PO Box 210176, 1201 E. Speedway
Tucson, AZ 85721-0176
Phone: 520.621.7666; Fax: 520.626.3436
E-mail: eric.eden@law.arizona.edu; Website: www.law.arizona.edu
Founded in 1915, Arizona Law is the oldest law school in Arizona. During the college's nearly 100 years, many of our country's most distinguished judges and lawyers have pursued their legal educations at Arizona Law. With alumni in 49 states and 40 countries, Arizona Law is prominent around the world. It has a national reputation for providing its students with an exceptional education in a collegial and intellectually challenging atmosphere. Arizona Law is an integral part of the University of Arizona, one of the nation's leading research institutions and most spirited campuses. It is located in Tucson, a vibrant, environmentally unique, and culturally rich city of one million people. It is approved by the ABA, has been a member of the AALS since 1931, and is one of 80 law schools nationwide to have a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the prestigious national law academic honor society.
Arizona Law is a nationally prominent law school with an outstanding academic program that prepares students for leadership and service throughout the state, the country, and internationally. Five core values are the foundation of the college's culture: justice, professional integrity, educational excellence, public leadership, and community service. The environment of the college is further shaped by several key components. First, its size enables students and faculty to learn in a congenial atmosphere. Approximately 150 1L students join upperclassmen, 39 full-time faculty, and many visiting scholars in an intellectually stimulating community. Arizona Law offers a favorable student-to-faculty ratio (11:1). Second, Arizona Law has an outstanding, diverse faculty of gifted teachers and nationally recognized scholars. Twenty-three faculty members hold endowed chairs of professorship, 14 have been elected to the American Law Institute, 3 have been awarded teaching and mentoring awards, 2 are Regents Professors, 1 has been elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and 1 serves as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Third, Arizona Law takes full advantage of its connection to the University of Arizona by offering a variety of interdisciplinary study opportunities. Finally, the college attracts students of intelligence, energy, and commitment. The JD student body of 470 represents more than 160 undergraduate and graduate schools, many nationalities, diverse ethnic and cultural groups, and unique work, volunteer, and personal achievements. Arizona Law is affiliated with two research and educational centers: The National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade and the William H. Rehnquist Center on the Constitutional Structures of Government. Both enrich academic life and educational opportunities for Arizona Law students.
In the fall of 2008, Arizona Law opened a newly renovated state-of-the-art building and library, the Law Commons, designed to enhance student learning and engagement. The Law Commons is part of the 390-acre campus of the University of Arizona. The Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library is one of the foremost legal research facilities in the Southwest. It is a fully networked, technologically sophisticated facility that is constantly evolving to meet research needs. Students also have access to the resources of the Arizona Health Sciences Library and university libraries, with collections exceeding 11 million volumes.
Arizona Law offers an outstanding legal education focusing on traditional areas of legal study as well as cutting-edge and emerging topics of law. In the first year, students are assigned to small sections of 25 students. During their 1L year, students enroll in a year-long Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research class of approximately 12 students. Students may further refine their writing skills by participating in moot court competitions or by enrolling in any of a variety of courses requiring significant writing. Finally, membership on one of the three student-run publications, Arizona Law Review, Arizona Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, or Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, provides additional research and writing opportunities.
Arizona Law's first-year curriculum is prescribed, but allows for one elective (Immigration Law, Tax Law, or one of two Administrative Law courses) in the second semester. Students have considerable flexibility in determining upper-division coursework. Arizona Law offers a rich variety of courses and provides opportunities to pursue a general curriculum or to focus studies in specialized areas of concentration, including Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, Environmental Law, International Trade and Business, Criminal Law, Immigration Law, Tax, Estates and Trusts, and Corporate Law. Arizona Law also offers certificate programs in Criminal Law and Policy, Environmental Law, Science and Policy, Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy, and International Trade and Business Law. Trial Advocacy is also an area of particular strength at Arizona Law with multiple moot court teams and an expansive list of advocacy courses.
Arizona Law believes that experiential learning is an essential ingredient in the educational process. Its extensive clinical education offerings include the Child and Family Law Clinic, Immigration Law Clinic, Indigenous Peoples Clinic, Tribal Courts Clinic, Defense Clinic, Prosecution Clinic, Mortgage Clinic, Bankruptcy Clinic, International Human Rights Advocacy Workshop, UN Special Rapporteur Support Team Project, Arizona Attorney General Clinic, Civil Rights Restoration Clinic, and Veterans Clinic. Students may also participate in student-run advocacy programs. Arizona Law has extensive internship opportunities for which students receive academic credit, including congressional and executive agency internships in Washington, DC; state legislative internships; Arizona governor's office internship; judicial clerkship internships; and internships with several tribal governments.
Arizona Law offers a full-time JD program, which is typically completed in six semesters of study. A total of 88 units and a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 are required to graduate.
