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Stetson University College of Law

1401 61st Street South
Gulfport, FL 33707
Phone: 727.562.7802; Fax: 727.343.0136
E-mail: lawadmit@law.stetson.edu; Website: www.law.stetson.edu

Introduction

Founded in 1900, Stetson University College of Law is Florida's first law school. The law school's main campus is in Gulfport, a suburb of St. Petersburg, and was originally built as a resort complex with magnificent Mediterranean Revival architecture. A satellite campus in downtown Tampa hosts some classes in our part-time and full-time JD programs and houses the Tampa branch of Florida's Second District Court of Appeal. Stetson is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and has been an Association of American Law Schools member since 1931. The college is an equal opportunity educational institution. For additional information, visit www.law.stetson.edu.

Dolly and Homer Hand Law Library and Physical Facilities

Stetson's amazing facilities boast seven courtrooms—including the nation's first elder-friendly courtroom—and modern classrooms designed to enhance the learning experience. The Student Center features organizational offices, interviewing rooms, a gym, a pool, and nearby athletic fields. The Hand Law Library in Gulfport and the satellite library in Tampa form one of the Southeast's most advanced research and communications technology centers. Housing more than 420,000 volumes and providing 48 group-study rooms, this library system offers 24/7 swipe card access, wireless access to many online databases, and outstanding legal reference assistance with nine professional librarians on staff. There is a laptop requirement for all students.

Admission

Last year, Stetson received 3,217 applications, offered admission to 1,210 applicants, and enrolled 344 first-year students: 277 full time and 67 part time. The 2011 entering class included 25 percent minority students and 44.5 percent women; 113 undergraduate institutions, 30 states, and 3 countries were represented within the group of new students. These numbers represent the fall full-time and part-time 2011 entering classes. We no longer offer a spring JD start date. The student body consists of approximately 842 full-time and 225 part-time JD students, 19 students in the International Law LLM program (from 13 countries), and 36 Elder Law LLM students (online program). Our students, faculty, and staff work together toward one common goal: preparing our students to be the best lawyers and leaders possible.

Faculty

The intellectual exchange among students and faculty continues, both inside and outside the classroom. The 63 full-time professors are engaged in projects that bring Stetson regional, national, and international prominence, but make teaching and working with students their top priority. Each semester, the full-time faculty is supplemented by approximately 54 practicing attorneys and judges who serve as adjunct professors in specialized areas.

Curriculum

A balanced curriculum blends fundamental courses, practical training, and a diverse range of electives. Stetson is a pioneer and a national leader in advocacy and clinical training.

Stetson's academic success programs include advising, an academic orientation, bar exam preparation led by a full-time director of bar preparation services, a for-credit Multistate Strategies course, courses that fuse academic and critical thinking skills with substantive content, and skills workshops designed to help students realize their academic potential. All JD students must complete a pro bono graduation requirement, and first-year students participate in the Professionalism Series.

Clinics and Internships: Stetson offers upper-level students a wide variety of opportunities to work closely with attorneys and judges, and, in some cases, actually represent clients and try cases under the supervision of an attorney. Clinics and internships are available in the areas of bankruptcy, child advocacy, elder law, civil poverty, consumer protection, environmental law, labor and employment law, family law, government and administrative law, federal and state litigation, corporate law, intellectual property, immigration, criminal prosecution and federal and state defense, military justice and veterans law, as well as a variety of judicial internships at the federal and state levels, including opportunities with state supreme courts in Florida and Georgia.

Certificates of Concentration: Students may apply to a certificate program in advocacy, elder law, environmental law, or international law. Students focus their elective credits, receive mentoring, and volunteer pro bono service in their chosen concentration.

Advocacy: Stetson is recognized as one of the best law schools for advocacy. Stetson's teams routinely win international, national, regional, and state mock trial, moot court, and alternative dispute resolution competitions.

Academic Journals: The Stetson Law Review publishes three issues each year. Stetson also publishes the Journal of International Aging Law and Policy in cooperation with AARP and the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy.

Honors Program: Full-time students who rank in the top 15 percent of their entering class after their first or second semester and part-time students who rank in the top 15 percent of their entering class after their first or second year are invited to interview for a spot in the Honors Program, which features a special colloquium and seminar. Honors Program students also are invited to attend faculty colloquia and other special events.

