University of Wyoming College of Law
| University of Wyoming College of Law | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1920 |
| Type | Public |
| Postgraduates | 22 |
| Location | Laramie, Wyoming, USA |
| Dean | Stephen Easton |
| Website | uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/Law |
The University of Wyoming College of Law is the law school of the University of Wyoming and the only law school located in Wyoming. It is situated in the beautiful rocky mountains in Laramie, Wyoming at 7,165 ft. between the Laramie Mountains and Snowy Range Mountains. Frequently, it is referred to as "Law at its Highest Point" and as states the law school admission council’s law school profile, “the College of Law's proximity to the mountains provides a variety of recreational activities, including skiing, backpacking, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, and hunting.” [1] Established in 1920, the law school offers the J.D. degree in law, as well “a joint JD/MA in Environment and Natural Resources and joint degrees in JD/MPA and JD/MBA. Other electives include coverage of trial and appellate practice, business planning, estate planning, corporate and commercial law, administrative law, consumer law, international law, Indian law, health law, and education law.” [2] The class of 2010 had an enrollment of 76, and the school typically admits anywhere from 75 to 80 students each year. The class of 2013 admitted 82 students from all over the United States with the majority coming from around the rocky mountain region. [3]
The College is accredited by the American Bar Association and its graduates are eligible for admission to the bar in every state. In addition, the College is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. The University of Wyoming College of Law is also specially recognized by being admitted as a member of the Order of the Coif. [4]
Contents |
History [edit]
The University of Wyoming College of Law was founded in 1920. Classes were held on one floor of the University library building until the College of Law moved to a separate facility in 1953. Because of increasing class size, the College of Law relocated to its current building in 1977. Considerable library space and a variety of other rooms were added to the building in 1993. The building contains three classrooms, a large moot courtroom, a small moot court room, two seminar rooms, a student lounge area, lockers for every student, the law library (which include yearly study carrel), and faculty and staff offices.[1]
Moot Court Rooms [edit]
In 2009, the University of Wyoming College of Law finished construction on a large addition to the college of law that expanded the main lecture hall and added two technologically advanced moot court rooms. The main moot court room is the main lecture hall, but includes a retrieving class room wall that opens up into the large moot court room.
This court room has become so useful that since it was finished, the Wyoming Supreme Court and the Federal 10th Circuit have both used it to hear oral arguments.[5]
Statistics [edit]
The University of Wyoming College of Law is a public law school. It only has a full-time program that starts in the fall with a 12.4 to 1 student to faculty ratio. Tuition runs $9,996 for residents and $21,156 for nonresidents. Statistics for 2009 show the median LSAT was a 153 and the median GPA was a 3.44. Those numbers along with all numbers have been on the rise since Dean Easton took his place at the school in 2009.[6] The average bar passing rate for 2009 was 75% with the majority of students taking the bar in Wyoming and Colorado. The reported average salary for 2009 was $59,546 which ranks close to the University of Denver Law School located in the heart of Denver, Colorado.[7]
George William Hopper Law Library [edit]
The George W. Hopper Law Library [8] at the University of Wyoming College of Law serves the students, faculty and staff of the College of Law, as well as the university community and the state. The library's collection includes 206,120 treatises, microfiche, law reviews, federal and state statutes, administrative decisions, digests, looseleafs, citators, encyclopedias, reporters, and audio-visual resources. [9] The library has access to many electronic legal databases, such as Lexis and Westlaw. While many of the databases are only accessible to College of Law students, faculty and staff, some are accessible on public computers within the library. [10] The library is open to the public, and is used by attorneys throughout the state as well as self-represented litigants.
The library, which is named for a 1956 graduate of the College of Law, includes multiple study rooms that can be reserved for student use, and study carrels which are assigned to students through a lottery run by the Potter Law Club. The library is open seven days a week during the fall and spring semesters.
