Founded in 1883, the University of Texas School of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the nation. The law school offers a wide array of courses and students have the advantage of diverse opportunities to study abroad through exchanges or internships. UT Law offers a large number of elective courses and seminars of varying class sizes, with some classes having as few as seven students. The small-group program for first-year students ensures individual attention, and the upper classes are offered a wide range of seminars, colloquia, and clinics. Clinical programs in National Security, Immigration, Children’s Rights, Mental Health, Criminal Law, Supreme Court, Housing, and Trial Advocacy allow students to work on cases, with supervision.
The law school offers three study-abroad programs to JD students. The programs are designed for students to study at a foreign institution during the fall semester of their third year. Students can do semester in London Program that runs from September to December. There are law schools of different countries offer Exchange Program with students of the law school. The Ad Hoc Program covers student-initiated study abroad programs. Students may propose a course of study at any law school in the world offering a first degree in law.
UT Law’s Tarlton Law Library is the seventh-largest academic law library in the United States. It offers a comprehensive American law collection as well as a large foreign and international law collection in several interdisciplinary areas of study. Tarlton has been a Federal Depository Library since 1965. The Government Documents department collects all Congressional publications and selected law-related titles from the Executive and Judicial branches of the US government.
Student-Faculty Ratio
10.6:1
Admission Criteria
|
LSAT |
GPA |
25th–75th Percentile |
165-170 |
3.56-3.80 |
Median* |
167 |
3.69 |
The above LSAT and GPA data pertain to the fall 2011 entering class.
*Medians have been calculated by averaging the 25th- and 75th-percentile values released by the law schools and have been rounded up to the nearest whole number for LSAT scores and to the nearest one-hundredth for GPAs.
Admission Statistics
Approximate number of applications |
4,759 |
Number accepted |
1,303 |
Percentage accepted |
27.4% |
The above admission details are based on fall 2011 data.
Class Ranking and Grades
It is the policy of the University of Texas School of Law not to rank its students on the basis of academic standing. Therefore, students may not estimate class standing or indicate a percentile ranking on their resumes, cover letters, or application materials.
Grades awarded by the law school and their corresponding grade point values are:
A+ |
4.30 |
A |
4.00 |
A- |
3.70 |
B+ |
3.30 |
B |
3.00 |
B- |
2.70 |
C+ |
2.30 |
C |
2.00 |
D |
1.70 |
F |
1.30 |
Grades, except those in seminars, are based primarily on examinations. Grades in seminars are based primarily on individual research as reflected in a paper and an oral report.
Pass/Fail Grades
In general, students receive letter grades in law courses. The Dean may determine whether Pass/Fail grading is preferable for a course. Courses that will be offered only on a Pass/Fail basis are announced before registration.
Grade normalization (Curve)
A student must receive a final grade of at least D in a course to receive credit for that course. A student must have a grade point average of at least 1.90 for all law courses taken to graduate from UT Law.
Distribution of grades in large first-year sections must meet the following requirements:
30% to 40% of grades must be A+, A, or A-.
At least 5% of grades must be C+, C, D, or F.
Recommended distribution of grades in other courses is as follows:
About 35% of grades should be A+, A, or A-.
About 55% of grades should be B+, B, or B-.
About 10% of grades should be C+, C, D, or F.
A maximum of 6% of grades (rounded up to the next whole number) may be A+ grades for classes other than seminars.
Exemption for Seminars
The rules established above do not apply to seminars. But even in seminars, there should be a distribution of grades from A+ to B or below. A maximum of 15% of grades (rounded up to the next whole number) may be A+ grades for seminars.
Treatment of First-Year Students in Upper-Class Courses and non-JD Candidates
Professors may calculate separate curves for first-year and upper-class students in courses that enroll both. Each curve considered separately shall be subject to these rules.
Minimum GPAs Required (Based on the May 2010 Graduating Class)
Minimum GPA required to fall within the top 25% of the class |
3.65 |
Minimum GPA required to fall within the top 50% of the class |
3.42 |
Median GPA |
3.41 |
Minimum GPA required for graduation |
1.90 |
Honors
Honor |
Percentage of Class Receiving |
GPA Required |
Number of Students |
Order of the Coif |
10% |
3.81 |
42 |
summa cum laude |
2% |
4.05 |
4 |
magna cum laude |
7% |
3.85 |
28 |
cum laude |
50% |
3.35 |
198 |
Chancellors Honors |
Not provided |
3.89 |
17 |
In general, honors are awarded solely on the basis of work done at the law school. No more than 35% of the graduating class may receive honors, high honors, and highest honors. No more than 5% may receive high honors and highest honors. No more than 1% may receive highest honors.
