University of St. Thomas School of Law—Minneapolis

The JD Program

Introduction

As a lawyer, you will have the power to change lives. As a St. Thomas lawyer, you will change them for the better—whether you advocate for social justice, serve in the courts or legislature, or provide corporate counsel. That’s why the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is nationally recognized for its professors, practical training, clinical programs, and externships.

Curriculum

The University of St. Thomas School of Law offers an innovative curriculum that emphasizes professional formation and the education of the whole person. We strive to help each student develop the professional and ethical values that are vital to long-term success in the legal profession, enabling them to become lawyers who lead their communities by serving them.

First-year students complete courses in civil procedure, contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, and property. In addition, three foundations courses help students discern and articulate the moral dimensions of law and lawyering, understand how to serve the interests of their future clients, and gain basic business knowledge. Lawyering Skills I and II, our intensive legal research analysis and writing program, are another important part of the first-year curriculum.

Among the strengths of our program is a vast catalog of courses that can be tailored to fit the professional aspirations of each student. Whether your passion is corporate law, civil litigation, dispute resolution, intellectual property, criminal law, family law, public interest law, international law, or one of the many other specialty areas of law, the faculty and staff at St. Thomas can help advise you on a curriculum that truly fits with your personal and professional goals.

St. Thomas Law’s practicum courses, legal clinics, and externships provide opportunities for students to learn through experiences, build their resume, and develop professional relationships. The school was ranked third in the nation for practical training in 2025 by National Jurist.

St. Thomas Law’s distinctive, nationally recognized Mentor Externship Program pairs each student with an experienced lawyer or judge in a practice areas aligned to the curriculum or area of interest for each year of law school. In addition to introducing students to a variety of lawyering tasks and helping them develop a professional network, mentors prepare students to face the intellectual, ethical, and moral challenges of professional life.

St. Thomas School of Law students can obtain a concentration in Organizational Ethics and Compliance, Immigration Law, or Artificial Intelligence and Evolving Technologies while pursuing a JD. 

JD students also may pursue one of three joint-degree programs in the fields of Business Administration (JD/MBA), Social Work (JD/MSW), and Catholic Studies (JD/MA).

Special Programs

The University of St. Thomas School of Law offers 10 legal clinics. Students work alongside their professors to provide representation and assistance to the underserved populations of the Twin Cities and beyond. Four of the clinics (Criminal and Juvenile Defense, Immigration Law Practice Group, Community Justice Project and Special Education) are part of the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services (IPC). The center takes a holistic approach to serving clients in that, under the guidance of faculty, students from the disciplines of law, social work and psychology work collaboratively to help clients in need. The IPC is among the first clinical programs in the country to forge an equal partnership among the three disciplines. It is housed in a 16,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the St. Thomas School of Law in downtown Minneapolis. St. Thomas Law's 10 clinics:

• Appellate Clinic
• Bankruptcy Litigation Clinic
• Community Justice Project
• Criminal and Juvenile Defense Clinic
• Federal Commutations Clinic
• Immigration Law Practice Group
• Nonprofit Organizations Clinic
• Religious Liberty Appellate Clinic
• Special Education Clinic
• Trademark Clinic

The Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions provides innovative interdisciplinary research, curriculum development, and programs focusing holistically on the formation of both law students and practicing professionals into ethical leaders in their communities. Since its founding, the Holloran Center has focused on this mission of helping the next generation of lawyers form professional identities grounded in a deep commitment of service to others. The center is at the forefront of a growing national movement focused on greater intentionality in the professional formation of law students.

The Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Business is a collaboration between the St. Thomas 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 Murphy Institute offers a fellowship program for law students and funds two 12-month postgraduate fellowships each year to support the work of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York City and Geneva, Switzerland.

The International Dispute Resolution Research Network (IDRR Network) is a community of experts, stakeholders, and academics from all corners of the globe engaged in a partnership dedicated to sharing knowledge in the dynamic field of dispute prevention and resolution.

The Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing was launched in 2021 to teach law students, and the broader legal community, how to utilize restorative justice practices within our courts and communities in order to facilitate healing, build bridges, and bring about a more just and inclusive society. The initiative seeks to name, and help heal harm, that results from institutional and leadership failures, racial injustice, and polarization.

The Twin Cities Area

Minneapolis, Minnesota offers a blend of nature and outdoor recreation, entertainment and culture, and a thriving business and legal community. Minneapolis and the nearby capital city of St. Paul make up the core of the Twin Cities metropolitan area with more than 3.6 million residents.

The area is home to the Mall of America and several of Fortune 500’s largest corporations, including Target, Best Buy, U.S. Bancorp, General Mills, 3M, and UnitedHealth Group. The Twin Cities has world-class museums, top restaurants, seven men's and women's professional sports teams, breathtaking architecture, and more theater seats per capita than any U.S. city outside of New York.

It is a place where students will not only want to earn their law degree, but also live and work permanently. Minneapolis and St. Paul boast high marks for its employment opportunities and overall quality of life. In fact, Minneapolis was named one of the 20 Best Cities for Young Attorneys by National Jurist in 2022. It has also been ranked one of the most bike-friendly cities in America, a top city for parks, and one of the healthiest and happiest cities in America.

Admission

St. Thomas School of Law seeks to identify students who show the potential to distinguish themselves academically and to integrate 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.

Faculty

At St. Thomas, students are taught, shaped, and challenged by professors who are leaders in their fields academically, but also receive consistent praise for accessibility and teaching. Professors influence students through the classroom, other scholars through writing in scholarly journals and books, and judges through work in the courts. St. Thomas Law professors are approachable, engaging, and dedicated to the well-being of our students. Further, faculty create opportunities for students to work side-by-side with them on research, writing, and advocacy work. In 2024, out of 200 law schools nationwide, St. Thomas School of Law’s world-class faculty rank #23 for scholarly impact.

Enrollment/Student Body

In the 2024-2025 academic year, 507 students made the total student body. Students in the fall 2024 entering class represented 26 states and 79 undergraduate institutions. While many students come to St. Thomas directly from undergraduate institutions, a significant number have earned postgraduate degrees or have work experience. St. Thomas School of Law is full-time program.

Library and Physical Facilities

St. Thomas School of Law occupies a beautiful building of over 150,000 square feet in downtown Minneapolis near the federal courthouse, 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, Frey Moot Courtroom, and the Chapel of St. Thomas More.

Modern technology enhances the classrooms, library, group-study areas, and moot courtroom.

The law library provides an attractive, functional environment for group or individual study, with 12 group study rooms and more than 370 individual study seats. The library’s strong electronic collection provides convenient access to many resources from both on and off campus.

Student Activities

St. Thomas School of Law has more than 37 student groups open to all students, including Federalist and American Constitutional Societies; Black, Latinx and Asian Pacific law student associations; Out!Law; Women’s Law Student Association; First-Generation Law Student Association; several faith-based student organizations; and groups formed around practice-area interests. An active and collaborative student government enhances the School of Law’s high quality of life, hosting activities for the entire student body throughout the year.

The University of St. Thomas Law Journal and the Journal of Law and Public Policy give interested 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, intellectual property, client counseling, and negotiation.

Students at the School of Law 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 this public service requirement and maintains and distributes information about public service opportunities.

St. Thomas Law works to foster an environment where each student is connected, supported, and understands the importance of making wellness a professional priority. Throughout the year, the law school provides resources and hosts events and activities aimed at helping students develop healthy skills and habits that will serve them throughout their careers.