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=== Admissions ===
=== Admissions ===
Admission to the JRCLS is highly competitive, and commensurate with many top law schools. The law school receives approximately 1,000 applications each year for an entering class of 150 students, yielding an acceptance rate of approximately 15%. <ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/prospective.php?question=accepted#ajax BYU Law School </ref> Successful applicants usually have exemplary grades, high standardized test scores, and unique records of non-academic achievement. More than 80% of admitted students speak a second language, many have graduate and doctoral degrees in a wide range of academic disciplines, and most have spent time abroad. <ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School </ref> Entering students graduated from over 70 different undergraduate colleges and universities in 11 countries and nearly 40 states.
Admission to the JRCLS is highly competitive. The law school receives approximately 1,000 applications each year for an entering class of 150 students, yielding an acceptance rate of approximately 15%. <ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/prospective.php?question=accepted#ajax BYU Law School </ref> Successful applicants usually have exemplary grades, high standardized test scores, and unique records of non-academic achievement. More than 80% of admitted students speak a second language, many have graduate and doctoral degrees in a wide range of academic disciplines, and most have spent time abroad. <ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School </ref> Entering students graduated from over 70 different undergraduate colleges and universities in 11 countries and nearly 40 states.


The JRCLS admissions committee gives substantial weight to undergraduate grades. In 2008 the median GPA for incoming BYU Law students was 3.73, the 75th percentile GPA was 3.88, and the 25th percentile GPA was 3.51.<ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School </ref> Based on average admission standards from 2004-2009, the JRCLS ranked 8th in the country for 75th percentile GPA scores <ref>[http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/desc/GPAHigh/avg Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Highest GPA (Descending)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and 12th in 25th percentile GPA scores.<ref>[http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/desc/GPALow/avg Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Lowest GPA (Descending)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2008, the incoming class had a median [[Law School Admission Test]] score of 165, a 75th percentile LSAT score of 166, and a 25th percentile LSAT score of 161,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_brief.php |title=America's Best Graduate Schools 2009 |publisher= |accessdate=2008-05-27}}</ref> placing the school at #25 in the country for overall LSAT admission standards. <ref>[http://www.leiterrankings.com/students/2008student_quality.shtml Brian Leiter Student Quality, 2008<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
The JRCLS admissions committee gives substantial weight to undergraduate grades. In 2008 the median GPA for incoming BYU Law students was 3.73, the 75th percentile GPA was 3.88, and the 25th percentile GPA was 3.51.<ref> http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School </ref> Based on average admission standards from 2004-2009, the JRCLS ranked 8th in the country for 75th percentile GPA scores <ref>[http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/desc/GPAHigh/avg Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Highest GPA (Descending)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and 12th in 25th percentile GPA scores.<ref>[http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/desc/GPALow/avg Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Lowest GPA (Descending)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2008, the incoming class had a median [[Law School Admission Test]] score of 165, a 75th percentile LSAT score of 166, and a 25th percentile LSAT score of 161,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/brief/lawrank_brief.php |title=America's Best Graduate Schools 2009 |publisher= |accessdate=2008-05-27}}</ref> placing the school at #25 in the country for overall LSAT admission standards. <ref>[http://www.leiterrankings.com/students/2008student_quality.shtml Brian Leiter Student Quality, 2008<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Revision as of 21:34, 14 April 2009

J. Reuben Clark Law School
West exterior of law school with Squaw Peak in background
TypePrivate
Established1973
AffiliationThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
DeanJames D. Gordon III (interim)
Students450
Location
Provo
,
Utah
,
USA
AffiliationsBrigham Young University
Websitewww.law.byu.edu

40°14′58″N 111°38′43″W / 40.24944°N 111.64528°W / 40.24944; -111.64528 The J. Reuben Clark Law School (JRCLS) is a professional graduate school located in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University.[1][2][3] Founded in 1973, the school is named after J. Reuben Clark (J.D.)—former U.S. Ambassador, Undersecretary of State, and LDS Church General Authority. The school offers traditional J.D. and LL.M. (Comparative Law) programs, as well as four joint-degree programs. The school is renowned for its research and scholarship on ethics, religious freedom, and family policy. The J. Reuben Clark Law School is a member of the Association of American Law Schools and is accredited by the American Bar Association.[4]

History

On March 9, 1971 the Brigham Young University Board of Trustees announced that a law school would be established at the university. Just two-and-one-half years later the opening ceremonies were held on August 27, 1973. Classes were initially held down the street from the current building in an old Catholic school building, affectionately referred to as "St. Reuben's" by the students. Former U.S. Solicitor General Rex E. Lee was the first dean of the School. The JRCLS Building was completed and dedicated in 1975, and the School graduated its first class in 1976. The School has since graduated more than 5,000 students.[5]

