University of Missouri School of Law

Introduction

The University of Missouri School of Law (MU) is a dynamic and collegial community. Founded in 1839, MU was the first state university west of the Mississippi River. Established in 1872, the School of Law has had an enviable history of service to the state and the nation. Graduates include judges, governors, attorneys general, and legislators who serve locally and nationwide. The law school is a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and is fully accredited.

Located in Columbia, MU is 35 miles from Jefferson City, the state capital. The location provides law students with easy access to the legislature, the Supreme Court, and the various offices of state government. In addition to living and studying in one of America's most livable cities, students are within two hours of the cultural, athletic, and entertainment centers of St. Louis and Kansas City. Students and their families enjoy Columbia's Midwestern friendliness. It combines a small-town feel with the diversity and opportunities often found only in larger cities. Columbia truly offers something for everyone.

Faculty

At MU Law, the faculty focus is on students and is achieved through teaching, research, and service. An open-door policy for students is the norm. MU Law faculty are recognized for achievement inside and outside the classroom through teaching awards, appointments on committees and boards, and publications in national academic journals and media outlets throughout the state and nation.

Enrollment/Student Body

The law school student body is composed of students from numerous states and foreign countries. This diverse and collegial group of students provides a wealth of experience and fosters a stimulating learning environment. MU maintains a smaller incoming class size to foster greater interaction with faculty and peers.

Curriculum

The academic program leading to the JD degree traditionally consists of six semesters of study. One seven-week semester is offered each summer. To graduate, students must complete 89 semester hours, including a writing requirement and a professional perspectives requirement. Students must have a minimum average of 77.5 on a scale of 65 to 100 to graduate.

Student Experience

John K. Hulston Hall was designed with the student experience in mind. Students have many different comfortable places to study, including individual study carrels housed in the library. Due to the law school's focus on student collaboration, many lounge and meeting spaces are available. Students have 24-hour access to the building, including the law library.

Students have access to amenities located on the MU campus, including the student recreation facility, the campus library, and the newly renovated student center. The law school is part of the large university campus with NCAA Division I athletics, concert series, and diverse programming.

Special Programs: Alternative Dispute Resolution

The Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution is a unique feature of the law school and provides national leadership in this area of the law. First-year law students are exposed to an overview of dispute resolution processes. MU also offers a variety of dispute resolution courses and other educational opportunities for second- and third-year students.

One of the first programs of its kind in the country, the center houses a Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution degree program.

Dual-Degree Programs

The School of Law offers several dual-degree programs, including Business Administration, Public Affairs, Health Administration, Library Science, Human Development and Family Studies, Economics, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, and Personal Financial Planning. Through the world's first school of journalism, students can pursue a joint master's or doctoral degree.

The law school has established other dual-degree programs to meet individual interests. Traditionally, dual-degree students spend their first year in the School of Law. (Students must fulfill the entrance requirements of both schools.)

Certificate Programs

The law school offers a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution. In addition, a certificate in Journalism, the Digital Globe, or the European Union is available to law students through the Graduate School. Students can complete these certificates by concentrating a set number of elective hours in these areas.

Study-Abroad Programs

The MU School of Law offers opportunities to study abroad in South Africa, Austria, and the United Kingdom.

Since 2004, MU has conducted a summer program in Cape Town, South Africa, in cooperation with the University of the Western Cape. The program consists of three two-credit courses in different areas of comparative law and includes field trips to the Cape of Good Hope, the Stellenbosch wine region, Robben Island, and other scenic and historical locations.

In cooperation with Georgia State University, MU offers a Summer Academy in International Commercial Arbitration. Based at Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria, the program includes field trips to Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest, Venice, and other locations in Central and Eastern Europe.

MU is also part of the London Law Consortium. This group of six ABA-approved schools offers second- and third-year students a culturally enriching spring semester in London.

With law school approval, students can also obtain academic credit while studying in another ABA-approved law school's international program.

Clinics and Externships

MU provides students with practical experience to enhance lawyering skills and to promote awareness of ethical issues. An active externship and judicial clerkship program and five clinical programs—the Criminal Prosecution Clinic, Family Violence Clinic, Legislative Clinic, Mediation Clinic, and Innocence Clinic—have been developed to enrich student skills. Students, subject to the rules of the Supreme Court of Missouri, are able to practice law in these programs.

Student Activities

All students are eligible to participate in the writing competition for membership on the Missouri Law Review, the Journal of Dispute Resolution, or the Journal of Environmental and Sustainability Law. Also open to all students, the Board of Advocates sponsors a wide variety of advocacy competitions. The school has chapters of the Order of Barristers, the Student Bar Association, and two legal fraternities. In addition, MU is one of only 81 law schools with a chapter of the Order of the Coif, the national law school honor society. Other student organizations, encompassing almost every aspect of social and academic life, are also offered.

Admission

A faculty committee reviews all applications. In many cases, factors other than the GPA or LSAT score have proven to be determinative. If the LSAT is repeated, the committee will consider all scores in its evaluation.

Students are encouraged to apply early and to visit the law school. The Admissions Office can arrange for students to meet with an admission counselor, attend a class, and tour the facility.

Expenses and Financial Aid

MU offers an outstanding value. Out-of-state students can be eligible to obtain Missouri residency after their first year of law school. Financial assistance is available to students in the form of scholarships, federal loans, research assistantships, and work-study.

Career Development

The Office of Career Development serves as a liaison between students or alumni and prospective employers. Students are taught to use their analytical and advocacy skills to achieve career goals. Workshops, seminars, and individual counseling are offered to help students successfully employ their lawyering skills. Additional resources include a smart suite which allows students to interview with prospective employers, facilitates student employment, and creates the ability to record and replay mock interviews.

Applicant Profile

University of Missouri School of Law

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

	GPA
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
LSAT score 175–180	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 170–174	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 165–169	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 160–164	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 155–159	Good	Good	Good	Good	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 150–154	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 145–149	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 140–144	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 135–139	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 130–134	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 125–129	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely
LSAT score 120–124	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely	Unlikely

Good  = Good Possibility

Possible  = Possible

Unlikely  = Unlikely

This chart is to be used as a general guide only. Nonnumerical factors are strongly considered for all applicants.