University of Michigan Law School

University of Michigan Law School
Established	1859
School type	Public
Endowment	$248 million (2000)
Parent endowment	$7.8 billion (2011)[1]
Dean	Mark D. West
Location	Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
Enrollment	1,100
Faculty	90
USNWR ranking	11[2]
Bar pass rate	94%
Website	law.umich.edu
ABA profile	officialguide.lsac.org

The University of Michigan Law School (Michigan Law) is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor (JD) or Master of Laws (LLM) degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree. The Law School has 81 full-time faculty members (60 tenured and tenure-track and 21 in clinical and legal practice).^[3]

Michigan Law School consistently ranks among the highest-rated law schools in the United States. It was ranked third in the initial U.S. News & World Report law school rankings in 1987. Michigan Law is also one of the "T14" law schools, schools that have consistently ranked within the top 14 law schools since U.S. News began publishing rankings. In the 2016 U.S. News ranking, Michigan Law is ranked 11th overall.^[4] The 2010 Super Lawyers rankings placed Michigan as second.^[5] Michigan Law is currently ranked 8th for International Law.^[6] In a 2011 U.S. News "reputational ranking" of law schools by hiring partners at the nation’s top law firms, the University of Michigan Law School ranked 4th.^[7]

Admission to Michigan Law is highly selective. For the class entering in the fall of 2012, 1,238 out of 5,062 applicants (24.5%) were offered admission, with 344 matriculating. The 25th and 75th LSAT percentiles for the 2012 entering class were 166 and 170, respectively, with a median of 169 (top 3.3 percent of test takers).^[8] The 25th and 75th undergraduate GPA percentiles were 3.57 and 3.83, respectively, with a median of 3.73.^[9] Approximately 92.5 percent of the graduating class of 2010 was employed by nine months after graduation.^[10] Approximately 31% of the class of 2011 secured positions in one of the nation's 250 largest firms.^[11](subscription required) The majority of Michigan Law grads work in New York, Illinois, California, Washington, D.C. and Michigan.^[12]

The law school has graduated the late U.S. Supreme Court Justices Frank Murphy, William Rufus Day, and George Sutherland, as well as a number of heads of state and corporate executives. Michigan Law has also placed 33 of its graduates on the state's Supreme Court, including six who served as Chief Justice. More than 170 Michigan law graduates have served as legislators as either United States Senator (20 graduates) or as a Congressional representative (more than 150 graduates).

History

The Law School was founded in 1859, and quickly rose to national prominence. By 1870, Michigan was the largest law school in the country.

In 1870, Gabriel Franklin Hargo graduated from Michigan as the second African-American to graduate from law school in the United States. In 1871 Sarah Killgore, a Michigan Law graduate, became the first woman to both graduate from law school and be admitted to the bar.^[13]

Although the law school is part of the public University of Michigan, less than 2 percent of the law school's expenses are covered by state funds.^[14] The remainder (97–98% of Michigan Law's budget) is supplied by private gifts, tuition, and endowments.

As of 2009, Michigan Law is engaging in a $102 million enterprise, constructing an addition to the law building that remains loyal to the English Gothic style. This enterprise is fully funded by endowments and private gifts.^[15] 2009 also marked the school's sesquicentennial celebration. As a part of the festivities, Chief Justice John Roberts visited the school and participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new building.

Law Quad

The Lawyer's Club, Law Quadrangle, Library reading room, Library exterior, and Library interior.

The Law Quadrangle is designed in the English Gothic style.

Built between 1924 and 1933 by the architectural firm York and Sawyer with funds donated by attorney and alumnus William W. Cook, the Cook Law Quadrangle comprises four buildings:

• Hutchins Hall, the main academic building, named for former Dean of the Law School and President of the University, Harry Burns Hutchins
• The Legal Research Building. In 2007, the University of Michigan Reading Room was named 94th on a list of "American's Favorite Buildings."^[16] The building is one of only three law buildings on the list.
• John Cook Dormitory
• The Lawyer's Club, providing additional dormitory rooms and a meeting space for the residents of the Quad; highlighted by a Great Lounge, and a dining room with a high-vaulted ceiling, an oak floor, and dark oak paneling.^[17]

In 2012, extensive renovations of the Lawyers Club were undertaken thanks in part to a $20 million gift from Berkshire Hathaway vice-chairman Charles T. Munger, and was re-opened on August 19, 2013 for the Fall 2013 school year.^[18]

Publications

Michigan Law School students publish several law journals in addition to the Michigan Law Review, the sixth oldest legal journal in the U.S. These include:

• University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform
• Michigan Journal of International Law^[19]
• Michigan Journal of Gender and Law^[20]
• Michigan Journal of Race & Law
• Michigan Telecommunications and Technology Law Review
• Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law^[21]
• Michigan Journal Private Equity and Venture Capital Law,^[22]

Moot court competitions

Students may compete in intramural and extramural moot court competitions, the oldest of which is the Henry M. Campbell Moot Court Competition, established in 1926.^[23]

Student Funded Fellowships

Student Funded Fellowships (SFF) is a program designed to fund Michigan Law students who accept public interest summer jobs with low pay. SFF is governed by a board of 9–12 law students and operates independently of the Law School. The Board elects its own members, including two co-chairs, a treasurer, and various committee chairs. Board members head fundraising efforts throughout the year, ranging from Donate a Day's Pay (DADP), in which highly paid law firm clerks donate a day's salary to SFF, to a grand auction in March that invites bids on various donated items, including sports tickets, meals with faculty members, and art. In the late spring, Board members review applications for summer funding and select a limited number of highly qualified students for grants. In 2007 about twice as many students applied for grants as could be funded.

Employment & Cost of Attendance

According to Michigan's ABA-required employment disclosures, 92% of the graduates of the Class of 2013 were employed or seeking an advanced degree. This includes the 85% of the class who had obtained jobs requiring a J.D.^[24] Of the Class of 2013, 49.6% were employed by firms of greater than 100 attorneys^[25] and 12.0% obtained clerkships.^[24] Michigan's Law School Transparency under-employment score is 5.6%, indicating the percentage of the Class of 2014 who are unemployed, pursuing an additional degree, or working in a non-professional, short-term, or part-time job nine months after graduation.^[26]

Tuition at Michigan for the 2014-2015 academic year is $51,398 for residents of the state of Michigan and $54,398 for non-residents. The estimated cost of living for a Michigan student is $18,030. Assuming no tuition increases, a typical three-year course of study at Michigan therefore costs $208,284 (or $69,428 per year) for residents and $217,434 (or $72,428 per year) for non-residents.^[27]

Notable faculty

Notable alumni

See also

• List of University of Michigan law and government alumni
• List of University of Michigan legislator alumni
• List of University of Michigan people

Notes

1. ^ University of Michigan: Diversity Research & Resources, Proposal 2 Information. Link to UM website
2. ^ Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action v. Granholm, No. 2:06-cv-15024 (E.D. Mi.) (Lawson); Nos. 06–2640, 06–2642 (6th Cir. 2007).
3. ^ January 10, 2007 statement by Dean Evan Caminker. See statement here^[39]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to University of Michigan Law School.

• University of Michigan Law School

Coordinates: 42°16′26.9″N 83°44′21.6″W / 42.274139°N 83.739333°W / 42.274139; -83.739333