The John Marshall Law School

Introduction

Since its founding in 1899, The John Marshall Law School has become one of the nation's largest freestanding institutions dedicated to the teaching of law. The school offers a curriculum, writing courses, and a trial advocacy program that prepare students in the theory and practice of law. Students attend both day and evening classes at the 315 South Plymouth Court location in Chicago's Loop.

The law school's reputation has been built by alumni who work as attorneys in private practice, government, industry, and the judiciary. Among its graduates are President Obama's former Chief of Staff and former US Secretary of Commerce, a member of the Illinois Supreme Court, and the chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, the largest unified court system in the United States.

Students learn in rigorous classes taught by a highly regarded faculty and adjunct faculty. Coursework is supplemented with practical experience through clinical and externship programs. Located in the heart of Chicago's legal, financial, and commercial districts, The John Marshall Law School offers a location that is steps from the federal courthouse and blocks from the central offices of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Its students clerk or find positions with Chicago's top law firms, as well as with boutique firms.

The law school holds accreditations from the American Bar Association, the American Association of Law Schools, and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The ethnically and racially diverse student population reflects the law school's founding principles of access and opportunity.

Curriculum

The law school offers both day and evening programs for JD, MS, and LLM students. Students can be admitted into a joint JD/LLM curriculum after their second year. Students are admitted in both January and August. The law school's JD curriculum places major emphasis on legal foundation classes with required Lawyering Skills writing courses. Students have the option of earning a JD degree with a concentration in advocacy/dispute resolution, business, elder law, employee benefits, estate planning, general practice, information technology and privacy law, intellectual property law, international law, public interest law, or real estate law. Students also can earn a JD degree with a certificate of specialization in alternative dispute resolution, elder law, health law, intellectual property law, international human rights law, sustainability, or trial advocacy.

John Marshall offers students the option of earning a JD/MPA, JD/MA, or JD/MBA degree through relationships with area institutions. The law school also offers MS degrees for the nonlawyer in the areas of employee benefits, information technology and privacy law, intellectual property law, real estate law, and tax law.

John Marshall offers the largest selection of LLM degrees in the Midwest. Lawyers interested in specializing in an area of law for an LLM degree can select from employee benefits, estate planning, information technology and privacy law, intellectual property law, international business and trade law, real estate law, tax law, and trial advocacy and dispute resolution.

Clinics, Externships, and Special Programs

Clinical experience is one of the best hands-on learning techniques. John Marshall's Fair Housing Legal Clinic offers assistance to persons who have been discriminated against in their housing choices. Students learn interview techniques, claims investigation, pleadings, motions, and trial preparation.

The Patent Law Clinic gives students the opportunity to assist needy inventors in preparing and securing patents.

The Immigration Clinic gives students training through the Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center where they assist immigrants with asylum claims.

The Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic gives students the opportunity to assist veterans filing medical and education claims with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as the opportunity to provide representation for veterans during the appeals process through a statewide network of pro bono attorneys.

The Post-Conviction and Innocence Claims Clinic, in conjunction with the Cook County Public Defender's Office, offers students the opportunity to assist public defenders as they review communications, past transcripts, and records; conduct legal research; and conduct field investigations in cases of appeal.

Students also can gain hands-on experience through externships. Students are paired with attorneys and judges through Judicial Externships, the Defenders Clinic, the Local Government Clinic, and the Prosecution Clinic.

Library

The recently renovated Louis L. Biro Law Library occupies the sixth through tenth floors of the law school's State Street building. A team of over 20 professional librarians and staff members work to serve the students during the 96 hours per week that the library is open. The library holds over 410,000 volumes and microform equivalents and provides on-campus and remote access to over 4,000 titles via our specialty electronic databases. Students have wireless access throughout the law school, and the library offers seating for 750, including eight group-study rooms. In addition to supporting the research and instructional needs of the students, faculty, and staff of the law school, the library is also open to members of the Chicago Bar Association.

Admission

Students are admitted in August and January. Applications for August entrance may be filed between October 1 and March 1; for January entrance, between May 1 and October 15. The LSAT score is evaluated together with the cumulative grade-point average and other relevant factors, including difficulty of undergraduate program, postgraduate experience, leadership potential, business and professional background, and letters of recommendation. Applicants from disadvantaged groups will be given special consideration in cases where their overall records are competitive with other applicants. Minority representation in the class enrolled in 2011 was 33 percent. Applicants with a B+ average overall and an LSAT score in the 67th percentile may be presumed to be within the range for favorable consideration.

Student Activities

There are five honors programs: the John Marshall Law Review, the Journal of Computer and Information Law, the Review of Intellectual Property Law (an online journal), the Moot Court Honors Program, and the Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Honors Program. John Marshall has a long-standing tradition of success in interscholastic competitions and sends teams to more than 30 moot court and mock trial competitions annually.

The student community at John Marshall includes more than 40 student organizations engaging in social awareness, community service, legal discussions, and social activities. Every student group at the law school reflects the diversity, highlights the talents, and enhances the opportunities of our total student body.

John Marshall welcomes numerous well-known visitors and scholars each year. In addition to giving lectures and presentations, our distinguished guests can be found meeting with individual classes or holding roundtable discussions with interested students and faculty.

Career Opportunities

The Career Services Office (CSO) offers personal assistance to help students assess and refine their career goals. The CSO sponsors more than 60 career-related programs each year, many featuring alumni as panelists and speakers. A robust Alumni Mentor Program has mentors meeting with students one-on-one to provide real-world advice on practice areas, law school courses, and the day-to-day practice of law. The CSO also aggressively promotes John Marshall students to employers. John Marshall graduates are employed at 34 of Chicago's 35 largest firms. Public service is another favored career path, with graduates serving as attorneys in the courts and government. Nearly one-fifth of all Illinois judges (circuit, appellate, and state supreme court) are John Marshall alumni.

Correspondence

We encourage you to visit our website at www.jmls.edu and to visit the law school. Tour arrangements can be made through our Office of Admission and visitors are welcome to sit in on a class and talk with students and faculty. An admission counselor can explain the admission process and a representative from our Financial Aid Office can help you understand what loans and scholarships are available.

Applicant Profile

The John Marshall Law School

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

LSAT Score	3.75+	3.50–3.74	3.25–3.49	3.00–3.24	2.75–2.99	2.50–2.74	Below 2.50
	GPA
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
LSAT score 155–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 150–154	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good = Good Possibility

Possible = Possible

Unlikely = Unlikely