Southern Illinois University School of Law

Introduction

Southern Illinois University School of Law is an outstanding, small public law school that provides an optimal mix of theoretical and experiential educational opportunities in a student-centered environment. SIU School of Law emphasizes excellence in academics. Students learn from faculty members who are nationally recognized in their fields and are engaged with the legal community on local, state, national, and international levels.

Students at SIU School of Law receive a strong grounding in legal theory and excellent training in professional skills development. In addition to a nationally recognized Lawyering Skills Program and an award-winning professionalism program, the SIU School of Law provides skills training through clinical and externship programs, a semester-in-practice program, moot court, pro bono opportunities, and a wide variety of extracurricular activities.

Law students at SIU receive a rigorous legal education in a supportive environment. Students benefit from individualized attention from professors and administrators who genuinely care about their success. In addition to a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, SIU School of Law has an excellent student support system that includes an Academic Success Program and bar exam preparation support.

SIU School of Law prepares practice-ready graduates for a changing legal profession in a global environment.

Campus

The School of Law is located on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, a 143-year-old university with a tradition of excellence as well as a diverse, multicultural student body of approximately 20,000. Carbondale, a community of 27,000 people, is one of the most scenic areas of Illinois. National forests, state parks, historic sites, campgrounds, theaters, festivals, and cultural events make Carbondale's quality of life among the highest in small cities in Illinois.

Curriculum

All students have a uniform first-year curriculum. A broad range of courses are offered in the second and third years.

SIU School of Law is at the forefront of legal education in providing a strong Writing Across the Curriculum program. Our students acquire strong legal writing skills by practicing those skills in every course in the law school and receiving substantial constructive critiques of their work throughout the three-year curriculum.

An innovative and nationally recognized first-year Lawyering Skills Program gives students a solid foundation in basic lawyering skills, including legal research and writing, oral advocacy, client interviewing and counseling, and negotiation. In addition, the school has a strong health law curriculum and is the site for the National Health Law Moot Court Competition as well as a Center for Health Law and Policy.

After three years of intensive education in theory and skills, graduates are prepared to not only pass the bar, but also to begin their careers with confidence in the skills they have learned and practiced while in law school.

A Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program and Master of Laws (LLM) program are also available.

Dual Degrees

Recognizing the increasing complexity of the law, the SIU School of Law has partnered with the SIUC Graduate School and the SIU School of Medicine to offer a variety of concurrent JD/Master's degree programs. Current partnerships include: accountancy, business administration, education, electrical and computer engineering, public administration, and social work. A six-year program offered in cooperation with the School of Medicine permits students to concurrently obtain JD and MD degrees.

Professional Skills Training

Clinical programs enable senior law students to represent clients under the supervision of licensed attorneys. The Civil Practice/Elder Clinic provides direct legal assistance to persons 60 years of age and older in the 13 southernmost counties of Illinois. Students may participate in the Public Interest or Judicial Externship Program and obtain academic credit while working at nonprofit, local, state, or federal legal or judicial offices. The Domestic Violence Clinic provides legal assistance to victims of domestic violence. The Juvenile Justice Clinic provides legal services to minors as guardians ad litem.

The semester-in-practice program allows second- and third-year students the opportunity to spend a semester living and working in different locations. The Law and Government Program, located in the Illinois state capital of Springfield, focuses on state and local government. The Criminal Trial Practice Program, with locations in southeast Missouri and Chicago, provides hands-on experience with the Public Defender or State's Attorney's Offices. The Health Law and Policy Program offers students the opportunity to engage with state and not-for-profit entities in the health care field in Springfield, Illinois.

SIU School of Law provides a comprehensive trial and appellate moot court program with teams that have successfully competed in the McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court, ABA Moot Court, and Darras Disability Law Moot Court competitions, among others. In addition, SIU School of Law holds an annual intramural Appellate Moot Court Competition.

