University of Georgia School of Law

Introduction

The University of Georgia School of Law (Georgia Law), founded in 1859, is on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The university provides an excellent setting for the study of law with superb libraries and outstanding academic, cultural, recreational, and social opportunities. Athens, a town of 100,000, is the commercial and legal center for northeast Georgia and is approximately one hour from downtown Atlanta. Athens also features a cultural richness ranging from local restaurants and quirky shops to the latest in the alternative music scene.

The School of Law is approved by the ABA, is a member of the AALS, and has a chapter of the Order of the Coif.

The Student Body

The law school student body shares a strong sense of community, and the school prides itself on the collegiality among students, faculty, and staff. The entering class usually numbers in the low 200s, and the entire student body, including LLM students, averages 650 students. The law school is also a vital part of the university community, which supports a cosmopolitan mix of over 33,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Many law students take advantage of these assets by taking courses in other schools and colleges of the university and by participating in the intellectual and social life of the campus.

Curriculum

The law curriculum is rich and diverse. The first year of study consists of required core courses; after its completion, students may choose from a wealth of classes, seminars, and clinical programs to suit their interests.

Clinical program opportunities, both criminal and civil, abound. Clinical education expands upon the classroom knowledge by providing essential experiential learning. Students interested in criminal law can participate in the Prosecutorial Clinic, the Criminal Defense Clinic, or the Capital Assistance Project. Students interested in environmental law, family law, public interest law, and any of a number of other areas of study will find that the Civil Externship Clinic, Family Violence Clinic, Mediation Practicum, Public Interest Practicum, Environmental Law Practicum, Special Education Practicum, and Appellate Litigation Clinic add to their understanding and preparedness. Students also have the opportunity to spend a semester working in the nation's capitol through the Washington, DC, Semester in Practice program launched in Spring 2012.

Faculty

While some law schools choose to emphasize either scholarship or teaching, the University of Georgia seeks a balance of the two, firmly believing that classroom teaching is enhanced by scholarly expertise. The college town setting fosters student-faculty interaction by increasing faculty availability and promoting a conducive atmosphere for dialogue.

The faculty includes authors of some of our country's leading legal scholarship, recipients of the university's highest honors for teaching excellence, Fulbright Scholars, and former law clerks for the US Supreme Court and appellate courts. Most bring practical experience to the classroom as well; they have been trial and corporate attorneys, and many continue to accept pro bono cases or serve as consultants.

Faculty expertise is expanded by the addition of outstanding adjuncts, attorneys from the region's most powerful firms, international attorneys, government leaders, and prominent practitioners. In addition, the law school's Dean Rusk Center annually is host to several international scholars who may teach mini-courses in their areas of interest. Recent courses include international human rights, dispute settlement in the World Trade Organization, and EC competition law.

Educational Enrichment Programs

University of Georgia law students have several opportunities to expand their educational horizons. First, joint programs with other schools and colleges in the university enable students to complete two degrees in less time than it would take to pursue them separately. Existing joint programs include JD/MBA (business administration), JD/MPA (public administration), JD/MHP (historic preservation), JD/MSW (social work), and JD/MEd in Sports Studies.

Students may also take graduate coursework in other schools and colleges of the university and have it count as elective credit toward the 88 semester hours required for graduation. For example, students interested in tax law might take courses in the school of accounting, and students interested in public policy might take courses in the School of Public and International Affairs. Finally, those who are not interested in the joint-degree programs, but want more coursework than can be satisfied by elective credit, may pursue other advanced degrees at the same time they are fulfilling the requirements for the law degree.

Study Abroad

Nothing helps one to better understand the culture of another country than actually studying and living in a foreign land. At Georgia Law, this concept is fully embraced. Several opportunities for legal study and work experience in other parts of the world are provided on an annual basis. They include:

Georgia Law at Oxford—This exciting 15-week program runs from January through April and is one of the few semester-long study-abroad programs offered by an American law school. Selected second- and third-year law students take four courses and receive 12 semester hours of credit.