Awards
Name of Award |
Description |
Niemann Cup |
Awarded to the best advocate in the graduating class |
National Order of Barristers Awards |
Awarded to the top 10 advocates in the graduating class |
Judge Quentin Keith Endowed Presidential Scholarship |
Awarded to a second-year Board of Advocates member for excellence in trial and appellate advocacy |
Stanley P. & Claudie P. Wilson Endowed Presidential Scholarship |
Awarded to a second-year Board of Advocates member for excellence in trial and appellate advocacy |
Scott, Douglass & McConnico Litigation Award |
Awarded to a second-year Board of Advocates member who has a B+ (3.3) grade point average or higher and who has been either (1) a member of an interscholastic mock trial team or (2) a semifinalist in an intramural mock trial |
Order of Barristers |
Membership offered to 10 third-year students who have demonstrated superior abilities in advocacy |
Dean’s Achievement Award |
Awarded to the outstanding student in each course, chosen from among those with the highest grades |
Journals
The Texas Law Review, founded in 1922, is a national and international leader in legal scholarship and is edited and published entirely by students at the University of Texas School of Law. Seven issues are published per year. The journal contains articles by professors, judges, and practitioners, reviews of important recent books from recognized experts, essays, commentaries, and student-written notes.
The American Journal of Criminal Law strives to promote and encourage improvement in the administration of criminal justice. It is devoted to exploring current issues in criminal law. The journal is published three times per year and is one of the largest circulating journals at the University of Texas School of Law. Each issue contains articles by law school faculty, members of the judiciary, and practicing attorneys, as well as a significant amount of student work written by the journal’s members.
The Texas environmental Law Journal has been published by law students since 1990 in association with the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Published quarterly, the journal provides timely and practical information about developments in environmental law. It includes articles by practitioners and academicians; information about recent developments involving cases, statutes, and rules relevant to environmental law; and notes submitted by law students throughout Texas.
The Texas Hispanic Journal of Law & Policy is designed to provide better legal representation to the Hispanic community . It is dedicated to the discussion of Latino legal and public policy issues. It publishes articles on a variety of issues including but not limited to freedom of speech, affirmative action, immigration, voting, hate crimes, criminal procedure, the death penalty, discrimination, education, employment and labor law, NAFTA, communications,AIDS, law practice and other professions, the environment, international trade, Mexican law, taxation, healthcare, and business.
The Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal is dedicated to all aspects of intellectual property law on the national and the state level. It focuses on issues of interest to academics and practitioners on topics such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secret law, and unfair competition. Articles and notes are written by scholars, practitioners, and students. Their primary focus centers on providing significant and innovative contributions to US and international intellectual property law.
The Texas International Law Journal is a student edited journal. It publishes articles,essays, and student notes in the areas of public and private international law, international legal theory, the law of international organizations, comparative and foreign law, and domestic laws with significant international implications. It publishes three or four issues in a year.
The Texas Journal of oil, Gas, and energy Law aims at providing significant and innovative contributions to energy law practitioners, professors, and students around the world. It focuses on imparting information to law students pertaining to the future of the energy legal field. It publishes two academic journal issues per year.
The Texas Journal of Women and the Law is an innovative, student-edited journal dedicated to publishing legal scholarship to explore cultural, racial, and socioeconomic factors affecting women. It celebrates the legal, social, and political advances made by women’s advocates, enhances the relationship between theoretical and practical perspectives by promoting discourse on gender and the law issues, and seeks to enrich the dialogue between the sexes by cultivating interdisciplinary discussions and encouraging the affirmation of differences.
The Texas Review of entertainment & Sports Law was founded in 1997 by law students committed to publishing the best available scholarship on legal issues that affect the entertainment and sports industries. It facilitates a scholarly discussion on the state of entertainment and sports law in America.
The mission of the Texas Review of Law & Politics is to be the prime forum for the discussion and debate of contemporary social issues, including crime, federalism, affirmative action, constitutional history, and religious liberties. It publishes thoughtful and intellectually rigorous conservative articles—articles that traditional law reviews often fail to publish—to serve as blueprints for constructive legal reform.
The Review of Litigation was established in 1980 at the University of Texas School of Law. It is a student-managed publication of national scope devoted to the process of litigation. The review balances the interests of academia with pragmatic issues important to practicing attorneys and judges. It publishes four issues a year on topics related to procedure, evidence, trial and appellate advocacy, alternative dispute resolution, and often-litigated substantive law.
The Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights was founded in 1992. Formerly, it was known as the Texas Forum on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights. The journal publishes articles at the intersection of law, politics, and society written by judges, lawyers, professors, and students. It receives funding and other support from the Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities of the State Bar of Texas.
