application deadline for fall entry is rolling. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include one minority scholarship category. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application during application process.

Liberty University, School of Law Students

About 35% of the student body are women; 15%, minorities; 8%, African American; 2%, Asian American; 2%, Hispanic; 2%, Native American; and 86%, Caucasian, Foreign National, or Unknown. The majority of students come from Out-of-State (74%). The average age of entering students is 26; age range is 20 to 54. About 10% of students have a graduate degree. About 10% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 90% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Liberty University Law Review. Students participate in the Thurgood A. Marshall Memorial Moot Court Competition, Regent National Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition, and the ABA Appellate Advocacy Competition. Other competitions include the Robert R. Merhige National Environmental Negotiation Competition, ABA Client Counseling Competition, and the ABA Negotiation Competition. Student organizations include the Moot Court Board International Law Society and the ADR Board. Local chapters of national associations include the Student Bar Association, The Federalist Society, and the Christian Legal Society.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered primarily day only; particular courses are offered evening only, and must be completed within 7 years. There is no part-time program. New students are admitted in the fall. There is no summer session. Transferable summer courses are not offered.