Washburn University School of Law

Introduction

Washburn University School of Law was founded in 1903, became a member of the AALS in 1905, and appeared on the initial list of ABA-approved schools in 1923. The essence of Washburn Law is the commitment of the law school community at every level—from the dean's office to facilities staff—to the success of our students. In addition, the law school endeavors to impart to its students the value of treating others with respect, dignity, and a sense of caring. Its network of more than 7,000 alumni located in all 50 states and internationally includes nationally recognized lawyers, state and federal judges, politicians, journalists, and senior executives of Fortune 500 companies.

Curriculum

All entering students participate in the law school's Ex-L program, which begins during an elaborate and rigorous "first week" program designed to teach students the learning strategies they need to succeed in law school. Ex-L includes a structured study-group program in which groups of four to six students meet twice per week to apply cooperative learning strategies to their law school experience under the supervision of carefully trained and supervised upper-division students. Second- and third-year students satisfy advanced writing and oral presentation requirements and take one or more classes from a group of Perspectives on Law courses, and one or more classes from a group of Skills courses.

Centers for Excellence

Four Centers for Excellence complement Washburn's tradition of excellence in teaching. Students may add an element of concentration by participating in one of the school's eight certificate programs, most of which are administered through the centers.

Business and Transactional Law Center—The center provides students with additional educational opportunities in business law while developing the essential skills of transactional lawyers. The hands-on involvement of alumni actively engaged in business and transactional law also allows the center to accomplish a major subsidiary goal: making the law school experience more realistic and relevant, by providing additional opportunities to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Center for Excellence in Advocacy—The center trains law students in the persuasive and skilled use of advocacy techniques. Students hone their advocacy skills in Washburn's live-client Law Clinic and in a variety of advocacy skills courses. The center coordinates student participation in trial advocacy, negotiation, and client counseling; sponsors national and regional advocacy conferences; and hosts a practitioner in residence each year.

Center for Law and Government—Washburn Law is ideally situated to offer law students unique and varied opportunities to learn about lawmaking, judicial decision making, administrative law, and the regulatory process, given its proximity to the state capitol, the state judicial center, the federal courthouse, and state agencies. As its primary focus, the center provides superior legal education to prepare highly qualified public servants for a broad range of careers associated with local, state, and federal government.

Children and Family Law Center—Washburn houses the American Bar Association's Family Law Quarterly. Students working in the center have the opportunity to take a range of courses related to children and families and to participate in the Washburn Law Clinic representing clients in divorce, children in need of care, and other family law cases.

Certificate Programs

Washburn Law offers certificates of specialization in Advocacy, Business and Transactional Law, Estate Planning, Family Law, International and Comparative Law, Law and Government, Natural Resources Law, and Tax Law. The certificate programs allow students to fully develop their legal interests in these fields. Students who earn certificates graduate with a highly developed working knowledge of the practice area.

Law Clinic

In 1970, Washburn Law Clinic was one of the nation's first in-house clinics. From its inception, faculty members teaching in the clinic have been on a tenure track, placing our clinic at the forefront of legal education. Faculty-supervised students provide a full range of legal services to live clients in six clinics—Children and Family Law Clinic, Criminal Defense Clinic, Tribal and State Court Practice Clinic, Civil Litigation Clinic, Criminal Appellate Advocacy Clinic, and Small Business and Nonprofit Transactional Law Clinic.

International Programs

Currently, Washburn expands students' understandings of different legal systems through its summer program at the University of the West Indies, in Barbados, and its semester-long program at Maastricht University, in the Netherlands.

Externships

Washburn Law's externship program allows students to earn course credit through placement in legal settings outside the law school. Students can experience the practice of law in a wide variety of settings tailored to their specific interests and needs. Students are closely supervised by an attorney and by the externship director.

Accelerated-Degree Option

This option allows students to complete law school in two years by taking courses during both summers.

Facilities and Technology

For 25 years, the Washburn Law Library has been at the top of all law school libraries for new titles added, its extensive collection, and its innovative use of technology. WashLaw has been a premier legal research portal since its creation in the early 1990s, and it is nationally acclaimed as a comprehensive source for legal information on the Internet. Students have wireless access throughout the building. Classrooms include enhanced audio, video, and computer technologies. The state-of-the-art Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center offers students the opportunity to practice their skills in a high-tech environment.

Admission

While an applicant's LSAT score and GPA are significant factors, there is no bright-line cutoff. The Admissions Committee uses the highest LSAT score for multiple-test takers. It carefully considers other factors, including a determination of whether the individual would be an asset for the class as a whole based on characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic diversity, international experience, and undergraduate institution.

Student Activities

More than 30 active student organizations, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American law student associations, accommodate the wide and diverse interests students bring to the law school and add to the cultural and intellectual life of the law school community.

Students may be selected to serve on the board of editors of the Washburn Law Journal or the student editorial board of the ABA's peer-reviewed Family Law Quarterly, which has been located at Washburn since 1992, enhancing the Children and Family Law Center.

Expenses and Financial Aid

Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance. Contribution to diversity is also considered in making scholarship awards. Resident status for tuition purposes can be established with a primary Kansas residence after six months. Topeka is one of the most affordable housing markets in the country. Most students live in the residential areas surrounding the campus.

Professional Development

The Professional Development Office offers programs that emphasize assessment of career goals, exploration of varied applications of a legal education, and support for the transition into the professional marketplace. The office makes available extensive resources regarding local, regional, national, and international legal employment in the public and private sectors, graduate and foreign study, and judicial clerkships.

Washburn Law graduates enjoy great success in seeking employment. Washburn Law alumni reside in every state in the nation, the District of Columbia, and internationally.

Writing Program

During the past several years, Washburn Law has made a major commitment of resources to its Legal Analysis, Research, and Writing program, resulting in national recognition. All first-year students must complete six hours of graded legal analysis, research, and writing. An upper-level writing project is also required. The class sizes are small and are taught by tenure-track professors dedicated to legal writing as their chosen profession.

Spring Start Program

Students may start law school in January through the Spring Start Program, which provides an alternative for those who do not want to wait for the traditional fall start.

Pro Bono Program

Students are encouraged to embrace their future professional obligation to provide legal services to individuals of limited means. Through the Washburn Law Pro Bono Program, they may participate in a pro bono initiative that rewards pro bono work with recognition at graduation.

Applicant Profile

Washburn University 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	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
LSAT score 165–169	2	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	3	3	0	0	0	0	7	7
LSAT score 160–164	8	8	5	5	6	6	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	0	0	32	31
LSAT score 155–159	22	19	17	17	29	28	27	26	18	15	10	9	18	12	1	1	142	127
LSAT score 150–154	26	20	31	22	45	20	49	22	38	19	25	9	23	4	2	1	239	117
LSAT score 145–149	11	2	33	5	31	9	42	8	42	7	24	2	22	1	6	0	211	34
LSAT score 140–144	1	0	11	2	18	0	21	0	18	0	8	0	10	0	6	0	93	2
LSAT score Below 140	2	0	6	0	9	0	9	0	7	0	5	0	5	0	8	0	51	0
Total	72	51	104	52	138	63	154	61	127	45	78	26	81	20	23	2	777	320

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