| University of St. Thomas School of Law | |
| Motto | Faith, Reason, Community |
|---|---|
| Established | 1999 |
| School type | Private |
| Dean | Dean Thomas Mengler |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota, US |
| Enrollment | 457 |
| Faculty | 103 |
| USNWR ranking | 135 [1] |
| Bar pass rate | 89.7% |
| Annual tuition | $34,756 |
| Website | http://www.stthomas.edu/law/ |
The University of St. Thomas School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) and is one of four law schools in the Twin Cities. It currently enrolls 457 students.
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After being founded in 1923, the Great Depression and decline after World War I forced its closure in 1933. The School of Law was re-opened in 1999 after a 66-year hiatus, accepting its "first class" of 120 students in fall 2001. David T. Link, dean of Notre Dame Law School for 24 years, was credited as the founding dean in July, 2001. Since 2001, the law school has built a brand new facility, hired new faculty and created mentoring program with Minnesota lawyers and alumni.[2] UST Law has managed a number of achievements in a relatively short life, including:
In July 2003, UST Law moved into their new building in downtown Minneapolis. This new building includes 158,000-square-foot (14,700 m2) building at the corner of 11th Street and Harmon Place. The $34.8 million building includes 11 classrooms, a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) law library, a two-story chapel, and a classically designed moot court room.[2]
Law students at UST Law participate in a mentor externship program where students are partnered with Minnesota attorneys to experience the law in practice. In 2005, the School of Law’s Mentor Externship Program was awarded the prestigious E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Professionalism.[3]
The 450-member student body at the UST School of Law represents a wide range of experiences and beliefs. Many students are just a few years removed from undergraduate life, while others have been employed for years prior to beginning their legal careers. Students from across the political spectrum are drawn by the school's unique mission and lively debate is common. The school boasts a 14:1 student to faculty ratio and the atmosphere remains collegial and affirming.
The class of 2011 is made up of 151 students. 44% are female and 56% are male. 11% of the class represented minority students, and 15% of the class held advanced degrees. The median GPA was a 3.39 and the median LSAT score was a 157.
The school is perhaps best known for its emphasis on real world practice and influence. The school offers degrees in the 3 year JD, as well as combined degrees in the JD/MBA, the JD/MA in Catholic studies, public policy, professional psychology, and social work, as well as the JD/MSW. Some of the most popular programs of study include courses in the areas of family and community law, public policy, civil procedure, advocacy, environmental law, international law, as well as human rights law. UST law students are placed at the top firms and companies in the Midwest through the On Campus Interview program and through the extensive mentorship program.
The Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law and Public Policy is a partnership between the Center for Catholic Studies and the School of Law at the University of St. Thomas. The institute draws from the resources of its two elements, other academic disciplines and other faith traditions.
In the fall semester 2008, the Institute sponsored two public forums, "When Health-Care Providers Say No: The Conflicts Over Conscience" and "Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Dialogue on Voting." In the spring semester 2008, the Institute sponsored forums on "The Call to Faithful Citizenship & the 2008 Primary" and "Conversion and Conflict: An Interreligious Discussion of Evangelization."
The Holloran Center unites leaders from a range of professions who work together to pursue practical solutions and create effective tools in confronting the challenge of creating ethical leaders.
Among other activities, the center hosts an annual national professionals conference, business and law round tables on ethical governance, and Trusted Adviser Seminars, in which servant leaders from the Twin Cities discuss issues with students in the professional schools. The center also has developed two School of Law courses on ethical leadership: Ethical Leadership in Corporate Practice and Ethical Leadership in Litigation, with a further course, Ethical Leadership in Social Justice, to come in the future.