Campus

Main floor of the Howard W. Hunter Library, which is housed inside the law school

The nearly 50,000 square foot JRCLS building is located on the east side of the BYU campus. The building's five floors contain eleven classrooms, three seminar rooms, a student commons area, a student lunchroom, spaces for student organizations and activities, a large computer lab, and a computer training room. The north half of the law building houses the Howard W. Hunter Law Library, which has a paper and microform collection nearing 500,000 volumes and volume equivalents. The library provides 470 individually assigned study carrels and features 20 group study rooms and two classrooms where library faculty teach classes on legal research and writing, which help familiarize students with specific types of legal research as well as library holdings.[6] The National Jurist ranks the Howard W. Hunter Law Library as the 11th best law library in the country. [7]

Academic offerings

The JRCLS offers traditional J.D. and LL.M. (Comparative Law) programs, as well as four four-year joint-degree programs: a JD/MBA in conjunction with the Marriott School of Management (MSM), a JD/MPA administered by the Romney Institute of Public Management within the MSM, a JD/MAcc overseen by the School of Accountancy within the MSM, and a JD/EdD in association with the David O. McKay School of Education. The LL.M. is a one-year program for foreign lawyers leading to a master's degree in Comparative American Law. Established in 1988, the LLM program is designed specifically for attorneys from foreign countries who intend to return to their home countries upon graduation, and applicants must have a law degree or certification from an institution located outside the U.S. to participate in the program.[citation needed]

The student-to-faculty ratio is at the JRCLS is 18.9 to one.[8] The school hosts several events each year, including the World Family Policy Center / United Nations Conference (July),[9] the International Law and Religion Symposium (October),[10] and the Orrin G. Hatch Distinguished Trial Lawyer Lecture Series (November).

Students at BYU Law publish four law journals: the BYU Law Review,[11] the BYU Journal of Public Law,[12] the BYU Education and Law Journal,[13] and the BYU International Law & Management Journal.[citation needed]

File:Picture 112a.jpg
The JRCLS ranks 13th in the nation in Supreme Court clerk placement.

Reputation

National rankings

The J. Reuben Clark Law School is recognized nationally as a top-tier graduate institution. In 2008, JRCLS was ranked #8 by The Princeton Review,[14] #28 by the Ciolli Elite Law School Rankings,[15] and has an five-year average ranking of #34 from the U.S. News & World Report.[16] [17] The Princeton Review also ranks the school #1 for Most Competitive Students and #7 for Best Academic Experience. [18] Additionally, the ILRG ranks the law school #2 for cost-benefit,[19] and #12 for average bar passage rate.[20]

In terms of judicial clerkships, from 2000-2007, the school ranked 13th in United States Supreme Court clerk placement,[21] and currently ranks 18th in the country for U.S. Circuit Court clerk placement for the 2009-2010 term.[22]

Admissions

Admission to the JRCLS is highly competitive. The law school receives approximately 1,000 applications each year for an entering class of 150 students, yielding an acceptance rate of approximately 15%. [23] Successful applicants usually have exemplary grades, high standardized test scores, and unique records of non-academic achievement. More than 80% of admitted students speak a second language, many have graduate and doctoral degrees in a wide range of academic disciplines, and most have spent time abroad. [24] Entering students graduated from over 70 different undergraduate colleges and universities in 11 countries and nearly 40 states.

The JRCLS admissions committee gives substantial weight to undergraduate grades. In 2008 the median GPA for incoming BYU Law students was 3.73, the 75th percentile GPA was 3.88, and the 25th percentile GPA was 3.51.[25] Based on average admission standards from 2004-2009, the JRCLS ranked 8th in the country for 75th percentile GPA scores [26] and 12th in 25th percentile GPA scores.[27] In 2008, the incoming class had a median Law School Admission Test score of 165, a 75th percentile LSAT score of 166, and a 25th percentile LSAT score of 161,[28] placing the school at #25 in the country for overall LSAT admission standards. [29]

Job placement

As of 2008, 82% of graduates were employed at graduation with 98% employed within nine months.[30] The average starting salary for BYU Law School graduates in 2007 was $109,354 in private practice, $63,000 in public interest, and $50,667 in government. The overall average salary was $89,003,[31] placing BYU Law at #18 in the nation for highest post-grad compensation.[32] All alumni may participate in the BYU Law School Alumni Association.[33]

Organizations

BYU Law students may participate in a wide variety of organizations while attending law school and after graduation. Co-curricular programs include Law Review, Moot Court,[34] Trial Advocacy,[35] and various other student-edited publications.[36] For extracurricular activities, students may choose from more than 30 student-run and professional associations, including the American Constitution Society, the Federalist Society, the Student Bar Association, and the Minority Law Students Association.[37][38]

