Birmingham School of Law
| Birmingham School of Law | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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 |
| Bar pass rate | 48% (February 2011)[2] |
| Website |
www |
The Birmingham School of Law is a state accredited law school located in Birmingham, Alabama.[3] It is the largest law school in the State of Alabama. 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.
Program of study
Birmingham School of Law caters to the schedules of working individuals. The school has its weeknight classes Monday through Thursday from 6:15 to 8:30pm. Their Saturday program (9:00am to 5:30pm) offers three classes for the convenience of commuters, as students from all over the State attend this program. Law students must take a minimum of three courses each semester and be matriculated for all three semesters annually. 32 courses, which cover all Bar Exam topics plus three electives courses, are required for graduation. The law school also has a mandatory bar review program and six-hour exit exams.
The school is located at the corner of 3rd Avenue South and 22nd Street in Birmingham, which Birmingham School of Law has renovated into a state-of-the-art educational facility. The school consists of a fully functioning auditorium; dramatic courtroom; extensive legal library; user-friendly computer lab; and multimedia classrooms. In the past, classes were held at Birmingham-Southern College, the Birmingham YMCA, the historic Frank Nelson Building in downtown Birmingham, and the Jefferson County Courthouse.
Birmingham School of Law has held classes since 1915. Each three point (3.0) credit hour course within the weeknight program is $625. Most students take three (3) three credit (3.0) hour courses each semester for a total of $2050 per semester. For the weekend program, each three point (3.0) credit hour course is $750. Most students take three (3) three credit (3.0) hour courses each semester for a total of $2425 per semester. There are three semesters a year; Spring, Summer & Fall. Student fees are $175 per semester, regardless of the number of courses taken.[4]
Birmingham School of Law is 4-year law school. Students that satisfactorily complete the course work and are in good standing with the school are provided the Dean’s Certificate which allows them to sit for the Alabama Bar Exam. Upon receiving a passing score on the bar exam and meeting all other Alabama State Bar (ASB) admission requirements, Birmingham School of Law's graduates are admitted to the ASB and approved to practice law in the state of Alabama.
Birmingham School of Law is not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), and has not sought to obtain accreditation from the American Bar Association.[5] Applicants should refer to the bar admission policies of other states pertaining to non-ABA graduates if they plan to practice law in a state other than Alabama.
In July 2012, the Birmingham School of Law's passage rate for the Alabama Bar Exam first time test takers was 37%.[6]
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.
Accreditation
Graduates are eligible to take the Alabama Bar Exam pursuant to the authority granted by the Alabama Legislature and the Alabama Supreme Court.[7] The Birmingham School of Law is not accredited by the American Bar Association, nor is the school seeking accreditation.[8][9]
Notable alumni
- Clarence W. Allgood (1902–1991), United States federal judge[10]
- James D. Martin (b. 1918), retired Republican politician from Alabama[11]
- Richard Shelby (b. 1934), Senior United States Senator from Alabama
- Mike D. Rogers (b. 1958), U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district since 2003[12]
References
- ↑ http://www.bsol.com/BSL_Handbook09.pdf
- ↑ Alabama State Bar Detailed Examinee Statistics for February 2011
- ↑ http://www.alabar.org
- ↑ http://www.bsol.com/prospective-students/tuition/
- ↑ http://www.bsol.com/prospective-students/accreditation/
- ↑ http://www.abc3340.com/story/22971606/dean-of-miles-law-school-addresses-poor-alabama-bar-passage-rates
- ↑ http://www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeofAlabama/1975/34-3-2.1.htm
- ↑ http://www.abanet.org/
- ↑ http://www.bsol.com
- ↑ "Clarence W. Allgood". Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ↑ "James D. Martin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ↑ "Mike D. Rogers". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
External links
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||