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School of Law

Academics

The following joint degree may be earned: J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration).

The School of Law offers concentrations in corporate law, family law, litigation, and general and government related areas. In addition, seminars are open to all upper-class students and are usually worth 2 credit hours. The externship program is a small, select program that provides closely supervised externships with legal/judicial offices and governmental agencies; 2 credit hours are generally given. Legal research and writing programs provide an opportunity to work directly with a faculty member on a topic of the student’s choice for 2 credit hours. Field work is possible through the extern program, which is open to upper-class students. Placement is with government and nonprofit entities for 1 to 3 hours during a semester to provide hands-on training. A remedial writing workshop is offered to first-year students exhibiting need based upon a written submission; no credit is offered. A 3 credit-hour special interest program, Comparative Legal Systems: Civil Law and Common Law, is offered to students interested in Louisiana law. The most widely taken electives are Trial Practice, Pretrial Practice, and Counseling and Negotiations.

To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 90 total credits, of which 36 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, Criminal Law, Legal Analysis, Legal Research and Legal Writing, Property I, and Torts I and II. Required upper-level courses consist of a writing requirement, Appellate Advocacy, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility and Ethics. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 3-day program that includes how to brief a case, an introduction to basic legal methods, and the development of the Anglo-American legal system.

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

Admissions

In the fall 2007 first-year class, 1153 applied, 603 were accepted, and 196 enrolled. Two transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of the most recent first-year class was 50; the median GPA was 3.21 on a scale of 4.0. The highest LSAT percentile was 93.

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

The application deadline for fall entry is June 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, a personal statement, and a nonrefundable application fee of $50. 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 84% 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 $22,000; maximum, $42,170. Awards are based on need and merit. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. Check with the school for current application deadlines. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application at time of acceptance.

Students

About 41% of the student body are women; 9%, minorities; 7%, African American; 1%, Asian American; and 1%, Hispanic. The majority of students come from Mississippi (49%). The average age of entering students is 26; age range is 21 to 53. About 70% of students enter directly from undergraduate school, 10% have a graduate degree, and 20% have worked full-time prior to entering law school. About 7% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 93% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Mississippi College Law Review and the student paper, Legal Eye. The moot court board conducts the appellate competitions. Law student organizations include the Law Student Association, Women’s Student Bar Association, and Environmental Club. There are local chapters of Phi Alpha Delta and Phi Delta Phi.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered days only and must be completed within 3 years. There is no part-time program. New students are admitted in the fall. There is a 9-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.

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