Clubs and organizations [edit]
- Potter law Club
- Order de Coif
- Board of Advocates
- American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
- Christian Legal Society
- Delta Theta Phi Legal Fraternity
- Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies
- Intellectual Property Club
- International Law Students Association
- J. Reuben Clark Law Society
- Minority Law Students Association
- Natural Resources & Environmental Law Club
- Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity
- Phi Delta Phi Law Fraternity
- Women's Law Forum
- Wyoming Law Review
- Wyoming Law Students for Equal Justice (WLSEJ)
- Wyoming Society for International Law
- Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association
Current Faculty [edit]
- Dean Stephen D. Easton
- Jacquelyn L. Bridgeman
- Diane E. Courselle
- Debra L. Donahue
- Michael C. Duff
- Stephen M. Feldman
- David D. Freudenthal
- Harvey Gelb
- Bob Golten
- Demetria D. Jackson
- Sam Kalen
- Timothy G. Kearley
- Theodore E. Lauer
- Lawrence J. MacDonnell
- Allen D. Madison
- Noah B. Novogrodsky
- Jerry R. Parkinson
- Debora A. Person
- Dona Playton
- Tawnya K. Plumb
- Dee Pridgen
- Alan R. Romero
- Joel L. Selig
- Michael R. Smith
- Dennis C. Stickley
- Elaine A. Welle
- Matthew J. Wilson
Notable alumni [edit]
The University of Wyoming College of Law has many alumni Wyoming Supreme Court Judges and 10th circuit judges. Currently, all of the Wyoming Supreme Court judges are graduates from the College of Law along with 4 10th circuit judges.[13]
- James Emmett Barrett (J.D. 1949), Wyoming Attorney General, Senior Judge United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[2]
- Wade Brorby (J.D. 1958), Senior Judge United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[3]
- E. James Burke (J.D. 1977), Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court[4]
- Dave Freudenthal (J.D. 1980), 31st Governor of Wyoming[5]
- Michael Golden (J.D. 1967), Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court[6]
- John Hickey (LL.B. 1934), United States Senator from Wyoming, 24th Governor of Wyoming and Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[7]
- William U. Hill (J.D. 1974), Former Chief Justice and current Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court[8]
- Alan B. Johnson (J.D. 1964), Judge United States District Court for the District of Wyoming[9]
- Robert H. Johnson (J.D. 1963), State senator from Rock Springs[10]
- Marilyn Kite (J.D. 1974), Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court[11]
- Michael R. Murphy (J.D. 1972), Judge United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[12]
- Bob Nicholas (J.D. 1985), State representative from Cheyenne since 2011[13]
- Alan Simpson (J.D. 1958), United States Senator from Wyoming[14]
- Gerry Spence (LL.B. 1952), Attorney[citation needed]
- Mike Sullivan (J.D. 1964), United States Ambassador to Ireland and 29th Governor of Wyoming[15]
- Barton Voigt (J.D. 1979), Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court[16]
- James G. Watt (J.D. 1962), United States Secretary of the Interior[citation needed]
- Matt Mead (J.D. 1987), 32nd Governor of Wyoming[17]
External links [edit]
- University of Wyoming College of Law
- Wyoming Law Review
- Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
- Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
- Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)
- Order de Coif Member
- Universit of Wyoming College of Law Events
- Law School Admission Council (LSAC) PDF on University of Wyoming 2009
- Clubs and Organization UW College of Law
- U.S. 10th curcuit judges
- UW College of Law Library Page
References [edit]
- ^ AHC Finding Aid for the University of Wyoming. College of Law Records
- ^ "James Emmett Barrett". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Wade Brorby". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "E. James Burke". NNDB. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Dave Freudenthal". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Michael Golden". NNDB. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "John J. Hickey". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "William U Hill". NNDB. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Alan B. Johnson". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Robert H. Johnson". Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Marilyn Kite". NNDB. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Michael R. Murphy". NNDB. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Bob Nicholas". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Alan K. Simpson". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Mike Sullivan". National Governors Association. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Barton Voigt". Wyoming Supreme Court. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Matt Mead". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
Coordinates: 41°18′46″N 105°34′15″W / 41.31273°N 105.57088°W