1000 LaSalle Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 651.962.4895
E-mail: lawschool@stthomas.edu; Website: www.stthomas.edu/law
The University of St. Thomas School of Law has a mission, inspired by its Catholic identity, to help students integrate faith and reason in the search for truth through a focus on morality and social justice. The close-knit community, drawn together by this unique mission, shares a distinctive vision of what law and the legal profession can be. The School of Law attracts students from across the country who want to be servant leaders and who understand their responsibility to serve their clients, the community, and those who are most in need of, and least able to pay for, legal assistance.
The School of Law curriculum includes more than 85 elective courses, 14 required courses, and 4 joint degrees. But numbers don't tell the whole story. We have deliberately designed our curriculum not only to ensure that our students have the doctrinal knowledge and practical skills necessary for legal practice, but also that they are equipped with the relationship skills that are increasingly essential to professional success. With the distinctive Foundations of Justice course, along with a variety of practicum courses, clinics, externships, and other opportunities for experiential learning, St. Thomas puts relationships at the center of legal education. This is evidenced most powerfully by our award-winning mentor externship that matches each student with an experienced lawyer or judge for each year of law school. In addition to introducing students to a variety of lawyering tasks, mentors help their students prepare to face the intellectual, ethical, and moral challenges of professional life.
Students can also pursue one of four joint-degree programs, including Business Administration (JD/MBA), Catholic Studies (JD/MA), Public Policy (JD/MA), and Social Work (JD/MSW).
At the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services (IPC), law students work side by side with students from graduate programs in social work and professional psychology. The IPC is among the first clinical programs in the country to forge an equal partnership among the three disciplines. The IPC gives students experience working with actual clients on active cases.
The Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership unites leaders from a range of professions who work together to pursue practical solutions and create effective tools in confronting the challenge of creating ethical leaders. The center hosts an annual national professionalism conference, business and law roundtables on ethical governance, and Trusted Advisor Seminars with recognized leaders from the Twin Cities.
The Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law and Public Policy is a collaboration between the Center for Catholic Studies and the School of Law. The institute explores the various interactions between law and Catholic thought on topics ranging from workers' rights, to criminal law, to marriage and family.
The University of St. Thomas School of Law is located in downtown Minneapolis, the regional center for business and culture. Minneapolis and the nearby capital city of St. Paul make up the core of the Twin Cities metropolitan area—a metro area of more than 3.5 million residents. The Twin Cities are home to a vibrant business community that features 20 of Fortune 500's largest US corporations. The Twin Cities are also home to a lively legal community that has embraced the School of Law through the mentor externship and summer employment opportunities.
The seemingly limitless recreational opportunities and distinctive beauty of the region add immeasurably to the quality of life. The Twin Cities metropolitan area boasts 949 lakes and many parks, giving outdoor enthusiasts plenty of options from which to choose.
The School of Law seeks to identify students who show the potential to distinguish themselves academically and to integrate faith and values into their professional character and identity.
The Admissions Committee reviews applications with the goal of understanding the strengths, skills, and unique perspectives of each applicant. The committee examines quantitative criteria such as LSAT scores and undergraduate transcripts, but it also focuses on qualitative factors, such as writing skills, leadership experience, motivation, public service orientation, and commitment to our mission of exploring the integration of faith and reason. Thus a student's personal statement, letters of recommendation, and similar information play an important role in assisting the committee in determining whether the student and the School of Law are a good fit.
At St. Thomas, you will be taught, shaped, and challenged by professors who are leading experts in their fields, and who will push you to be more than technically competent; they will encourage you to go deeper into the law, to understand a field in a way that equips you to provide stellar client service, to aspire to meaningful professional leadership, and to chart paths of possible societal engagement and reform. Our professors take their research seriously because they take their teaching seriously. They are excelling on both fronts, receiving national recognition for scholarly impact and overall quality. Further, our relatively small student body, coupled with the faculty's commitment to building a supportive community, means that your interactions with professors usually will not be confined to the classroom. Our professors are approachable, engaging, and dedicated to the well-being of our students.