Global Internship Program—Established in 2001, this initiative provides students with 6 to 10 weeks of study or work experience in one of more than 30 countries spanning the world. Each participant receives funding from the law school to help offset travel and living costs.

Georgia Law Summer Program in Brussels and Geneva—Hosted by two highly prestigious European institutions of higher learning: L'Institut d'Études Européennes, Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis (IEE) in Brussels and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Graduate Institute) in Geneva, this three-week course is designed to provide an introduction to the legal system of the European Union, with an emphasis on EU business law, as well as a concentrated study of international trade law practice under the WTO.

Georgia Law Summer Program in China—Partnering with Tsinghua University in Beijing and Fudan University in Shanghai, this three-week study-abroad program in China's two largest cities offers an introduction to the Chinese legal system with an emphasis on commercial and trade law. There is the potential for Georgia Law students to remain in the country at the end of the program for a four- to six-week internship in one of several law firms. Georgia Law students received partial tuition scholarships in the summer of 2010.

Equal Justice Foundation Fellowships—These awards provide grants to law students who engage in public interest legal work in positions that otherwise would not be funded. Recently, EJF fellowship recipients have used their funds to gain international experience and aid foreign causes.

Library and Physical Facilities

The law library's vast collection makes it among the largest in legal education. While it has extensive holdings in international law, it focuses on being a functional library serving the needs of students. The university's main library is adjacent to the law school and is one of the largest research libraries in the nation.

The law school is headquartered in Hirsch Hall on the northern edge of the campus, the most scenic and historic section of the university. Dean Rusk Hall, adjacent to Hirsch Hall, provides additional classroom and office space. The majority of clinical settings are just a short walk away in the downtown area.

Career Services

The law school offers a fully staffed career services office that assists law students and graduates. Graduates typically get jobs in private practice, government, public interest, and in federal judicial clerkships. The career services website is a comprehensive source of information.

Alumni practice in 39 states and over 49 countries. Employers from all 50 states and 25 countries have utilized the Legal Career Services Office to target Georgia Law students for summer and full-time employment.

Advocacy Programs

Georgia Law's accomplished Moot Court and Mock Trial programs focus on developing critical oral and written advocacy skills. Team members learn how to write persuasively and how to make convincing oral presentations that will withstand intense scrutiny by the court. Through this incredible practical learning experience, Georgia Law students become powerful advocates.

Georgia Law's Moot Court and Mock Trial programs have won several national titles, regional crowns, and state trophies.

Student Publications

Students at Georgia Law publish three highly regarded legal journals: the Georgia Law Review, the Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Journal of Intellectual Property Law, a nationally recognized IP specialty journal. The journals, which are frequently cited by federal and state courts, textbooks, treatises, and other law reviews, follow the customary format, with articles from leading scholars and practitioners comprising the bulk of the content and another section consisting of student notes.

Applicant Profile

University of Georgia School 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	Below 2.50 Apps	Below 2.50 Adm	No GPA Apps	No GPA Adm	Total Apps	Total Adm
LSAT score 170–180	38	37	34	33	23	20	19	18	10	7	3	2	2	1	1	1	130	119
LSAT score 165–169	140	134	174	164	98	96	93	87	36	28	13	10	5	4	16	15	575	538
LSAT score 160–164	216	53	235	20	208	7	92	3	28	0	25	0	13	0	25	0	842	83
LSAT score 155–159	179	14	166	8	141	6	88	2	40	0	23	0	10	0	8	0	655	30
LSAT score 150–154	101	11	91	10	95	4	79	4	49	0	29	0	16	0	7	0	467	29
LSAT score 145–149	54	3	57	6	50	1	45	0	29	0	22	0	16	0	9	0	282	10
LSAT score 140–144	11	1	22	0	24	0	26	0	19	0	17	0	18	0	3	0	140	1
LSAT score Below 140	0	0	7	0	11	0	15	0	8	0	15	0	22	0	3	0	81	0
Total	739	253	786	241	650	134	457	114	219	35	147	12	102	5	72	16	3172	810

Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 100% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.