Birmingham School of Law
| Birmingham School of Law | |
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| Established | 1915 |
|---|---|
| School type | Private |
| Dean | James J. Bushnell, Jr.[1] |
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, USA 33°30′57″N 86°48′23″W / 33.51597°N 86.80641°WCoordinates: 33°30′57″N 86°48′23″W / 33.51597°N 86.80641°W |
| Enrollment | 500 |
| Faculty | |
| Bar pass rate | 48% (February 2011)[2] |
| Website | www.bsol.com |
The Birmingham School of Law is a state accredited law school located in Birmingham, Alabama.[3] Founded in 1915 by Judge Hugh A. Locke, a judge of the Chancery Court and president of the Birmingham Bar Association, the Birmingham School of Law offers a part-time program of study in which graduates receive the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
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[edit] Program of study
Law students must take a minimum of three courses each semester and be matriculated for all three semesters annually. In addition to the traditional weeknight program, the law school introduced a Saturday program in 2009 where students may earn their law degree in four years completing all required courses each Saturday. Eighty semester hours are required for graduation (of which 66 are required courses). The law school also has a mandatory bar review program and six-hour exit exam. Classes are currently held in the historic Frank Nelson Building in downtown Birmingham. In the past, classes were held at Birmingham-Southern College, the Birmingham YMCA, and the Jefferson County Courthouse.
In February 2011, the Birmingham School of Law's passage rate for the Alabama Bar Exam first time test takers was 70%. In July 2010, the Birmingham School of Law's passage rate for the Alabama State Bar first time test takers was 58.3%.
[edit] Associations
- American Association for Justice
- Christian Legal Society
- Delta Theta Phi
- National Black Law Students Association
- Sigma Delta Kappa: a national legal and honorary fraternity organized for the advancement of legal scholarship and ethics. The Birmingham School of Law chapter (Alpha Phi) has been in continuous operation since May 1936.
[edit] Accreditation
Graduates are eligible to take the Alabama Bar Exam pursuant to the authority granted by the Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Supreme Court.[4] The Birmingham School of Law is not accredited by the American Bar Association, nor is the school seeking accreditation.[5][6]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Clarence W. Allgood (1902–1991), a United States federal judge
- James D. Martin (b. 1918), a retired Republican politician from Alabama
- Mike D. Rogers (b. 1958), the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district since 2003
