Phoenix School of Law

Introduction to Phoenix School of Law

At Phoenix School of Law, our overarching commitment is to our students. Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni are passionate about our three-part mission:

An educational experience that is student-outcome centered.

Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni share a responsibility to help students develop the values, skills, and knowledge required of legal professionals. Recognizing the rigors of a legal education, every member of the PhoenixLaw community contributes to our intellectually demanding, supportive, multicultural learning environment. PhoenixLaw also fosters a culture of humility, transparency, dignity, fairness, and respect.
Outcome-driven programs and experiences that yield professionally prepared graduates.

In addition to the traditional emphasis on doctrine, critical thinking, and writing skills, at PhoenixLaw we impart real-world experience. By focusing on the practical skills and methodologies of law practice, combined with the faculty and staff's accountability for market-leading student outcomes, we prepare our students to be effective lawyers and give them a head start in legal practice.
A commitment to serving underserved communities and student populations.

This premise has a broad spectrum, and begins with the location of PhoenixLaw in a community that historically has been underserved by legal education. It continues by immersing PhoenixLaw students in a culture that encourages service to individuals and groups that have historically been underserved by the legal profession. We impart to our students the understanding that the ability to interact effectively with persons of diverse backgrounds and experiences is a significant skill necessary for their success.

PhoenixLaw is a community of accomplished students, notable alumni, distinguished faculty, and experienced staff. We provide an exceptional law school education and experience to our students, setting ourselves apart on the basis of our outcomes and our culture. We welcome you to join our dynamic community.

Full- and Part-Time Programs

At Phoenix School of Law, students have the flexibility of three program options to pursue their legal education: full-time day, part-time day, and part-time evening. Full-time faculty members teach all program options. Additionally, all of our students benefit from our adjunct professors who share their practical knowledge based on their firsthand experiences as law practitioners in the Phoenix metro area. In addition to the fall, spring, and optional summer semester, Phoenix School of Law offers students the opportunity to take elective courses during three, one-week intersessions.

Admission

Phoenix School of Law admits students after a careful and thorough application evaluation. Highly qualified applicants typically are admitted first. Admission decisions may include attention to factors that enhance the educational experience of the entire student body. The Admissions Committee weighs all characteristics bearing upon the ability of an applicant to study law successfully. Undergraduate grades and majors, the difficulty of the undergraduate field of study, LSAT scores, personal statements, and letters of recommendation are important. Additionally, Phoenix School of Law evaluates other criteria, such as work and life experiences, accomplishments, graduate study and degrees, the LSAT writing sample, and other factors that may provide meaningful insight into the applicant's potential to succeed in law school.

Curriculum

The faculty and administration at the Phoenix School of Law believe that students must be exposed to traditional theory, practical skills, and ethical instruction in a variety of different ways that extend beyond the classroom in order to create law graduates who are professionally prepared. At PhoenixLaw, there are several main areas of focus for experiential learning:

Infusion of Skills and Values: Since the School of Law's inception, faculty members have taken a coordinated approach to teaching key skills and values as part of their courses. PhoenixLaw faculty members have assumed responsibility for teaching 17 specific skills throughout the core curriculum.

General Practice Skills: As a requirement for graduation, all students must satisfactorily complete a capstone course—the General Practice Skills (GPS) course. The course's objective is to infuse skills and values essential to the practice of law in the final year course curriculum. The course is taught by adjunct professors who are all practicing attorneys in the local legal community.

Clinical and Externship Programs: The goals of these programs include teaching practice-ready professional skills and values, promoting pro bono service to underserved segments of the community, and providing students with opportunities to engage in small group/collaborative work, while exposing students to the rich tapestry of legal service opportunities. An additional goal is that through the clinical and externship experience, each student will demonstrate improved skills of learning from practice and will have developed a strong commitment to the value of lifelong learning in the practice of law. The PhoenixLaw Clinics include the Mediation Clinic, Veterans Tax Clinic, Veterans Legal Assistance Clinic, Human Rights and Immigration Clinic, American Indian Law Clinic, Juvenile Defense Clinic, and the Municipal Prosecution Clinic.

Faculty

The faculty at the Phoenix School of Law are an extraordinary and diverse staff of professors who are dedicated to providing every student with academic support and mentorship. Educated at some of the best law schools around the nation, they have a wide range of special interests and have worked in large private firms, government agencies, public interest organizations, and as judicial clerks. Our faculty also includes several retired judges. The PhoenixLaw faculty is actively involved in scholarship and public service, but their first priority is teaching our students.

Mentoring Programs

Upon starting classes at PhoenixLaw, each student is assigned a faculty mentor. This mentor helps guide the student through his or her law school experience and develop a professional relationship that extends beyond the classroom and to the student's career. Mentors act as advisors, assisting the student in understanding and applying policies and procedures, accessing information, and pursuing appropriate avenues to obtain information and approvals. Mentoring is also provided via various student organizations, where 2L and 3L students assist the 1Ls by guiding them through their first year of law school.

Critical Legal Skills and Bar Exam Preparation

Helping students to succeed in law school is the goal of PhoenixLaw's Critical Legal Skills (CLS) program. The CLS staff provides classes and workshops, as well as small-group and individual academic support counseling to assist students in:

adjusting to a rigorous legal learning environment;
developing time management and stress management skills to meet the personal tasks and academic demands of law school;
identifying individualized learning style preferences to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in academics and practice;
developing the necessary study skills, classroom preparation, and exam preparation tools to succeed in law school;
maximizing effective writing, analytical, oratory, and legal reasoning skills;
passing the bar examination by offering a comprehensive bar strategies course to ensure that students understand the bar review and exam process.

Career Services

PhoenixLaw's Center for Professional Development (CPD) is a full-service career counseling and resource center, committed to assisting each student in identifying, developing, and attaining his or her individual career goals. Students meet with a member of the CPD staff in their first year to discuss unique career-planning goals and to develop effective job-search strategies. Individual counseling sessions are supplemented by career-planning workshops and programs, including résumé and cover letter workshops, interview skills workshops, networking skills workshops, career panels, and mock interview programs, to name a few.

CPD offers a comprehensive recruitment program that brings students together with employers and provides them with opportunities to gain practical experience. Each semester CPD hosts employers for on-campus interviews, performs résumé collections, and distributes weekly job postings. The variety of recruitment opportunities for employers has resulted in the placement of PhoenixLaw graduates in large and regional private firms, judicial clerkships, government agencies, public interest groups, and the business sector.

Library and Information Technology

The Phoenix School of Law Library subscribes to several electronic databases and provides workshops and training throughout the year to supplement research skills that students learn in their legal writing courses and other classes. The law library is continuously expanding its collection, including multiple formats, such as electronic, print, and audio, to best accommodate each student's learning style and maximize results.

PhoenixLaw employs the latest technology to make learning more effective for our students. From state-of-the-art classrooms, intranet, and wireless technology, to smart boards and podcasting, our Information Technology Department is continually implementing new ways to enhance the learning experience.

Applicant Profile

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	2.00–2.24	Below 2.00	No GPA
	GPA
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 157–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 154–156	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 150–153	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good = Good Possibility

Possible = Possible

Unlikely = Unlikely

The information contained in this chart should be used as an estimated guide as to the likelihood of admission. The Admissions Committee engages in a holistic review of all information submitted by candidates for admission. LSAT and UGPA are not the sole determinants for admission.