302 Buchtel Common
Akron, OH 44325-2901
Phone: 800.425.7668; Fax: 330.258.2343
E-mail: lawadmissions@uakron.edu; Website: www.uakron.edu/law
Located in the heart of downtown Akron and just 45 minutes south of Cleveland, the University of Akron (UA) is one of the 50 largest universities in the country. UA is a comprehensive research and teaching university with degree programs ranging from the associate to the doctoral level. Founded in 1870, UA has celebrated nearly 140 years of academic excellence while forging ahead to meet the complex needs of today's students.
The Akron School of Law was founded in 1921 and merged with UA in 1959. More than 6,000 students have graduated from the law school. Akron Law alumni practice throughout the United States and abroad.
Nearly 180 Akron Law alumni have been or currently are judges in 13 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in the federal court system.
In order to be considered for admission, the applicant must submit the application form and personal statement. The applicant must also take the LSAT and register for LSAC's Credential Assembly Service before the file may be sent to the Admissions Committee. An applicant may apply during his or her final year of undergraduate studies. The bachelor's degree coursework must be completed prior to law school matriculation. Decisions are made on a rolling basis as soon as the files are complete. The priority deadline is March 1, but applications are accepted throughout the spring and summer months. For more details on admission, please see our website.
Students enrolled in an American Bar Association (ABA)–accredited law school may apply for transfer or transient status. A law student who has completed neither more nor less than one year (approximately 30 semester credit hours) and is in good academic standing may apply for transfer. A law student who has the dean's permission to visit for one or two semesters may apply for transient status. Consult www.uakron.edu/law for details.
Admitted applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships and may apply for need-based scholarships. Upper-division students may apply for merit-based and need-based scholarships. Students also have access to Stafford, Graduate PLUS, and alternative loans, as well as federal work-study funds (summer term only).
Akron Law offers a traditional full-time JD program, which law students may complete in two and one-half or three years. Akron Law also offers a flexible part-time program, which allows students to attend classes during daytime or evening hours. Part-time students may complete the JD program in as few as three and one-half years or as many as six years. A few upper-division classes are also offered at 7:30 am to allow students to attend classes before work. Students may transfer from full time to part time (or vice versa) as their needs dictate.
The law building includes a 1987 addition to the library and a 1993 addition to the original structure. The university's $200-million New Landscape for Learning campus improvement program includes a new Student Union, Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Student Affairs Building, academic buildings, and parking decks. Approximately 30 acres of new green space were added to the campus to create a more park-like setting. The law school is within one block of the Akron Municipal Court, the court of common pleas, and the Ninth District Court of Appeals. The federal court is a few blocks from campus. Although the law school is in the downtown Akron area, the campus is a green one bordered by grassy areas, decorative plantings, and fountains.
Akron's JD/LLM in Intellectual Property Law program may be completed in three years on a full-time basis or in four years on a part-time basis, including summer enrollment for both programs. Akron's IP program is one of the most extensive in the nation. Nearly two dozen IP courses are offered either every year or every other year, with additional courses planned.
In addition, Akron offers an LLM degree in Intellectual Property Law. This graduate program, which may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, provides law graduates with an opportunity to begin or continue a specialization in IP. In addition to the LLM program, Akron Law offers a JD/LLM joint-degree program, which allows students to complete both degrees in three years on a full-time basis or four years on a part-time basis.
The first-year curriculum is traditional in content, using traditional and innovative interactive pedagogies. The upper-class curriculum is varied between basic courses and specialty courses, and also focuses on interactive learning pedagogies and development of crucial lawyering skills. All law students are eligible to participate in the programs offered and the services provided by the Academic Success Office. The director of academic success programs counsels students on study techniques, learning styles, time management, and other topics related to academic success. A comprehensive writing program designed to enhance students' skills in research, exposition, drafting, and argumentation is an integral part of the curriculum.
Specialized Studies: Business, Criminal, Intellectual Property, International, Litigation, Public, and Tax.
Joint Degrees: JD/Master in Business Administration, JD/Master in Taxation, JD/Master in Public Administration, JD/Master in Applied Politics, and JD/LLM in Intellectual Property Law.
Certificate Programs: Intellectual Property and Litigation.
LLM Graduate Law Degree: Intellectual Property.
Students represent clients in court, at trial, and on appeal. A variety of opportunities for clinical training are offered. Programs offered include Appellate Review; Clinical Seminar; Criminal, Judicial, and Public External Placement clinics; Prisoner Legal Assistance Clinic; Street Law; New Business Legal Clinic; Civil Litigation Clinic; Trial Litigation Clinic; and pro bono opportunities.
Our more than 20 law student organizations include the Akron Law Review, Black Law Students Association, Asian-Latino Law Students Association, Environmental Law Society, Intellectual Property and Technology Law Association, International Law Society, Law Association for Women, Akron Public Interest Law Society, Student Bar Association, and more. Elections for leadership positions are held each year for day and evening students. Students have many opportunities to sharpen their litigation skills by participating in regional and national mock trial, moot court, and negotiation competitions. Our litigation teams have had tremendous success in competitions throughout the United States.
UA's campus is wireless, allowing for Internet and network access in any building on campus. The law library contains 287,000 volumes. Students have access to 47.6 million library items, 11 million unique titles that may be delivered through OhioLINK, 3.8 million library items through UA Libraries Catalog, and many full-text resources, including 6,000 journals, more than 7.5 million articles, and 40,000 e-books. Law students also receive free access to LexisNexis and Westlaw.
The Career Planning and Placement Office (CPPO) director counsels law students on résumé writing, job searching, interviewing skills, and preparing for entrance into the legal profession. On-campus interviews, a minority clerkship program, an attorney-student mentor program, employment-related seminars, and career fairs are offered. Akron's extensive law alumni database enables the CPPO to assist students with networking opportunities nationwide. The office assists in the placement of students in law-related positions during summer sessions and upper-division years. Graduates receive placement assistance, on request, throughout their careers. Akron's reputation for excellence in legal education and a subsequent high bar passage rate facilitates competitive placements for students and graduates in all areas of practice. Please see our detailed placement stats at bit.ly/AkronLawCareer.
Several programs are offered throughout the year for prospective and admitted students to interact with law students, alumni, faculty, and administration at the School of Law. In addition, guests are welcome to schedule an appointment to visit a class, take a tour, or meet with an admission representative. Prospective students may request additional information at www.uakron.edu/law. For those unable to visit Akron Law, our representatives can also be met on the recruitment road each fall. Consult our website for our national recruitment schedule.
| GPA | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT Score |
3.75+ | 3.51–3.74 | 3.25–3.50 | 3.00–3.24 | 2.75–2.99 | 2.50–2.74 | Below 2.50 | No GPA |
| LSAT score 160–180 | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Unlikely |
| LSAT score 155–159 | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Unlikely |
| LSAT score 150–154 | Possible | Possible | Possible | Possible | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely |
| LSAT score 120–149 | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely | Unlikely |
Good = Good Possibility
Possible = Possible
Unlikely = Unlikely