The student body is diverse. In the fall 2011 entering class, students represented 27 states and 90 undergraduate institutions. While many students come to the School of Law directly from undergraduate institutions, a significant number have earned postgraduate degrees or have work experience.
The School of Law occupies a beautiful building of over 150,000 square feet in downtown Minneapolis near the federal courthouse and major law firms and businesses. The building has several defining features that make it "quite simply breathtaking," as described by an ABA site-evaluation team. These include the dramatic four-story Schulze Grand Atrium, used for lectures, conferences, and social gatherings; the Frey Moot Courtroom, which provides a striking setting in which to learn lawyering skills or hear moot court arguments; and the beautiful Chapel of St. Thomas More.
Modern technology enhances the classrooms, library, group study areas, moot courtroom, and private offices. A computer lab and a computer training center accommodate student research needs.
The library, with its ample seating, 12 group study rooms, and 3 AV viewing rooms, provides an attractive, functional environment for group or individual study. The library's strong electronic collection provides convenient access to many resources from both on and off campus.
St. Thomas is committed to making high-quality legal education available to students by offering scholarships, grants, employment, and loans. The School of Law administers two scholarship programs that acknowledge applicants who have outstanding academic records and who contribute to our diversity or are particularly likely to contribute to the school's mission. All incoming students are automatically considered for scholarship awards. Admitted applicants who participate in select service programs are also eligible for a Dean's Service Scholarship.
The UST Loan Repayment Assistance Program (UST-LRAP) provides up to $6,000 in annual assistance for up to 10 years for qualifying applicants. In general, graduates with financial need who undertake public service jobs benefiting the poor and underserved will be eligible to receive assistance with repaying loans for law school tuition.
Alumni and students work with federal and state judges; international, national, and local public interest organizations; corporations; banks; the government; and law firms of all sizes.
The Office of Career and Professional Development (CPD) provides a wide variety of services to our students and alumni, including one-to-one career counseling, mock interviews, workshops on job skills, and insights into the job market. CPD does significant networking outreach to employers and assists students in their own networking activities. It also offers a strong online job center for students to search job postings from around the country and significant online resources for students on a variety of career and professional development topics.
The University of St. Thomas School of Law has nearly 50 student groups, including Federalist and American Constitutional Societies; Black, Latino, Asian, and Women Law Student groups; as well as several faith-based student organizations and groups formed around practice area interests. The School of Law Sports and Recreation Club organizes participation in athletic leagues for several sports. An active, collaborative Student Government enhances UST's high quality of life.
The University of St. Thomas Law Journal gives students the opportunity to contribute to the development of legal scholarship and further hone their research, analytical, and writing abilities. The Board of Advocates oversees interscholastic competitions in moot court, trial advocacy, client counseling, and negotiation.
All students are required to perform 50 hours of community service work, exploring a variety of ways in which their interests, skills, and talents can best serve the public. The student-led Public Service Board administers the School of Law's public service requirement and maintains and distributes information about public service opportunities.
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 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| LSAT score 170–174 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| LSAT score 165–169 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 35 |
| LSAT score 160–164 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 139 | 132 |
| LSAT score 155–159 | 38 | 36 | 56 | 51 | 65 | 61 | 48 | 45 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 285 | 260 |
| LSAT score 150–154 | 31 | 29 | 45 | 36 | 78 | 67 | 77 | 41 | 52 | 20 | 42 | 13 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 357 | 216 |
| LSAT score 145–149 | 12 | 4 | 37 | 12 | 58 | 12 | 47 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 229 | 36 |
| LSAT score 140–144 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 111 | 5 |
| LSAT score 135–139 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 61 | 1 |
| LSAT score 130–134 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| LSAT score 125–129 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| LSAT score 120–124 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 132 | 116 | 192 | 142 | 272 | 179 | 231 | 113 | 157 | 60 | 131 | 45 | 64 | 20 | 37 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 37 | 9 | 1261 | 693 |
Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 99% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.