Arizona Law is affiliated with one of the strongest research universities in the nation. Students interested in interdisciplinary studies can take advantage of this connection by participating in one of the already established dual-degree programs or may work with the appropriate college to customize their own program. Arizona Law offers the following established dual-degree programs: JD/PhD programs in Philosophy, Psychology, and Economics; JD/MA programs in American Indian Studies, Latin American Studies, Gender and Women's Studies, and Information Resources and Library Science; a JD/MBA; a JD/MPA; a JD/MPH; a JD/MS in Economics, Law, and Environment; and a JD/MMF in Management/Finance. Law students may take six units of coursework in another department for elective credit. Arizona Law offers a JD—Advanced Standing program (for those with an international law degree); LLM programs in International Trade Law and Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy; and a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) program.
Admission to Arizona Law is selective. The following application materials are required: academic record, LSAT score, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Additional factors considered include the nature and rigor of the undergraduate experience; graduate education; work and travel experience; unique talents or accomplishments; significant extracurricular activities; leadership, strength of character, and integrity; substantial community service; and other circumstances that have influenced the candidate's life or given him or her direction. Arizona Law fosters a dynamic learning community and welcomes students who bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and varied life experiences to the educational process. The deadline for applications is February 15.
Arizona Law's tuition structure and financial aid program afford students the opportunity to pursue a legal education of outstanding quality with less debt burden than is typical of other fine law schools. Tuition and fees for JD students for the 2011–2012 year was $26,089 for Arizona residents and $41,051 for nonresidents. Arizona Law awarded more than $3 million in scholarships to JD students in 2011–2012.
Student organizations play a vital role in the lives of Arizona Law students. From social gatherings to community service opportunities to professional networking events, Arizona Law's more than 30 student groups offer a way to expand social and professional circles. The Arizona Law Review, the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law and Policy are well-known student-operated and edited scholarly journals. The students in the moot court and trial advocacy programs excel in national and state appellate advocacy competitions.
Arizona Law's Career Office is dedicated to assisting students develop as professionals. It offers individual counseling; programs on résumé, cover letter, and interviewing techniques; and a variety of summer and postgraduate employment opportunities. More than 90 percent of the 1L class engages in real-world summer legal clerkships and internships—one of the highest rates of 1L legal employment in the country. The on-campus Sonoran Desert Public Sector Career Fair provides over 150 summer jobs. Additionally, each year more than 120 law firms, corporations, and government agencies interview Arizona Law students on campus. Students also have the opportunity to be part of the National Off-Campus Interview Program in the following areas: Denver, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, the District of Columbia, Miami, Houston, and Dallas. Typically, 1L and 2L students are employed in over 20 states and foreign countries each summer. The 2010 postgraduation employment rate was 93 percent (excluding those unknown and not seeking), with 19.5 percent accepting prestigious judicial clerkships (national average is 9.3 percent). Typically, 35 percent of Arizona Law graduates practice outside of Arizona in 15–20 states. The average law firm salary was $92,000 ($122,140 after clerkship year).
This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.
| GPA | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT Score |
3.75+ Apps |
3.75+ Adm |
3.50– 3.74 Apps |
3.50– 3.74 Adm |
3.25– 3.49 Apps |
3.25– 3.49 Adm |
3.00– 3.24 Apps |
3.00– 3.24 Adm |
2.75– 2.99 Apps |
2.75– 2.99 Adm |
2.50– 2.74 Apps |
2.50– 2.74 Adm |
2.25– 2.49 Apps |
2.25– 2.49 Adm |
2.00– 2.24 Apps |
2.00– 2.24 Adm |
Below 2.00 Apps |
Below 2.00 Adm |
No GPA Apps |
No GPA Adm |
Total Apps |
Total Adm |
| LSAT score 175–180 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| LSAT score 170–174 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 24 |
| LSAT score 165–169 | 40 | 39 | 52 | 49 | 30 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 179 | 153 |
| LSAT score 160–164 | 72 | 67 | 122 | 91 | 94 | 66 | 55 | 28 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 399 | 268 |
| LSAT score 155–159 | 69 | 26 | 107 | 29 | 83 | 15 | 66 | 4 | 28 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 390 | 78 |
| LSAT score 150–154 | 40 | 13 | 47 | 5 | 69 | 2 | 53 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 264 | 21 |
| LSAT score 145–149 | 9 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 41 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 160 | 6 |
| LSAT score 140–144 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 72 | 1 |
| LSAT score 135–139 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| LSAT score 130–134 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| LSAT score 125–129 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| LSAT score 120–124 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 245 | 156 | 378 | 183 | 331 | 116 | 267 | 58 | 143 | 18 | 77 | 8 | 47 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 7 | 1543 | 553 |
Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 100% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.