The Blackacre was founded in 2005. It welcomes articles on legal and non-legal topics and invites students and faculties to submit fiction, poetry, drama, essays, artwork, photographs, interviews, book reviews, philosophy, memoirs, manifestos, diatribes, gossip, recipes, jokes and anything else that they think would be interesting.
Moot Court
The University of Texas School of Law established in honor of Judge John R. Brown ‘‘the Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition’’, an interscholastic appellate advocacy competition.
The Advocacy Program sponsors more than a dozen interscholastic competition teams annually, including mock trial, moot court, and alternative dispute resolution. Interscholastic moot court competitions simulate appellate hearings and help students understand the rules and processes involved with appellate argument. The interscholastic moot court program is open to second- and third-year students.
The names of a few moot court competitions in which the law school participates are:
Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition
Hispanic National Bar Association Moot Court Competition
Giles Sutherland Rich Memorial Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition
Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition
Clinical Programs
UT Law has an extensive clinical education program that provides opportunities for students to integrate substantive law, theory, strategy, and skills by working on legal issues in real-world settings. The goal of the school’s experience-based clinical courses is to build a bridge between the classroom and the practice of law. These clinics cover a range of legal issues and internship courses in nonprofit organizations, the legislature, government agencies, and courts. Students represent clients during the preparation, trial, and appeal of cases in litigation or in law-related transactions and projects. Faculty members closely supervise students. The school provides the following clinics:
The Actual Innocence Clinic
The Capital Punishment Clinic
The Children’s Rights Clinic
The Community Development Clinic
The Domestic Violence Clinic
The Environmental Clinic
The Housing Clinic
The Human Rights Clinic
The Immigration Clinic
The Juvenile Justice Clinic
The Legislative Lawyering Clinic
The Mediation Clinic
The Mental Health Clinic
The National Security Clinic
The Supreme Court Clinic
The Transnational Worker Rights Clinic
Placement Facts
Starting Salaries (2010 Graduates employed Full-Time)
Private sector (25th-75th percentile) |
$95,000-$160,000 |
Median in the private sector |
$160,000 |
Median in public service |
$57,408 |
Employment Details
Graduates known to be employed at graduation |
88.5% |
Graduates known to be employed nine months after graduation |
89.0% |
Areas of Legal Practice
Graduates employed In |
Percentage |
Law Firms |
51.0% |
Business and Industry |
11.2% |
Government |
15.5% |
Judicial Clerkships |
14.9% |
Public Interest Organizations |
6.9% |
Academia |
0.6% |
Unknown |
0% |
Externships/Internships
Internships
Students work closely with experienced attorneys and judges in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, domestic and international courts, and the legislature. All internships are graded on a pass/fail basis, and there is no final paper or examination. No compensation may be received for internships. The school provides following program:
International Internship
Judicial Internship
Legislative Internship
Non-Profit / Government Internship
Prosecution Internship
US Attorney Internship
Student organizations
Action Committee for Career Services
American Constitution Society
Asian Law Students Association
Assault & Flattery
Beyond Any Bar
Chicano/Hispanic Law Students Association
Christian Legal Society
Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity International
Environmental Law Society
Graduate Student Assembly
Intellectual Property Law Society
J. Reuben Clark Law Society
Jewish Legal Society
Law Students for the Arts
Law Yoga Club
Legal Research Board
OUTLaw (LBGTS Alliance)
Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity
Pro Bono in January
Street Law
Student Bar Association
Student Government - SBA
Survivor Support Network
Texas Federalist Society
Texas International Arbitration Society
Texas Law Democrats
Texas Law Fellowships
Texas Law Republicans
Texas Law Students for Reproductive Justice
Texas Law Veterans Association
Texas Oil and Gas Law Society
Thurgood Marshall Legal Society
Women’s Law Caucus
Youth Court
References
http://www.utexas.edu/law/about/contact.html
http://www.utexas.edu/law/sao/contact-us.html
http://www.utexas.edu/law/about/history.html
http://www.utexas.edu/law/depts/admissions/about
http://www.utexas.edu/law/academics/curriculum/studyabroad/faqs.html
http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/collections/index.html
http://premium.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/items/03155
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Id.
http://www.utexas.edu/law/depts/career/resources/transcripts.html
http://registrar.utexas.edu/catalogs/law08-10/ch3/ch3b.law.html#Grades%20and-minimum-performance-Standards
http://registrar.utexas.edu/catalogs/law08-10/ch3/ch3b.law.html#Grades%20and-Minimum-Performance-Standards
http://www.utexas.edu/law/depts/sao/academics/gradingpolicy.html
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http://www.utexas.edu/law/clinics/information.php
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