All entering law students are assigned to a study group and an upper-level law student tutor as part of the Academic Success program and participate in the Professionalism and the Law class. Both programs give students additional tools and skills necessary in the legal profession. The Professionalism class grew out of the SIU School of Law Professional Development program, which was awarded the coveted E. Smythe Gambrell Award from the American Bar Association. The law school was recognized for its design and implementation of a model professionalism program for law students.

Special Programs

SIU School of Law sponsors two annual lecture series: the Hiram H. Lesar Distinguished Lecture Series and the Dr. Arthur Grayson Distinguished Lecture Series. In addition, SIU School of Law cosponsors an annual health law symposium, the SIU/SIH Health Policy Institute, that attracts health law policy experts from across the country.

SIU School of Law has partnered with the University of Missouri—Kansas City to offer students a four-week, study-abroad program in Ireland. The program allows students to receive six elective credit hours and the chance to study at some of Ireland's preeminent institutions.

Library and Physical Facilities

SIU School of Law's primary facility is the Lesar Law Building, housing the classrooms, courtroom, auditorium, faculty offices, and law library. Because the number of activities and services has expanded since the main building was completed in 1981, the clinics are located directly across from the main building, creating an informal law school campus within the broader university grounds. All together, the facilities offer over 100,000 square feet of space.

Law students enjoy 24-hour access to the law library, which has ample study space. In addition to a rich print and microform collection, the law library has evolved to meet the changing nature of legal research and user expectations by providing wireless access to a wide array of electronic legal materials. Law students also have virtual as well as physical access to the university's Morris Library, which houses a major research collection and is located within walking distance of the law school. The law librarians, who hold both law and library science degrees, are committed to teaching law students the fundamentals of legal research formally, by coteaching the Lawyering Skills first-year course, and informally, through their interactions at the reference desk.

Student Activities

SIU School of Law publishes the Southern Illinois University Law Journal, which provides editorial and writing experience for a number of upper-class students. Students with a particular interest in health law have the opportunity to write and edit for the Journal of Legal Medicine. As mentioned previously, the school provides a comprehensive trial and appellate moot court program as well as an annual intramural Appellate Moot Court Competition.

All students belong to the Student Bar Association (SBA). The SBA serves as a channel of communication between students and faculty. In addition to providing services to its members, the SBA schedules lectures and coordinates two major social events annually, including Barristers Ball and Chili Trivia. Students can also participate in a wide variety of other student organizations depending on their specific interests. Students play an active role in law school governance, serving on most faculty committees.

Career Services

SIU School of Law graduates find employment nationwide, with alumni in 48 states and several international countries, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, and the Virgin Islands. The Office of Career Services provides services for both enrolled students and alumni, including individual career counseling, on-campus interviews, career workshops, and more. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of regional and national job fairs and career conferences. The Career Library contains diverse career materials, including national and international directories, judicial clerkship information, and government and public interest job information.

Expenses, Scholarships, and Financial Aid

SIU School of Law offers competitive scholarships ranging from $4,000 to full tuition. Scholarships are awarded to incoming students who demonstrate a high aptitude for the study of law. Financial support from the State of Illinois combined with a generous program of scholarships for both incoming and current students allow graduates of the SIU School of Law to enjoy an average debt load that is below the national law school average. Students can qualify for the in-state resident tuition rate after they have been an Illinois resident for six consecutive months. Student loans and work-study opportunities are administered by the university's Financial Aid Office. Information concerning in-state resident applications, loans, and financial aid procedures may be obtained from the Office of Admissions.

Applicant Profile

Southern Illinois University School of Law

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

	GPA
LSAT Score	3.75+	3.50–3.74	3.25–3.49	3.00–3.24	2.75–2.99	2.50–2.74	2.25–2.49	2.24 or Below
LSAT score 165 or Above	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 158–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 156–157	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 155	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 154	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible
LSAT score 153	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 152	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score Below 152	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good  = Good Possibility

Possible  = Possible

Unlikely  = Unlikely

This grid reflects the highest LSAT score of the applicant.