Seton Hall University School of Law

Introduction

Founded in 1951, Seton Hall University School of Law is the only private law school in the state of New Jersey. While it values its Catholic identity, the law school is a pluralistic community representing a diversity of racial, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The school is consistently recognized for its outstanding teaching and high level of student satisfaction.

One Newark Center, Our Home

Rich in history and culture, Newark is a city to explore. Whatever your interest, you'll find it here—the performing and visual arts, sports, great food, and captivating architecture are within easy reach. The law school is a block from Newark's Penn Station, from which a 20-minute train ride takes students to Manhattan and the world's largest law firms. Students can walk to Newark's major law firms, government agencies, and the federal and state courthouses. Housing options are extensive. Students enjoy living in nearby historic buildings and, with its expansive network of train lines, Newark is within easy reach of New York City, Hoboken, Jersey City, and many suburban communities. The law school's open, welcoming design is a reflection of the faculty and administration's commitment to students. Offices, classrooms, moot courtrooms, and the library are interconnected by balconies overlooking a striking five-story, glass-encased atrium. The entire law school complex is saturated with Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, including access to wireless printing. The building has unusually large student space, including newly renovated student journal and organization offices, lounges, meeting rooms, a chapel, and a cafeteria. The Peter W. Rodino Jr. Law Library is located on three floors and accommodates 600 students and 100 terminals for student use. The Law Library's collection contains more than 425,000 volumes covering a wide array of law and law-related subjects. Health Law and Intellectual Property Law are areas of particular strength. The Rodino Library is a depository for US government documents and for New Jersey state documents.

Curriculum

The JD requires 88 credits to graduate and may be completed as a full-time or a part-time program. The school offers both a day and an evening program following a semester calendar. The program emphasizes humanistic principles and encourages their synthesis with knowledge of the law and professional responsibility. The law school is committed to in-depth training in legal writing and research.

In addition to the core required courses, more than 200 courses are offered in a wide range of areas grouped as follows: Constitutional Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Health and Drug Law, Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law, International Legal Studies, Labor and Employment Law, Personal and Family Law, Property and Estates Law, Public Interest, and Taxation. Externships, journals, and pro bono and moot court programs are also included in the school's offerings.

Master of Laws (LLM) and a Master of Science in Jurisprudence (MSJ) are also offered in the areas of health, science, and technology law.

Public Interest

Seton Hall School of Law is committed to public interest and clinical education. Through the Seton Hall Law Center for Social Justice, students are provided with one of the most comprehensive clinical and pro bono programs offered by any New York area law school. The school's clinics presently represent more than 3,000 disadvantaged and underrepresented clients each year in a wide range of litigation such as civil litigation, family law, impact litigation, immigration and human rights, immigrant workers rights, juvenile justice, and civil rights and constitutional litigation. Clinical projects include International Human Rights/Rule of Law and Urban Revitalization. The Center for Social Justice provides services in the public's interest while training and mentoring future attorneys whose careers will be dedicated in whole or in part to public interest work. Students can take part in various programs geared toward public interest beginning as early as their first year, including clinical programs, externships, and pro bono assignments. Scholarship and other financial assistance are available through the Distinguished Public Interest Scholarship, Summer Public Interest Law Fellowship, and Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

Special Programs

Internships—The law school offers judicial internships with justices of the New Jersey Supreme Court, judges of the New Jersey Appellate Division, Chancery and Law Courts, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the US District Courts, and the US Bankruptcy Courts. There are myriad internship programs with nonprofit and government agencies.

Externships—Externship offerings include environmental law; health law; entertainment law; international organizations, the European Court of Justice or Court of First Instance; the Federal Public Defender; Securities and Exchange Commission; New York Stock Exchange; Internal Revenue Service; National Labor Relations Board; and US Attorney's Office.

Concentrations—The law school offers concentrations in Health Law and Intellectual Property Law that allow students to study a specialized curriculum developed by faculty in consultation with attorneys and government officials working in the field. The breadth and depth of both curricula is unparalleled. In addition to coursework, students have the opportunity to participate in externships and take part in frequent symposia and colloquia.

Joint-Degree Programs—JD/MBA—a four-year program with Seton Hall University Stillman School of Business; JD/MADIR—a four-year program with Seton Hall University Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations; JD/MD—a six-year program with the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; MSJ/MD—a five-year program with the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Journals—The law school offers students an opportunity to advance legal scholarship through four student journals—the Seton Hall Law Review, Seton Hall Legislative Journal, Circuit Review, and the Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law.

International Study—The law school offers two summer study-abroad programs in the Middle East: in Egypt at the American University in Cairo and in Jordan at the University of Jordan in Amman. Additionally, a summer program in Leuven, Belgium, and Geneva, Switzerland, focusing on intellectual property is offered. Seton Hall's Zanzibar program is the only ABA-approved winter-intersession program focusing on modern-day slavery and human trafficking. And, a winter-intersession program in Chamonix, France, focuses on international human rights.

LLM and MSJ Degrees—Seton Hall offers LLM degrees in Health Law and Intellectual Property. Seton Hall also offers a Master of Science in Jurisprudence (MSJ) degree in Health Law, Science, and Technology, which provides professionals with a solid foundation in the legal aspects of health care and intellectual property regulation. Such a concentrated exposure to health law issues can be vital to medical directors, regulatory and contract compliance officers, risk and case managers, employee benefits personnel, lobbyists, and pharmaceutical employees. Full- and part-time programs are available for both the LLM and MSJ degrees.

Moot Court Program—Students represent the law school in the National Moot Court competition as well as in 10 interschool competitions focusing on specific areas of law.

LEO Institute—The Monsignor Thomas Fahy Legal Education Opportunities Institute provides an intense summer classroom experience for educationally disadvantaged students. Applicants from disadvantaged groups, regardless of race, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin, may wish to inquire about this program.

Student Activities

There are more than 35 student organizations at Seton Hall Law, representing various personal and professional interests. The Student Bar Association (SBA) and other student organizations sponsor a variety of practical, social, and educational events. The SBA plays a major role in orientation, coordinates the first-year mentoring program, and sponsors a holiday party each November in Newark and a Barristers' Ball in the spring. Organizations sponsor career seminars focused on different areas of the law, host symposiums and panel discussions that focus on current legal and societal issues, and plan annual banquets and networking receptions during the year.

Committed to Your Success

At Seton Hall you will find a school committed to your success. The majority of our students participate in hands-on clinical training or externships, and 94 percent of our students are employed within nine months of graduation. Seton Hall Law maintains a proactive Career Services Office staffed by full-time counselors who assist students in defining their career objectives and goals and establishing contact with employers. Each fall and spring, law firms, accounting firms, and public interest and governmental employers conduct interviews through the school's On-Campus Interview Program. Alumni are practicing nationwide.

Applicant Profile

Seton Hall University School of Law

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

Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 99% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.