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
The school is located at the corner of 3rd Avenue South and 22nd Street in Birmingham, which Birmingham School of Law has renovated into an educational facility. The school consists of an auditorium; dramatic courtroom; legal library; 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. The university offers 3 courses with two joint-honor combinations. Grades of entry for all undergraduate courses are between AAA-ABB.
Birmingham School of Law is 4-year law school. 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.[4] 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.
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.[5] The Birmingham School of Law is not accredited by the American Bar Association, nor is the school seeking accreditation.[6][7]
Notable alumni
- Clarence W. Allgood (1902–1991), United States federal judge[8]
- James D. Martin (b. 1918), retired Republican politician from Alabama[9]
- 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[10]
- Eric L. Guster (b. 1971), criminal defense attorney and television legal analyst
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/accreditation/
- ↑ 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.