File:Bybee.jpg
Jay S. Bybee '77, Judge on the Ninth Circuit

Of particular note is the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, which is an organization of law school students and graduates consisting of over 65 chapters throughout the world. Although students and graduates of the J. Reuben Clark Law School are de facto members of the Society, there is no requirement to attend the Law School or to be a member of the LDS Church. The organization currently claims 14 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judges, 18 U.S. District Court Judges, 4 U.S. Attorneys, 6 U.S. Senators (including the Senate Majority Leader), 9 U.S. Congressman, 17 Fortune 500 Corporate Counselors, and 85 State Supreme Court, Appellate Court, and District Court judges.[39] The Society holds an annual conference for students and practicing attorneys—the 2008 conference being in Arizona and featuring former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor; the 2009 conference was held at the Harvard Law School.[40]

Alumni

Main article: List of J. Reuben Clark Law School alumni
See also: List of Brigham Young University alumni

Alumni of the JRCLS are found in all branches of U.S. government, as well as in significant leadership positions locally and abroad. Graduates of the law school include seven U.S. federal judges, two judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and three representatives in the U.S. Congress. Many alumni hold prominent positions in local and national law firms, and Kathleen Clark, former director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, also attended the school.[41]

The student body is represented in business by Joseph A. Cannon '77, managing editor of Deseret News,[42] and in athletics by NFL Hall-of-Famer Steve Young '94.[43]

See also

References

  1. ^ Naparsteck, Martin. "The Lord's University". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2008-05-01. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Freedman, Jamie L. (2004-07-01). "GW Law's Utah Connection". GW Magazine. GW Magazine. Retrieved 2008-05-01. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)]
  3. ^ "UoP About Us". Illustrates BYU second only to UoP in private school enrollment. University of Phoenix. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  4. ^ "Approved Private Law Schools". American Bar Association. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  5. ^ "Founding Documents". JRCLS, BYU. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  6. ^ "BYU Law School". LexisNexis. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  7. ^ http://www.nationaljurist.com/filedownload.aspx?f=dRo+j7dcIsFOIyG71yDGQQ== Top Legal Libraries
  8. ^ "BYU, Clark". Best Graduate Schools. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2008-05-27. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "World Family Policy Center homepage". JRCLS, BYU. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  10. ^ "International Center for Law and Family Studies homepage". JRCLS, BYU. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  11. ^ http://lawreview.byu.edu/
  12. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/jpl/
  13. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/jel/
  14. ^ Caron, Paul L. (2007-10-27). "Princeton Review's Top 50 Law Schools". TaxProf. Retrieved 2008-05-27. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ http://lawschoolalmanac.blogspot.com/2008/01/ciolli-elite-firm-placement-data.html Elite School and Firm Placement Rankings
  16. ^ http://members.aol.com/stuje1/rank.html Historical Law School Rankings Data
  17. ^ "America's Best Graduate Schools 2009". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2008-05-27. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "Best Law Schools: Ranked (Most Competitive Students)". The Princeton Review. Retrieved 2008-05-27. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "Cost-Benefit Analysis of American Law Schools". Internet Legal Research Group. Retrieved 2008-05-27. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ "2009 School Bar Passage Rate". Internet Legal Research Group. Retrieved 2009-02-23. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ Brian Leiter Supreme Court Clerkship Placement, 2000 Thourgh 2007 Terms
  22. ^ Law Clerk Addict Circuit Court Clerkship Placement, 2009
  23. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/prospective.php?question=accepted#ajax BYU Law School
  24. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School
  25. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/admissions/pdf_documents/Profile%202008-2009.pdf Incoming Class Profile, BYU Law School
  26. ^ Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Highest GPA (Descending)
  27. ^ Average Raw Data Law School Rankings : Lowest GPA (Descending)
  28. ^ "America's Best Graduate Schools 2009". Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  29. ^ Brian Leiter Student Quality, 2008
  30. ^ 2008 Raw Data Law School Rankings : Employed at Graduation (Descending)
  31. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/career_services/info_stats/salary.pdf - Class of 2007 Starting Salaries
  32. ^ http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2008/01/national-jurist.html
  33. ^ BYU Law School
  34. ^ BYU Law School
  35. ^ http://www.law2.byu.edu/organizations/trial_advocacy/
  36. ^ BYU Law School
  37. ^ ttp://www.law2.byu.edu/organizations/minoritylaw/
  38. ^ BYU Law Organizations
  39. ^ J. Reuben Clark Law Society
  40. ^ J. Reuben Clark Law Society Conference
  41. ^ "News about Mormons". Mormon News Today. 2001-03-09. Retrieved 2008-05-09. {{cite news}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  42. ^ "Where Much Is Given". Utah History Encyclopedia. University of Utah. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
  43. ^ "Steve Young". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
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