Expenses and Financial Aid

Full-time tuition for 2011–2012 (fall/spring) was $35,146, and part-time tuition for 2011–2012 (fall/spring/summer) was $30,577. Partial- and full-tuition scholarships are offered on a competitive basis. Additional scholarships are offered for continuing students. There is no financial aid deadline. Stetson offers a public service scholarship for third-year students and is a proud participant in the Department of Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Program.

Special Programs

In addition to the traditional full-time program, Stetson offers a part-time evening JD program that allows students to earn a law degree in four years (including summers); part-time students must take classes at both the Gulfport and Tampa campuses. Qualified international attorneys may receive advanced standing to complete the JD program in two years. Stetson offers dual-degree programs for the JD/MBA, JD/MD, JD/MPH, and JD/Grado en Derecho (Spanish law degree). Stetson offers one- and two-semester exchange programs in France, Mexico, and Spain. Students may also study abroad in Argentina, China, England, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands. A rotating one-week travel experience is also offered; the 2012 trip is to Rome. A semester-abroad program in London is offered each fall. Stetson has Centers for Excellence in Advocacy, Elder Law, Higher Education Law and Policy, and International Law, as well as law and policy institutes for Biodiversity Law and Caribbean Law. Students may participate in a civil rights travel experience in the summer.

High-Profile Speakers and Conferences: Past speakers include US Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, Florida Supreme Court Justices, former US Attorney General Janet Reno, Innocence Project founder Barry Scheck, civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis, and Kenneth Feinberg. Students are encouraged to attend the numerous seminars and conferences sponsored by Stetson for practicing attorneys, judges, and other professionals.

Residential Life

Stetson offers a variety of housing opportunities on and near campus, including 49 dorm rooms, some of which are designated for special-needs students. The university also owns 43 single-family homes and a 32-unit apartment complex, all located within a few blocks of the campus. A waiting list is maintained for these spaces. The Office of Residential Life also maintains a roommates-wanted list and a general listing of other rental opportunities in the local area, although these rentals are not formally affiliated with Stetson.

Career Development

Stetson's commitment to empowering students and alumni to achieve their individual goals is reflected in its strong career development program. The Office of Career Development presents useful and practical career tools and services to help students launch the career they want, through individual and group coaching, programming on career strategy and planning, research, document preparation and publishing, communication and outreach, decision-making, and mentoring. Among the office's signature offerings are the ToolKit, a specially-designed career curriculum kicked off with full-day orientation and interactive walk-through, and the Solo Practice Institute and Network—a 3-day program with 12 months of subsequent monthly offerings offering solo Stetson alumni the foundational skills and mentors they will need to succeed. Alumni are located in 48 states, DC, 2 US territories, and 22 countries.

Office of Student Life

The Office of Student Life offers student activities that support Stetson's academic mission and enrich the law school experience, such as cultural programs, experiential education trips, pro bono service opportunities, and monthly leadership luncheons. Stetson has more than 45 diverse and active student organizations. The Student Bar Association is the umbrella organization under which all others are coordinated. The Stetson Chapter of the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division has been recognized regionally and nationally as one of the largest and best, and the Student Leadership Development Program was awarded the ABA's prestigious E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award for excellence in professionalism programming. A strong Office of Student Life presence on campus allows students many opportunities to hone their leadership and communication skills, network socially with their peers and legal professionals, and grow interpersonally as strong future members of the legal profession.

Applicant Profile

Stetson University College of Law

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
175–180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
170–174 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
165–169 12 11 12 12 14 13 7 7 4 4 5 4 5 2 1 0 1 1 3 3 64 57
160–164 42 42 65 63 57 56 48 47 19 18 20 12 13 10 3 1 1 0 1 1 269 250
155–159 94 93 124 122 147 139 124 100 83 54 52 17 22 7 10 0 0 0 6 6 662 538
150–154 77 55 158 103 192 91 185 49 126 19 67 5 36 2 17 0 2 0 9 5 869 329
145–149 46 7 88 6 134 9 161 3 112 1 70 0 37 0 16 0 3 0 12 0 679 26
140–144 16 0 43 1 67 0 87 1 90 0 52 0 34 0 15 0 4 0 7 0 415 2
135–139 3 0 9 0 27 0 23 0 37 0 27 0 19 0 5 0 2 0 8 0 160 0
130–134 1 0 6 0 5 0 14 0 10 0 7 0 7 0 2 0 1 0 6 0 59 0
125–129 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
120–124 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
Total 294 209 505 307 645 309 651 207 482 96 302 38 175 21 71 1 15 1 53 15 3193 1204

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